Damon Hill OBE was born in 1960, two years before his father Graham won his first driving title. The family first lived comfortably in a large London house before moving to a 25-bedroom home in Hertfordshire. 

It was not unusual for Graham Hill to be visited by family friends Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, John Surtees and Jackie Stewart. At this  time, motor racing didn’t interest Damon and he was more interested in motorbikes. 

When he was aged 15, Damon experienced the tragic loss of his father, who died alongside his team member in a plane crash. Financial difficulties meant that Damon’s mother brought up him and his two sister under challenging circumstances.

Damon credits his parents for instilling in him the qualities needed to endure and overcome the hardships that came his way. His father had become a champion through dedication, persistence and hard work and was also noted for his keen sense of humour. Both his mother and father were competitive and single-minded people when they met at the London Rowing Club and it was in their honour that Damon chose to use the club’s insignia on his helmet when he went racing.

Damon studied English, history and economics and to finance his education he worked as a labourer and as a motorcycle courier.

Damon Hill OBE | Early Racing Career

In 1981 he started competing on bikes, preparing them himself and towing them to the races where he slept in a tent.

In 1985, at the age of 25, he managed to source sponsorship for a season of Formula Ford racing, where he showed promise but was not rated highly. Then he raced in Formula Three, where he won three races in three years, following which another three years in Formula 3000 failed to produce a victory.

It was his hard-working attributes that impressed Williams enough to hire him as a test driver in 1991. Over two years, Damon clocked up 18,000 miles.  While still a test driver for Williams, Damon got his Formula One debut with the Brabham team, which provided experience but not success. He only managed to qualify twice in eight races. His commitment and hard work with Williams paid off when, in 1993, Damon was promoted to be one of the team drivers, taking the wheel of a car he had test driven and developed.

Damon Hill OBE | Formula One

In his first year racing with the Williams team, Damon won three races and finished third overall. The next year, his new team mate Ayrton Senna was killed in his third race with Williams, and the responsibility of leading the team fell to Damon.

In 1994, the championship battle with Michael Schumacher ended when they collided controversially in the final race in the Australian Grand Prix. Schumacher, who was accused by some of deliberately taking his rival out, won the title by a single point over Damon.

The following year, he again finished second best to Schumacher and criticisms of Damon began in earnest. It was in 1996, that his determination and resolve was rewarded with the title, beating team mate Jacques Villeneuve to second place and arch rival Michael Schumacher to third place.

Damon Hill OBE | Watching My Wheels: My Autobiography

Twenty years after he won the World Championship, Damon published his book Watching My Wheels: My Autobiography. In his book he is open and honest about what it was like to grow up as the son of one of the country’s most famous racing drivers. He tells the story of dealing with the grief and chaos that followed his father’s tragical death when Damon was 15 years old.

He shares how he battled depression. The wounds from his father’s death having not healed and a vacuum left by retirement from racing had prompted introspective analysis. Damon talks about the process of properly allowing himself to grieve and the sudden realisation that he was scared of dying suddenly like his father.

Damon Hill | Charity Patron

Damon has one son who was born with Down Syndrome and he is a patron of the Down’s Syndrome Association and Down Syndrome International. In 2009, Damon also became the first patron of St. Joseph’s Specialist School and College, a school for children with severe learning disabilities and autism

Supporting charities that help those with special needs is close to his heart and Damon is also a patron for Halow. The charity supports those aged 16+ with learning disabilities and/or on the autism spectrum on their journey into and through adult life. Their activities give young people the chance to get involved and enjoy an active social life.

Why Book Damon Hill?

Damon Hill is not only a legend of Formula One motor racing with a fascinating story to tell, with anecdotes on the world of motor racing. But he has much depth, opening up about loss, grief, depression and how to achieve success with focus and determination. Hugely passionate about helping people and young adults coping with Down’s Syndrome, autism and other learning difficulties, Damon shares his thoughts on these important topics.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Formula One World Champion Damon Hill OBE for your next live event or corporate video.Contact us.