Graham Hill

British racing driver

Mr. Monaco and the Triple Crown

Graham Hill won two world titles, five Monaco Grands Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans, a combination no other driver has completed.

Graham Hill was born in Hampstead, London, on February 15, 1929. He studied engineering, served in the Royal Navy and rowed for London Rowing Club before he turned to motor racing, making his debut in Formula Three at 25. He first joined Lotus as a mechanic, and the team gave him his Formula 1 debut at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix.

A move to BRM in 1960 changed his fortunes. He won for the first time at the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix, added three more wins that season and took the title ahead of Jim Clark. He was runner up in 1963, lost the 1964 crown to John Surtees by a single point, and finished second again in 1965. Monaco became his race: he won it in 1963, 1964 and 1965, and in 1966 he also won the Indianapolis 500 at his first attempt.

Hill returned to Lotus for 1967 to help develop the Lotus 49. After Clark was killed in 1968, Hill carried the team and beat Jackie Stewart to his second title at the final round, winning three races that year. His fifth Monaco victory in 1969 set a record that lasted 24 years. A serious crash at the 1969 United States Grand Prix broke both his legs, but he came back in 1970 and later raced for Brabham.

In 1972 he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Matra, and he remains the only driver to complete the Triple Crown of Motorsport. He ran his own Embassy Hill team from 1973 and made his last entry at the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix. Our record shows 176 starts, 14 wins, 13 pole positions, 10 fastest laps and 36 podiums. Hill died in a plane crash in 1975.

2 world titles, 14 wins, 13 pole positions, 176 starts.

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