F1 driver Damon Hill featured in Gulf Oil partnership with Williams Formula 1 Driving Academy
2 years ago
United Kingdom Damon Hill is a World Champion Formula 1 driver who has transitioned from a distinguished racing career to an influential role in motorsport governance and broadcasting, offering expert analysis and insight into the sport.
Damon Hill signed a sponsorship contract with RJ Reynolds Tobacco International Inc. in 1988.
Hill borrowed £100,000 to finance his racing thanks to a sponsorship deal with Cellnet, which helped save his career after early financial struggles.
The partnership aimed to introduce NMC² to the world by aligning with an icon of Formula 1.
Hill became involved in a BMW dealership that bore his name.
Hill became involved in an Audi dealership in Exeter.
Hill co-founded the Prestige and Super Car Private Members Club P1 International with Michael Breen.
Damon Graham Devereux Hill was born on September 17, 1960. He is the son of two-time Formula One World Champion Graham Hill. At 15, Hill experienced a significant personal loss when his father and members of his Formula One team died in an air crash. This event led to drastically reduced financial circumstances for his family. To support himself and his education, Hill worked as a laborer and a motorcycle courier. He began his motorsport career in motorcycle racing in 1981, achieving a 350 cc clubman’s championship at Brands Hatch. In 1985, he transitioned to Formula Ford racing, and then Formula Three, where he secured three wins over three years. Despite not winning in Formula 3000, his determination impressed Williams, leading to a test driver role in 1991. His Formula One debut came in 1992 with Brabham, where he qualified for two out of eight races.
In 1993, Williams unexpectedly promoted Hill to their race team alongside Alain Prost. That year, at age 33, Hill secured his first three Grand Prix victories and finished third overall in the Drivers’ Championship. Following Ayrton Senna’s death in 1994, Hill became the team leader, winning six races and challenging Michael Schumacher for the title, ultimately finishing second after a controversial collision in the final race. He won the 1994 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. Hill continued to be a strong contender in 1995, securing four wins and again finishing second in the championship. In 1996, driving for Williams, Hill won eight races and the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship, making him the first son of a Formula One champion to win the title. He also received his second BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
Despite his championship win, Williams replaced Hill for the 1997 season. He joined Arrows, a team with no prior wins, and achieved a notable second-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In 1998, he moved to Jordan, securing the team’s first Formula One victory at the Belgian Grand Prix. Hill retired from racing at the end of the 1999 season. Post-racing, Hill founded P1 International, a private members’ club for prestige and supercars, and invested in BMW and Audi dealerships. In 2006, he became president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), where he oversaw a 17-year contract for Silverstone to host Formula One races. He has also worked as an F1 pundit for Sky Sports F1 and, as of 2025, for BBC radio.
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