RIP Phil Hill

[Alexamateo]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-me-hill29-2008aug29,0,5179464.story

Just heard that Phil Hill has passed away. :(

Only American-born World Driving Champion.

[Miatanut]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-me-hill29-2008aug29,0,5179464.story

Just heard that Phil Hill has passed away. :(

Only American-born World Driving Champion.
:(

[Nikki Katz]

That's sad. Parkinson's is horrible.

[Easy Drifter]

I knew he was sick but didn't expect this. A fine man. Some of his best drives were post F1 in the Chapparal cars. I enjoyed watching him.
RIP

[D28]

A sad day for American racing. The first American WC, he was probably better suited to sportscars. I am especially impressed with his 1961 season: Sebring and LeMans wins in sportscars, plus the F1 World Championship for Ferrari. This is one record which will endure.

[Spiderman]

I knew he was sick but didn't expect this. A fine man. Some of his best drives were post F1 in the Chapparal cars. I enjoyed watching him.
RIP
Hey, he was 81 years old... Not many racers in his generation became as old as he did.
RIP

[wedge]

RIP

[VkmSpouge]

Very sad to hear of Phil Hill's passing.

[ykiki]

Never met him and was too young to see him race. Yet as a motorsport fan, I feel a sense of loss that I can't seem to explain.

We've lost a legend from a bygone era when surviving such a storied career was an accomplishment itself. A true champion.

RIP Phil Hill.

[markabilly]

A true world champion and a gentleman in the days when one paid for mistakes with life and limb, and did not spend their time seeking a live microphone to talk about how great they are.

[jso1985]

:( RIP Phil

[tannat]

He did some great journalism for Road and Track.

I remember reading his test of the Ferrari 333SP a little over 10 years ago. He put driving into words so nicely..

[ShiftingGears]

RIP.

[Donney]

RIP

[BDunnell]

Very sad news indeed.

It was a tremendous moment when he was present at Goodwood for the last time a couple of years ago, and could watch his son Derek winning the Freddie March Memorial Trophy.

[GJD]

I gain the impression that few American motor sport fans know much of Phil Hill's achievements.

I imagine even fewer know about one fairly obscure race, really in the twilight of his career, when the fires burnt fiercely. Click here (http://www.sergent.com.au/tas65a.html) and scroll down to the Longford race.

A true gentleman and a credit to motor racing. RIP.

[inimitablestoo]

Like many people here, I'm too young to have seen him race, but I do have one memory of Phil that will remain with me, even if I only saw it on TV.

It was a few years ago at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Hill was one of the usual drivers from the past making an appearance. Also there was musician and confirmed motor racing nut Chris Rea, who had a little surprise for the American: a fantastic-looking (and as far as I know fully functional) replica of a rare Ferrari once raced by Phil, all of which had long since been destroyed in original form. Hill was speechless, and clearly highly emotional. A wonderful moment.

[ArrowsFA1]

How terribly sad :( Phil Hill was a real gentle man and a wonderful racing driver. His may have been a different era but his ability and quality marks him out as someone to be remembered for all time.

RIP

[libra65]

Very sad news but I believe he is in a better place free of Parkinsons :( RIP Phil.

[jerrybruce]

I have had the privilege of of watching Phil race. In fact I was 15 years old when I saw my first race in person. It was 1959 at Riverside Raceway in California. I was standing on the start finish line (Off of the race surface of course!) only a few feet away from Phil's Ferrari Testa Rossa when he won the Times GP for sportscars. I got his autograph and shook his hand and was hooked on racing there and then. A few months later I met him again at a Concours d'elegance in Beverly Hills where one of his gorgeous Pierce Arrows took a ribbon.

Needless to say, any time he raced I tried to be there, including his runs in the Chapparal at Las Vegas, etc.

I was at the Belgian GP in 1966 when Phil, retired from F1, drove a camera car in the race to get those fabulous shots in the rain for the movie Grand Prix.

With the loss of Phil motor racing has lost a true champion. I wonder how many current F1 drivers could spend the time needed to make an impressive 15 year old a lifetime fan and friend.

[Chaparral66]

Phil Hill was a bit before my time when I started to follow racing, so my knowledge of him came later by reading his reports in Road & Track and reading about his accomplishments in books and articles. He drove in an era where drivers were at great risk to get killed every year. I'm convinced he survived because as a master mechanic, he knew about -and more importantly, respected - the cars he drove. To me that means he knew when to push it and when to let up. That's what made him a "thinking man's" driver.

It's amazing to me how heroes like Hill are referred to in this era of NASCAR dominence. Stars like Tony Stewart are rightfully revered, but drivers like Hill took on the world and they were successful. American racing lost one of its true trailblazers. Rest in peace, Phil Hill.

Grazie Signor Hill, eravate un signore e un campione.

[AAReagles]

... With the loss of Phil motor racing has lost a true champion. I wonder how many current F1 drivers could spend the time needed to make an impressive 15 year old a lifetime fan and friend.

About the same thoughts I had when I first heard the news. Racer and role model. :up:



I knew he was sick but didn't expect this. A fine man...
I was surprised as well, however I'm satisfied that I and most of the rest of the public (I assume) weren't aware of his condition. As it was a private matter.

Not sure which is more difficult for me to believe; that he's gone... he was 81... or that the 50th anniversary of his WDC is merely 3 years away.


Too young at the time to appreciate his active racing. However it was nice to catch a special interview in 2001, by the now defunct Speedvision, and see the 'kid' come out of him (as well as Brock Yates & Gurney) while discussing his experiences about competing in a golden age of racing.

[FIA]

R.I.P, terrible news. Phil was a great champion and figure in motorsport, my condolences to Derek and the rest of Phils family.

[carracing]

So sorry to hear of Phil's passing. Was at the Pepsi 500 this weekend and was glad that NASCAR made mention and honored Phil, his years of dedication to auto racing and condolences to the family at the start of the California race this past weekend.

A big loss to the sport and to the fans...