Phil Hill

Phil Hill

Hill (left) and Jackie Stewart at the 1991 United States Grand Prix
Born	Philip Toll Hill, Jr. (1927-04-20)April 20, 1927 Miami, Florida, U.S.
Died	August 28, 2008(2008-08-28) (aged 81) Salinas, California, U.S.
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	American
Active years	1958–1964, 1966
Teams	Maserati, Ferrari, Cooper, Porsche, Automobili Turismo e Sport, Lotus, Eagle
Entries	51 (48 starts)
Championships	1 (1961)
Wins	3
Podiums	16
Career points	94 (98)
Pole positions	6
Fastest laps	6
First entry	1958 French Grand Prix
First win	1960 Italian Grand Prix
Last win	1961 Italian Grand Prix
Last entry	1966 Italian Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career Participating years 1953, 1955–1967 Teams Rees T. Makins Scuderia Ferrari Aston Martin Ford Motor Company Shelby-American Inc. Chaparral Cars Inc. Best finish 1st (1958, 1961, 1962) Class wins 3 (1958, 1961, 1962)

Philip Toll Hill, Jr. (April 20, 1927 – August 28, 2008) was an American automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship (Mario Andretti, an American driver, won the World Drivers' Championship in 1978, but was not born in the United States). He also scored three wins at each of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring sports car races.

Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero. I'm a peace-loving man, basically."

Born in Miami, Florida, Hill was raised in Santa Monica, California, where he lived until his death. He studied business administration at the University of Southern California from 1945 to 1947, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Hill left early to pursue auto racing, working as a mechanic on other drivers' cars. Hill began racing cars at an early age, going to England as a Jaguar trainee in 1949 and signing with Enzo Ferrari's team in 1956. He made his debut in the French Grand Prix at Reims France in 1958 driving a Maserati. That same year, paired with Belgian teammate Olivier Gendebien, Hill became the first American-born winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Hill driving most of the night in horrific rainy conditions. He and Gendebien would go on to win the famous endurance race again in 1961 and 1962.