Graham Hill was a British racing driver from London who had success in Formula One, winning the World Championship in 1962 and 1968. He is the only driver to have won the Triple Crown of Motorsport, winning the Monaco GP, Indianapolis 500, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Hill began racing in 1954 and retired in 1975 after failing to qualify for several races that season. He died later that year in a plane crash at the age of 46.
3. Biography
Born Norman Graham Hill in Hampstead,
North London - 15th February 1929
Married wife Bette in 1955. Had 3
children
Brigitte, Samantha and Damon
Only passed driving test at age 24, the year
before his first competitive race
Died in plane crash at Arkley,
Hertfordshire on 29th November 1975
4. Early Career
In 1954 he responded to an advert to drive a racing car
around Brands Hatch for a shilling a lap
Same year he secured his first competitive drive in a
Formula 3 Cooper 500, coming 4th in the final
In 1955 a chance meeting with Colin Chapman boss of
Lotus lead to him securing a position as race engineer
By 1957 he had impressed Chapman enough to secure a
Team drive for Lotus in 1958 F1 season
In 1960, frustrated by progress at Lotus, moved to
Brabham Formula 1 team
5. Championship Success
In 1962 he returned to Lotus and secured his
first Driver’s World Championship, securing 42
out of a total 52 points
In each of the following three seasons he came
second in the championship, losing to Lotus
team mate Jim Clark in 1963 and 1965.
In 1968 he secured his second Drivers’
Championship during a difficult season for Lotus
with the death of Jim Clark
6. Motorsport Triple Crown
There are two versions of Motor Sport’s Triple
Crown:
To have won the Monaco GP, Indianapolis 500
and Le Mans
To have won Formula 1 World Championships,
Indy 500 and Le Mans
Graham achieved this feat using both criteria.
No other driver has ever achieved this.
7. Achievements
1962 1st British Driver to
win World
Championship in
British Car
1966 Won Indianapolis
at 1st Attempt
1969 Awarded OBE
1972 Won Le Mans in
Matra-Ford
1963, 1964, 1965, Won Monaco German Grand Prix
1968 & 1969 Grand Prix* 4th August 1968
9. Career Endings
1971 Won Formula 2
race at Thruxton his
last win on British soil
1973 Founded his own
Embassy Hill team
1975 retired after
failing to qualify in the
3rd and 4th rounds of
the season
Winning at Thruxton 12th April
1971
10. Bibliography & Citations
Graham / Graham Hill with Neil Ewart.- Book Club
Associates, London . – 1976
International Motor Racing Book No.3 / Ed. Phil
Drackett.– Souvenir Press, London.-1969 (0 285 50245
X)
Background Image: Copyright Michael Turner
Photograph: Thruxton 1971 Copyright Mirror Group
Photograph: German GP 1968 Copyright Autocar
