Phil Hill, 1927-2008
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:05 am
One of the great drivers of Formula 1's golden era has passed away; Phill Hill, 1961 Formula 1 world champion and one of two Americans to win the WDC, died earlier today at Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula from complications of Parkinson's disease, according to friends and family.
Those close to Hill described him as being a man with "multiple talents", one "quiet" and "not given to self-promotion". The late Shav Glick, who wrote for the Los Angeles Times, once remarked that Hill "set the standard" by which American racers competing overseas were compared to. While Hill is probably more well known for winning the 1961 WDC, he also won several other major events in his racing career:
--3 victories at the 24 Hours of LeMans
--victory at the Argentine 1000k
--3 victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring
What made Hill's racing career more remarkable was the fact that, despite competing in an era where there was little or no safety equipment in use, Hill was never seriously injured during his 2-decade+ racing career; as he himself opined once,
Hill is survived by his wife, Alma, two daughters, one son and several grandchildren.
Vaya con Dios; you were a great champion, legend and ambassador for the sport; you will be sorely missed.
R.I.P. Phil Hill
Those close to Hill described him as being a man with "multiple talents", one "quiet" and "not given to self-promotion". The late Shav Glick, who wrote for the Los Angeles Times, once remarked that Hill "set the standard" by which American racers competing overseas were compared to. While Hill is probably more well known for winning the 1961 WDC, he also won several other major events in his racing career:
--3 victories at the 24 Hours of LeMans
--victory at the Argentine 1000k
--3 victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring
What made Hill's racing career more remarkable was the fact that, despite competing in an era where there was little or no safety equipment in use, Hill was never seriously injured during his 2-decade+ racing career; as he himself opined once,
, adding at the end,I had an amazing amount of luck to race for 22 years and not a drop of blood or a broken bone.
Born Philip Toll Hill in Miami, Florida on April 20, 1927, he grew up in the Santa Monica, Ca. area; his love of cars could be seen at an early age, when his mother bought him a Model T Ford that Hill would drive throughout the Santa Monica canyons. Working as a mechanic on various Ferrari racecars in the 1950's, Hill soon got to drive for the legendary marque in the late 1950's. It was during this time that he got the first of his major sports-car victories, winning the 1958 24 Hours of LeMans w/co-driver Olivier Gendebien. Hill was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1991 and was later honored at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2006 with a plaque at the venue's Walk of Fame.Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough.
Hill is survived by his wife, Alma, two daughters, one son and several grandchildren.
Vaya con Dios; you were a great champion, legend and ambassador for the sport; you will be sorely missed.
R.I.P. Phil Hill