Editing Damon Hill (section)

====Williams (1993–96)====
[[File:Williams FW16B and FW15C Donington Grand Prix Collection.jpg|thumb|right|Hill's [[Williams FW16|FW16]] (1994) and [[Williams FW15C|FW15C]] (1993); he is one of only two drivers to have carried the number "0" in the history of the F1 World Championship, and the only one to have carried it twice.]]

When Mansell's teammate [[Riccardo Patrese]] left Williams to drive for [[Benetton Formula|Benetton]] in {{F1|1993}}, Hill was unexpectedly promoted to the race team alongside triple World Champion [[Alain Prost]] ahead of more experienced candidates such as [[Martin Brundle]] and [[Mika Häkkinen]].{{sfnp|Walker|Taylor|2005|p=25}} Traditionally, the reigning driver's World Champion carried the number "1" on his car and his teammate took the number "2". Because Mansell, the 1992 champion, was not racing in Formula One in 1993, Williams as Constructors' Champion were given numbers "0" and "2". As the junior partner to Prost, Hill took "0", the second man in Formula One history to do so, after [[Jody Scheckter]] in [[1973 Formula One season|1973]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Car Number: Car 0 |url=http://www.chicanef1.com/indiv.pl?name=0&type=N |work=ChicaneF1.com |access-date=7 November 2008 |archive-date=16 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116062610/http://www.chicanef1.com/indiv.pl?name=0&type=N |url-status=live }}</ref><!--As a result of the major difference in build between Hill and Prost, the Frenchman being a foot shorter, Williams eventually opted to build [[Williams_FW15C#The_Chassis|two slightly different FW15C tubs]]. This was also to accommodate Hill's size 12 feet, as he had repeatedly complained of cramp in the tight confines around the pedals.{{Fact|date=November 2008}} I can't find a ref for this anywhere. 4u1e-->

;1993
The season did not start well when Hill spun out of second place shortly after the start of the {{F1GP|1993|South African}} and failed to finish the race after colliding with [[Alex Zanardi|Alessandro Zanardi]] on lap 17.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr533.html|title=Grand Prix Results: South African GP, 1993|publisher=GrandPrix.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021024160135/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr533.html|archive-date=24 October 2002|url-status=live|access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref> At the {{F1GP|1993|Brazilian}}, Hill qualified and spent the early stages of the race running second behind Prost, and then took the lead when Prost crashed, but was relegated back to second by another three-time World Champion, [[Ayrton Senna]]. Nevertheless, the race still gave Hill his first podium finish.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A170933569/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=1e0562cc|title=Motor Racing: Hill climbs high but Senna peaks late|last=Henry|first=Alan|date=29 March 1993|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 May 2019|page=15|via=General OneFile|url-access=subscription|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090215/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA170933569&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GPS&asid=1e0562cc|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the next round in [[1993 European Grand Prix|Europe]], Hill again finished second behind Senna and ahead of a lapped Prost. In his first full season, Hill benefited from the experience of his veteran French teammate.{{sfnp|Allsop|1994|p=188}} He continued to impress as the season went on, and in [[1993 San Marino Grand Prix|San Marino]] Hill took the lead at the start, though he was passed by Prost and Senna and ultimately retired with a spin due to a brake failure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr536.html|title=Grand Prix Results: San Marino GP, 1993|date=25 April 1993|publisher=GrandPrix.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021024160742/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr536.html|archive-date=24 October 2002|url-status=live|access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref> Mechanical problems returned in [[1993 Spanish Grand Prix|Spain]] where he kept pace with Prost for most of the race only for his engine to fail.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=June 1993|title=Wheel of fortune|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1993/18/wheel-fortune|journal=Motor Sport|volume=LXIIX|issue=6|bibcode=1993AmSci..81..114H|access-date=1 May 2019|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090216/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1993/18/wheel-of-fortune|url-status=live|last1=Hayes|first1=Brian P.|page=114}}</ref>

