AND FINALLY: The Formula 1 Hill's

In recent times there has been a steady stream of motor racing films, some fine biopics (Prost), and others pure nonsense (Brad Pitt was always going to win).  The Sky Documentaries “Hill”, takes in two F1 World Champions, father and son, Graham and Damon Hill. It is very much worth a viewing.

Graham Hill never won the British Grand Prix, at Lotus always number two driver to Jim Clark.  Damon won at Silverstone 1994. Both gained OBE's.

Malcolm Ginsberg reviews:

On a nasty Saturday afternoon in 1975 the phone rang.  We lived quite close to Elstree Aerodrome.  “Was I Lotus Press Manager?”.
“No, I have relinquished that position”.  
“Did I know the registration of Graham Hill’s aircraft?”  
“N6645Y”.  
“It’s gone in at a local golf course!”  

I called Colin Chapman on his private line for the first and only time. “Silly sod,” he said and put the phone down.

The “Hill” documentary is the story of two Formula 1 World Champions, family men and both charismatic, but in completely different ways.  I knew Graham moderately well, but my only meeting with Damon was as a four-year-old sitting on my lap at their modest Mill Hill home.  

Graham had chauffeured me around the Monaco Grand Prix course in a Ford Escort, and also caused some embarrassment at a five-star Marbella hotel shouting out “Ginsberg!”

Graham, besides being a fine driver, but not the tidiest, had a real personality, though Damon can also be outgoing.  The elder Hill gained an OBE and is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport (24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500, and Formula One World Championship).  

He had a nasty accident at the US Grand Prix, Watkins Glenn, in October 1969, his pilot’s licence then suspended.  One afternoon at the Lotus Hethel offices he wandered over to my desk and asked if I wanted a lift home.  I sat in the middle row of the Aztec, but Graham was not the pilot.  In charge was a professional from Elstree.  We arrived in clag, diverted, and gained permission to land at the then Rolls-Royce strip at Leavesden (now the Warner Brothers film studio) which had radar.  Graham ranted in his usual way, but he was not the Captain.  On 29 November 1975 there was nobody to stop him making the landing attempt.

Alex Holmes, a BAFTA-nominated filmmaker known for "Maiden" and "The Rig” directs the movie using archive film in various formats. They are of variable standards but that takes nothing away from the finished documentary. Highlighted is the aggressive driving attitude of another World Champion, the German Michael Schumacher, not dissimilar to a more recent number one, Max Verstappen.  Graham’s relationship with team owner Frank Williams is odd, sacked in the middle of the winning 1996 season.  Williams is ruthless and it shows, once trying to steal Emmerson Fittipaldi from Lotus. 

Damon comes over as a family man supported by his wife Georgie.  Mother Betty, together with Hazel Chapman and Eba Grant (wife of Autosport owner Gregor), helped to create the Dog House Owners Club (Women’s Motor Racing Associates Club) a charity, still active, helping those in the motor racing community needing support.  

Damon is never quite sure of himself even to this day, learning of the death of his father live on TV, and a witness to the Senna accident.  The film had to include motor racing commentator Murray Walker, and also Bruce Forsyth.  

The word ‘pundit’ has become familiar in the world of soccer, giving ex-players the opportunity to pontificate on the sport. Some are good, many not so.  With motor sport today Damon is one of the top commentators, currently working for BBC Radio.  

With the two personal tragedies Damon Hill OBE has clearly escaped the darkest of the past, but it still hangs over him!

“Hill” is another motor racing classic.  View on YouTube.

Malcolm Ginsberg is at 07973 210631  malcolm@ginsberg.co.uk

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Hethel Fan,

Sitting at home on Sunday morning waiting for the race to start I just wonder if F1 has gone to far regarding size of the cars. Graham Hill and Monaco would not have happened today. He would not have squeezed past. I recently walked past the Lotus showroom in London’s Piccadilly where a tiny Lotus 16 was on display. Sadly no caption and the staff clueless. I gather was from Classic Team Lotus.