Damon Hill became world champion with Williams in 1996 after a thrilling season that climaxed in BBC commentator Murray Walker famously getting a lump in his throat and handing the microphone to his co-commentator. Hill later went on to almost take Arrows’s first victory only to be robbed in the dying moments of the Hungarian Grand Prix by a faulty seal.

In 1998 Hill moved to Jordan and took the Irish team’s first victory, finishing ahead of his team mate Ralf Schumacher in a very wet Belgian Grand Prix. After retiring at the end of 1999, Hill remained out of the spotlight for a number of years, running a variety of companies, but returned in 2006 to succeed Jackie Stewart as the president of the BRDC, the association that own and operate Silverstone.

Damon Hill has agreed to do two events. It is likely he’s going to do Monaco and another one, and we’ve got a range of other drivers who positively have said they will come along and help us. Graham Stoker, FIA Deputy President of Sport.

Hill attended a number of grands prix last year and has successfully managed to ensure there will be a British Grand Prix in 2010 by persevering with Bernie Ecclestone and picking up the pieces when the Donington Park deal fell through.

Original article by BlogF1.

Damon Hill Set To Join Stewards In 2010

In 2008, Bernie Ecclestone sensationally announced that Donington Park had signed a deal which would see the Leicestershire circuit host the British Grand Prix from 2010. However, funding issues and disputes got in the way and after Ecclestone had extended deadlines various times, the deal was called off. Silverstone then set about negotiating with Ecclestone to reclaim the event, which was finally announced this morning.

The title of Silverstone as home of motorsport has come true. It is a place for all motorsport. Everyone in the BRDC loves motorsport and we are looking forward to the MotoGP as well as the British Grand Prix.

It is not easy to enter into a contract of this magnitude and you have to take on a lot of responsibility, but the BRDC wanted this relationship to continue.

Everyone was well aware that the British GP is not just a sporting event, but it is dynamo of the industry in this country. Losing it would have been damaging and perhaps there would have been no coming back. Damon Hill.

The news means that Formula One will continue to have a British event and will undoubtedly come as good news to British fans. The majority of teams on the grid are based in Britain and the nation has long been involved with the sport, and currently enjoying great success with both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Although the deal is for 17 years, taking on what had been offered to Donington Park, there is a clause in the contract to break the deal after 10 years, although Silverstone’s managing director Richard Phillips said this is not what he wants to happen. Phillips and Hill also spoke more of the planned schedule of works due to be carried out, starting after Christmas.

Even this year with the new circuit we are trying to get better access for public, changing granstands for better viewing and running our own campsites to be better than the current ones.

We want to increase the entertainment factor. Richard Phillips.

Interestingly, Bernie Ecclestone has changed his tone considerably. Previously, Ecclestone had been quite anti-Silverstone, stating that even if the Donington deal fell through, Formula One would not return to the old airbase. However, this morning Bernie had nothing but good things to say, stating he is pleased Britain will continue to feature in the world championship.

I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with Silverstone for the retention of the British Grand Prix. This will ensure that Great Britain will remain on the Formula 1 calendar for many years to come, which is something I have personally always wanted to see happen.

The team at Silverstone already knows how to organise a good event, so now everyone can look forward to next summer at Silverstone. Bernie Ecclestone.

With Woking-based McLaren fielding both British champions on the 2010 grid, the race should draw huge crowds, although the new facilities and circuit will not be ready until 2011. The circuit will also host a round of the MotoGP championship.

Original article by BlogF1.

British Grand Prix To Remain At Silverstone

The 1994 season was particularly emotional and stressful following the untimely death of Williams driver and team mate to Damon, Ayrton Senna. The passing of the team’s lead driver meant Hill was promoted to the leader’s role and Damon took on Michael Schumacher for the world championship. However, by the time the British round of the championship was upon the drivers, Hill was massively behind his rival in the title race, Schumacher accruing more than twice as many points as Hill at the time. However, Hill’s fortunes in Britain would change this by the final race of the season Damon was still mathematically able to take the crown.

Hill lined up alongside Schumacher on Silverstone’s grid, the Britain taking pole position the day previous day by just 0.003s. The first start of the race was aborted due to David Coulthard stalling on the grid. However, during the parade lap Michael Schumacher passed Hill temporarily, and although he let the Britain back through when they took to their grid slots, the incident would not be overlooked and an investigation ensued at race control.

For the second start, Hill got away well and the top three drivers maintained position with Gerhard Berger in a close third. However, while it was status quo at the top for the first part of the race, the stewards would soon throw a curve-ball into the mix that would spice the event up; Schumacher had been given a five-second stop-go penalty for infringing the rules on the parade lap. The Benetton team though, whom Schumacher drove for, refused to call their driver in exclaiming that they had not been properly notified of the issue. Schumacher continued to pound around the circuit following the rear wing of Damon’s Williams.