After strong podiums in Monaco and Canada, Hill took his first career pole in [[1993 French Grand Prix|France]], finishing second to Prost after team orders prevented him from seriously challenging for the win.<ref name="prost_slowing_down">{{cite web |last=Saward |first=Joe |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00156.html |title=Is Alain Prost slowing down? |publisher=GrandPrix.com |date=1 August 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202183616/http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00156.html |archive-date=2 February 2008 |access-date=16 October 2008}}</ref> He looked set to win the {{F1GP|1993|British}} before another engine failure put him out and led the {{F1GP|1993|German}} comfortably only to suffer a puncture with two laps left, handing the win to Prost.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A115932775/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=b7fde9ac|title=Brundle believes Williams should keep Hill; Motor Racing|last=Holt|first=Oliver|date=27 July 1993|work=The Times|access-date=1 May 2019|page=37|via=Academic OneFile|url-access=subscription|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090254/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA115932775&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GPS&asid=b7fde9ac|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the [[1993 Hungarian Grand Prix|Hungarian]] race, Hill did take his first career win after leading from start to finish. In doing so he became the first son of a Formula One Grand Prix winner to take victory himself,{{sfnp|Henry|1994|p=8}} and he followed it with two more wins, first at [[1993 Belgian Grand Prix|Spa]] where he took the lead following a pit stop problem for Prost,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A163881012/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=c74bda99|title=Hill wins second F1 race in row|date=30 August 1993|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=1 May 2019|agency=Associated Press|page=D2|via=Biography in Context|url-access=subscription|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090216/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA163881012&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GPS&asid=c74bda99|url-status=live}}</ref> and then at the {{F1GP|1993|Italian}} where Prost's engine failed towards the end. His third consecutive win clinched the Constructors' Championship for Williams and moved him temporarily to second in the Drivers' standings.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A170845733/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=3ca6bd18|title=Motor Racing: Third success for Hill as Prost's engine fails|last=Henry|first=Alan|date=13 September 1993|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 May 2019|page=15|via=General OneFile|url-access=subscription|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090255/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA170845733&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GPS&asid=3ca6bd18|url-status=live}}</ref> At the {{F1GP|1993|Portuguese}} Hill came from the back of the grid to third, having stalled on the warm up lap from pole.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A170847896/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=0afdd8a6|title=Motor Racing: Champion Prost finishes second best - Alan Henry at Estoril sees the canny Frenchman rewarded with a fourth world title as Damon Hill comes through too late to make a difference|last=Henry|first=Alan|date=27 September 1993|work=The Observer|access-date=1 May 2019|page=19|via=General OneFile|url-access=subscription|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090215/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA170847896&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GPS&asid=0afdd8a6|url-status=live}}</ref> He finished the season by finishing fourth in [[1993 Japanese Grand Prix|Japan]] and third in [[1993 Australian Grand Prix|Australia]], though he lost second in the Drivers' Championship to Ayrton Senna, who passed Hill by winning the last two races.<ref name=MStatsOverview/>

;1994
In {{F1|1994}}, Ayrton Senna joined Hill at Williams. As the reigning champion, this time Prost, was again no longer racing, Hill retained his number '0'. The pre-season betting was that Senna would coast to the title,<ref>''Formula One History: After Tamburello'' [http://www.f1-grandprix.com/history7.html F1-GrandPrix.com/History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060617221156/http://f1-grandprix.com/history7.html |date=17 June 2006 }}. Retrieved 13 June 2006</ref> but the Benetton team and [[Michael Schumacher]] initially proved more competitive and won the first three races. At the {{F1 GP|1994|San Marino}} on 1 May, [[Death of Ayrton Senna|Senna died]] after his car crashed into a concrete barrier while he was leading. With the team undergoing investigation from the Italian authorities on manslaughter charges, Hill found himself team leader with only one season's experience in the top flight. It was widely reported at the time that the Williams car's steering column had failed, though Hill told BBC Sport in 2004 that he believed Senna simply took the corner too fast for the conditions, referring to the fact that the car had just restarted the race with cold tyres after being slowed down by a safety car.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/3641633.stm |title=Hill: Senna was at fault |work=BBC Sport |date=20 April 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020155752/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/3641633.stm |archive-date=20 October 2007 |access-date=9 June 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Damon Hill juillet 1995.jpg|thumb|right|Damon Hill at the 1995 French Grand Prix]]
Hill represented Williams alone at the next race, the {{F1GP|1994|Monaco}}. His race ended early in a collision involving several cars on the opening lap of the race. For the following race, the {{F1GP|1994|Spanish}}, Williams's test driver [[David Coulthard]] was promoted to the race team alongside Hill, who won the race just four weeks after Senna's death.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00366.html |title=The Spanish Grand Prix – a history |work=GrandPrix.com |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=14 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121045827/http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00366.html |archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

