Phil Hill

[Steven Roy]

America's first world champion Phil Hill died to day at the age of 81.  There is an appreciation of his career at the link below.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20700.html

[Dare]

America's first world champion Phil Hill died to day at the age of 81.  There is an appreciation of his career at the link below.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20700.html

Sad news Steven,it's also sad that he
seemed to be one on F1's forgotten
champions

[lkjohnson1950]

One of my HEROS!!

[Wizzo]

Sad news indeed, another great loss to the racing community.

Doesn't it make you feel old?

[cosworth151]

Sad news indeed. He had been suffering from Parkinson's disease for some time.

Phil Hill was one of only two actual drivers who had a credited speaking role in the movie "Grand Prix." He played Tim Randolph.

Dare mentioned that he seems to be a forgotten champion. his friend and contemporary driver Denise McCluggage described him as "Hamlet in a Helmet." In a remembrance written for AutoWeek this morning, she said:

Indeed, Phil does have many of the Prince of Denmark's qualities--he is introspective, he hates decisions, and when it comes to hawks and handsaws, he can match him in erudition. But if Phil were Hamlet, his most famed of soliloquies would be delivered between chuckles with even a giggle here or there, because no one better than Phil appreciates the high comedy mortals enact on this sphere or the humor inherent in dilemma.

How else could a man look over his colleagues who are deeply involved in making red cars go faster than green or silver ones and comment, "Sometimes I think we are a bunch of children," laugh, cinch on his helmet and join the game, a game that could momentarily claim his life. Or at another time, when the excited questions in the pits are: Who will get the fastest lap? Who will qualify for first place on the grid? Phil, as involved as any of them, pulls back to observe: "It's a hell of a measure of a man, isn't it? A lap time?"

A great driver and a fine man. He will be deeply missed.

Cos

[cosworth151]

Hill in the 1961 French GP at Reims. Hill is in the #16 Ferrari. He's the fellow with his helmet under his arm early in the flm, to the left of the screen.



He leads the race, spins the car, push starts it and finishes 9th in a field of 26.

More from McCluggage, this written in 1962:

Phil's vivid imagination makes him intently aware of what accidents can befall him; nonetheless, he continues to expose himself to them. At Cuba one year, he came into the pits during practice claiming that a certain driver was going "to buy it" if he didn't watch out. The Malecon, over which the circuit ran beside the sea, was full of bumps and strange changes of camber and, all in all, was not suited for high-speed driving. "You can't imagine what we are called upon to do out there," he said, with his usual emphatic inflections. "And X hasn't a clue. He's flat out going a million miles an hour," and on Phil went describing all the perils to which X was exposing himself.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Oh, I was right behind him all the way."

I laughed. Then he laughed.

But there was a difference for Phil and for X. The logic, if it can be called that, runs like this: X didn't know the risks he was taking and so was somehow more exposed to them. Phil did know the risks he was taking and so was in a better position to cope with them. But to me, it seems that just that much more courage is needed to go so very fast when an active imagination paints the dangers so graphically.

I pointed this out to Phil once--how doubly difficult he made it for himself.

"You know, you're really not suited for this business," I told him.

Phil sighed and agreed.

"What you should be is second oboist for the Cincinnati Symphony," I said.

"Exactly!" Phil replied. And then, almost plaintively, "But I can't play the oboe."

[SennaMan]

Sad news indeed, another great loss to the racing community.

Doesn't it make you feel old?

yes and no Wiz, I'm also so grateful I got to witness and share what this remarkable guy loved to do and did so damn well.

phil is so much part of the great F1 legacy.

drive free mate......drive free

[SennaMan]

you can sign and leave a comment if you wish in a 'Book of Rememberance' for phil at his official site:

PhilHill.com

[SennaMan]

thanks cos and SR for your posts, stories and links

made me remember how primitive and dangerous the circuits were. Public roads really with trees all around, no run-offs or crowd control minimal at best. No wonder so many drivers were killed.

the cars were dangerously designed and as flimsy as h**l too. Notice the substantial suspension movements to deal with all those bumpy roads and even then the cars often would be propelled alarmingly into the air on some of the bumps.

the shark-nosed FERRARI brings back memories of phil HILL's 1961 WDC, the first American to do it and i was quite inspired when he did that in one of the most original looking F1 cars.

a sad day but thanks for all ya gave me and countless others phil

thanks cos for the stories about this great guy; made me appreciate him in a new way - he was always a good man,

i'll miss him and in doing so i recall those who gave/give me so much enjoyment through their courage and driving talent

a king is dead, long live the new kings