As the first round of pit stops ensued, Schumacher was able to get ahead of Hill and left his box in the lead of the race. Hearts sank all around the Northamptonshire circuit but the race was far from over. Seven laps after the Benetton team had been told to stop Schumacher for his penalty, a black flag was waved for Michael, indicating that he must enter the pits on the following lap to serve his penalty. But still the German race winner continued to lap the circuit, citing later on after the race that he did not see the flags being waved.

After a further seven laps and only after the race director visited the Benetton team and ordered them to call their driver in, Schumacher peeled off into the pitlane and paused his car outside the garage. Benetton would go on to appeal the decision only to then feel the full wrath of the FIA; the punishment was increased to a two-race ban and a $25,000 fine.

After Schumacher left the pits he was in fourth but was promoted to second following the pit stops of Jean Alesi and Mika Hakkinen; Gerhard Berger retired on lap 32 with engine trouble. For the remaining 28 laps, Schumacher was unable to dent Hill’s lead and came in second, although later disqualified for failing to adhere to the steward’s flags following his parade lap misdemeanor.

After the event, Hill was fairly emotional, particularly as his late father, a master of many racing circuits, had never won the British Grand Prix.

It’s the best day of my life. I think I was destined to win this race although I can’t quite believe it. It means so much, not least because my father never won it… it is like a dream. Damon Hill.

The win, combined with Schumacher’s added penalties, would allow Hill to close down the championship lead and a string of victories in the last few races of the season meant Damon was within one point of Schumacher as they headed into the final grand prix in Australia. The race would prove to be very controversial with the pair colliding. The crash meant Hill was forced to retire and Schumacher took the title. It is still not 100% known if Michael turned across Hill with the intention of taking him out, but Williams chose to not dispute the incident as they were still dealing with loss of Ayrton Senna from earlier in the year.

Damon Hill would go on to have a difficult 1995 campaign, with added incidents with his rival in the Benetton, but after Schumacher moved to Ferrari for 1996, Hill fought off a season-long battle with new team mate Jacques Villeneuve to take the title. Hill would never win the British Grand Prix again, but did manage to collect the Arrows team’s first points in 1997 with a great sixth place finish at Silverstone. In Hill’s final year of Formula One competition, he managed a fifth-place finish at home, this time in a Mugen-Honda-powered Jordan.

Now retired from Formula One, Damon Hill is president of the BRDC, an organistion that owns the Silverstone circuit and in charge of hosting the British Grand Prix. Recently the track has come under fire from Bernie Ecclestone for being below-standard, and as I type, Hill has stated that it is still 50:50 if the circuit will get an extension to its contract. However, under Hill’s direction the circuit is planned to receive various upgrades in the coming years.

To read more in this series of articles, click the tag ‘British Winners’.

Original article by BlogF1.

The British Winners Of The British Grand Prix: Damon Hill

I am delighted to report that we are close to finalising our plans to build new pits in time for the 2010 British Grand Prix, thus satisfying FOM’s pre-requisites to granting us a new F1 GP contract.

I am personally both impressed and proud of the commitment shown by the BRDC and by all our team members engaged in this project.

The negotiations with FOM are ongoing and reasonable terms on a new contract [for future grands prix] will help us to fulfil our ambitions. Damon Hill.

Original article by BlogF1.

BRDC Confirm Silverstone Plans On Schedule

The plans are pretty comprehensive and will see the layout of the circuit changed as the pit and paddock complex will be moved. Currently the pitlane runs off of Woodcote corner and rejoins the track after Copse. But circuit planners are now suggesting moving the whole area to between Club and Abbey.

The redevelopment plan is a ten year undertaking which will see the area in Northamptonshire change, including the building of a new manufacturer test centre, business park, leisure complex, hotels and a new residential area. Damon Hill, current president of the BRDC spoke to the press today of the exciting plans, which have been submitted to the council for approval.

This new facility, and the redevelopment at large, will help attract more business to Northamptonshire and create more jobs for local communities. The British Grand Prix alone contributes over £30 million a year to the local area and it is vital that we do everything we can to maintain this income as well as the UK’s world class expertise in high tech engineering and R&D.

Also, it should go without saying by now, that in order to retain the British Grand Prix we need a venue of this kind of stature, and the grand prix is a key element in the whole project. Damon Hill.

Richard Phillips, Silverstone’s managing director, spoke of making Silverstone rival other national sporting venues like Wembley, Twickenham and Wimbledon.

It is vital that we continue to diversify as a business to make sure that the UK remains at the forefront of the motorsport industry. As the iconic building on the circuit, the new Pit and Paddock complex will confirm our status as a global leader and will be something that everyone in the UK can be proud of. Richard Phillips.

Original article by BlogF1.

Silverstone Future Revealed