Damon Hill

[ERC]

My Christmas reading so far is Damon's latest autobiography (2016). Interesting observations about his parents and his depression after giving up racing.

[khyndart in CA]

I admired Damon at the time of the 1994 Imola Grand Prix where Ayrton Senna had just died in a crash in his Williams FW 16 and not knowing the cause of the crash, Damon went out on the restart in his Williams FW 16 and was battling Schumacher for the lead then touched wheels with Michael and dropped to last and fought his way back to finish sixth. It took a brave man to do that.
As Frank Williams and Patrick Head said of Damon; "He's a tough bastard and has a fierce inner spirit. "

Damon Hill and Ayrton Senna with the Williams FW 16 before the start of the 1994 Formula One season.



(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

The closest I came to meeting Damon was in June 1996 when he had left the day before to go to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.
I had worked with Patrick Head at Trojan in 1973 and this was the first time we had met up since then. We found our way to the Williams headquarters and Patrick showed my son Sean and I around and was very patient with our questions etc as this was probably one of the most successful periods in the history of Williams Grand Prix Engineering. They finished 1-2 in Canada and also at the next Grand Prix in France. It was a golden period for them and Patrick was in good form and very friendly. It was a shame that Damon would not be with the team for 1997.

(I know this is a repeat but it goes with the story. Hyndman & Patrick Head in the Williams F1 showroom, FW 14s on the left and FW 16s on the right. June 12, 1996 )


A young man's dream. I wish we could have stayed longer but had to meet our daughter in the Lake District that afternoon.
Sean with the spare Williams F1 FW 17. June 1996. )


(Ken Hyndman photos )

[khyndart in CA]

Damon Hill and Patrick Head in 1995. (Frank Williams and Adrian Newey in the background.)





(Ken Hyndman album )

[khyndart in CA]

In 1996 Damon won 8 of the 16 rounds of the Formula One Season to be the World Champion in a Williams FW 18 designed by Adrian Newey powered by a Renault engine. By the end of the season Damon would be gone, Adrian Newey left and Renault would only be used for one more season. So much for the certainties of Formula One !
This is how the news was reported in 1996 by the "Independent" newspaper in England.
News
Damon Hill fired by Williams
Sunday 1 September 1996

"The Independent "
Damon Hill, who is poised to win the Formula One drivers' world championship, has been dropped by his Williams- Renault team for next season.
It was revealed yesterday that Frank Williams, the team's leader, had ended negotiations over a new contract with Hill last week. The British driver had been seeking an improvement to his present 12-month deal, believed to be worth $7.5m (pounds 5m), and was understood to be requesting $12m.
It had been rumoured that Williams was not prepared to go beyond $8m, but it became clear yesterday that money had not been the key issue. Hill's representative, Michael Breen, said that the driver had been prepared to continue negotiating, but Williams had decided to end the talks.
It is believed Williams may have been planning for some time to replace Hill. According to sources inside Formula One, Williams agreed a deal last year with the German driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen to drive for his team next year.

If Hill wins the championship - he leads by 13 points, with three races remaining - he will be the fourth Williams driver to leave the team with the world title in the past nine years, following Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost."

( Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

Due to accidents to Aryton Senna and Mika Hakkinen in 1994 and 1995, the F1 cars changed their designs around cockpit safety among other things and the difference can be noted here between Damon's Brabham BT 60B in 1992 and the 1996 Williams FW 18.

Damon Hill at Silverstone in 1992.


Damon Hill at the 1996 Hungarian Grand Prix.



(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

As I did not follow Damon after the 1996 season I am signing off on this thread and will leave the later chapters to those who know their stuff.
At least Damon, even knowing he was finished at Williams during the last 3 F1 races in 1996 gave it his best and went out in style at the Japanese Grand Prix, October 13th 1996 at Suzuka.




(Ken Hyndman )

[Michael Clark]

Interesting to be reminded how much of Damon is sticking out of that pink Brabham, and how little of him is visible in the Williams only four years later.