Phil Hill Dies At 81
Phil Hill died this morning at Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 81 years old.
Hill is known to enthusiasts as the first—and only—American-born driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship (Mario Andretti won the title in 1978 but was born in Italy, even though he was and is an American citizen). Hill won the title in 1961, driving a Ferrari 156 “Sharknose” mid-engined racer for the factory. That year Hill battled the entire year with his teammate, Wolfgang von Trips, but captured the crown during the second-to-last race of the season when von Trips was fatally injured in a crash at Monza—one that also took the lives of 14 race fans. With the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles wrapped up after that awful day, Ferrari opted out of the last race of the season (at Hill’s “home” track of Watkins Glen), leaving Tifosi to believe the Scuderia sat out the last race out of respect for their fallen driver and the lost spectators, while Hill and others wondered if Ferrari simply wanted to save money having already captured the title. Like most Ferrari lore, perhaps not knowing the real story is the best story of all.
What is known is that Phil Hill was one of the best racing drivers the world has ever seen. In addition to his landmark F1 championship, he was the first American to take an overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1958, driving Ferrari’s 250 Testa Rossa with Olivier Gendebien), the first driver to record a sub-9-minute lap at the Nürburgring, and one of only a handful of drivers who have won the 12 Hours of Sebring three times overall.
Hill was successful—if not a winner—in nearly everything he drove. And he drove the sorts of cars that most of us have on our bookshelves in 1:12 scale form. Cars like the aforementioned Ferrari 250 TR, Ferrari 156, Ford GT 40, various Chaparrals, Cobras, Cooper-Climax T73s, Cooper T70s, and the McLaren M1.
While the last few years of Hill’s life have been plagued by the awful effects of Parkinson’s Disease, his racing career finished at the top. His very last race was a victory—behind the wheel of a Chaparral 2F at the BOAC 500 kilometer at Brands Hatch in 1967.
Goodbye, Phil. You were one of the great ones.
+ PhilHill.com (Click to sign the online book of rememberance)
Comments
TheStig
That's really a shame. Rest in peace.
Russ Bellinis
In the list of cars Phil drove, you forgot to mention that he drove and won in an Alpha 8c2900. This was in the early 1950's in So Cal amateur road races and he beat cars like the Xk120 Jag, as well as early Ferraris. He not only won Le Mans, but won it numerous times with co-driver Olivier Gendebien, if my memory is correct. Following his racing career, he was a premier restorer of classic cars. At 81 this isn't surprising, but he will be missed.
Richard K Schwalm
The Schwalm family is greatly saddened to hear of Phil's passing yesterday. Not only was he a one-of-a-kind racer, music lover, family man, but a true friend to me and my father. Our prayers and caring sympathy to The Hill Family. Richard
soninlaw
I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Hill twice and he was just a nice guy.
At the first US GP at Indy I watched him standing alone, on a hill in the infield, watching practice and no one even recognized him!
He raced at a time when your nuts were on the line every time you went on the track. He was a winner in various types of cars and was our only American born F1 Champion. He was a true gear head and a legend of motorsport. A classy style of driver that I wish we had more of today
RIP Phil Hill
NANO
I the young expert in working out of technologies of the future. I try to change for a long time very much already the World to the best, but badly it turns out. At us in the country treat badly novelties and to people who know more than their scientists. would like to share the achievements. It (the new energy source - long period of validity and very small(little) size, but develops(produces) a lot of energy). The second it (the car(machine) on a magnetic pillow not air, but magnetic. That allows to rise to the car(machine) on different height). There are more many other workings out..... Please, help me to carry out that I have invented. And to help the World the workings out.
I search for the adherent for the achievements.
Arthur Bjornestad
I met Phil Hill in a quiet moment at Sebring at the airport course. He was in a hanger pushing a car and took time to discuss Triumph motorcycles with me. Many years later at Hill and Vaughn, his restoration shop in Los Angeles, he spotted me in a small group and remarked "Sebring, right" He was much more than a race car driver..............
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