Schumacher led by 66 points to 29 by the midpoint of the season. At the {{F1GP|1994|French}}, [[Frank Williams (Formula One)|Frank Williams]] brought back Nigel Mansell, for the French, European, Japanese and Australian Grands Prix with Coulthard doing the majority of the 1994 season. Mansell earned approximately £900,000 for each of his four races, while Hill was paid £300,000 for the entire season, though Hill's position as lead driver remained unquestioned.{{sfnp|Hamilton|1998|p=244}} Hill came back into contention for the title after winning the {{F1GP|1994|British}}, a race his father had never won.{{sfnp|Walker|Taylor|2005|p=127}} Schumacher was disqualified from that race and banned for two further races for overtaking Hill during the formation lap and ignoring the subsequent black flag.{{sfnp|Rendall|1997|p=354}} Four more victories for Hill, three of which were in races where Schumacher was excluded or disqualified, took the title battle to the final event at Adelaide. At Schumacher's first race since his ban, the {{F1GP|1994|European}}, he suggested that Hill (who was eight years his senior) was not a world-class driver. However, during the penultimate race at the {{F1GP|1994|Japanese}}, Hill took victory ahead of Schumacher in a rain-soaked event. This put Hill just one point behind the German before the last race of the season.<ref name=racingrivalry>{{cite news |url=http://atlasf1.autosport.com/99/fra/preview/horton.html |title=Reflections on a Racing Rivalry |last=Horton |first=Roger |publisher=Haymarket Group |work=AtlasF1.com |access-date=11 October 2008 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720053701/http://atlasf1.autosport.com/99/fra/preview/horton.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Neither Hill nor Schumacher finished the season-closing {{F1GP|1994|Australian}}, after a controversial collision which gave the title to Schumacher. Schumacher ran off the track hitting the wall with the right-hand side of his Benetton while leading.<ref>{{cite news |last=Benson |first=Andrew |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/motorsport/formula_one/5024532.stm |title=Schumacher's chequered history |work=BBC Sport Online |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=28 May 2006 |access-date=2 October 2006 |archive-date=31 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831141514/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/motorsport/formula_one/5024532.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Coming into the sixth corner Hill moved to pass the Benetton and the two collided, breaking the Williams's front left [[Double wishbone suspension|suspension wishbone]], and forcing both drivers' retirement from the race.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr564.html |title=Grand Prix results: Australian GP, 1994 |work=GrandPrix.com |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=14 November 2008 |archive-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304083402/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr564.html |url-status=live }}</ref> BBC Formula One commentator [[Murray Walker]], had often maintained that Schumacher did not cause the crash intentionally,{{sfnp|Walker|2002|p=136}} but Williams co-owner [[Patrick Head]] felt differently. In 2006 he said that at the time of the incident "Williams were already 100% certain that Michael was guilty of foul play" but did not protest Schumacher's title because the team was still dealing with the death of Ayrton Senna.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://motoring.iafrica.com/formulaone/561093.htm |title='Ruthless' Schumi blasted |access-date=23 October 2008 |date=19 July 2006 |work=Motoring.iAfrica.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013164119/http://motoring.iafrica.com/formulaone/561093.htm |archive-date=13 October 2007 }}</ref> In 2007, Hill explicitly accused Schumacher of causing the collision deliberately.<ref name="motorsport07">{{cite journal |last=Taylor |first=S. |year=2007 |title=Lunch with... Damon Hill |journal=Motor Sport |volume=LXXXIII/1 |page=38}}</ref>

[[File:Damon Hill 1995-2.jpg|thumb|right|Damon Hill driving for the [[WilliamsF1|Williams]] Formula One team in [[Canadian Grand Prix|Montreal]] in 1995]]

Hill's season earned him the 1994 [[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]].<ref>{{cite news |title=BBC Sports Personality past winners: 1993–1997 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_2003/3222666.stm#2 |work=BBC Sport Online |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=27 November 2003 |access-date=15 October 2008 |archive-date=16 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090215/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_2003/3222666.stm#2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

;1995
Coming into the [[1995 Formula One season|1995 season]], Hill was one of the title favourites.<ref name=HillGPcom>{{cite web |title=Drivers:Damon Hill |url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-hildam.html |work=GrandPrix.com |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=14 June 2006 |archive-date=16 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216103541/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-hildam.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Williams team were reigning Constructors' Champions, having beaten Benetton in 1994, and with young David Coulthard, who was embarking on his first full season in Formula One, as teammate, Hill was the clear number one driver. The year seemed to start well with pole position in Brazil, although a spin while in the lead due to a mechanical problem handed the lead to Schumacher.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr565.html |title=Grand Prix results: Brazilian GP, 1995 |work=GrandPrix.com |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=1 November 2008 |archive-date=22 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422225923/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr565.html |url-status=live }}</ref> But wins in the next two races put him in the championship lead. However, Schumacher won seven of the next twelve races, and took his second title with two races to spare, while Benetton took the Constructors' Championship. Schumacher and Hill had several on-track incidents during the season, two of which led to suspended one-race bans for both. Schumacher's penalty was for blocking and forcing Hill off the road at the {{F1GP|1995|Belgian}};<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr575.html |title=Grand Prix Results: Belgian Grand Prix, 1995 |work=GrandPrix.com |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=1 November 2008 |archive-date=26 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526041903/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr575.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Hill's was for colliding with Schumacher under braking at the {{F1GP|1995|Italian}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr576.html |work=GrandPrix.com |title=Grand Prix results: Italian GP, 1995 |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=1 November 2008 |archive-date=27 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627023943/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr576.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Hill's season finished positively when he won the {{F1GP|1995|Australian}} by finishing two laps ahead of the runner-up, [[Olivier Panis]] in a [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]].<ref name=HillGPcom />

[[File:Damon Hill Williams FW18 2010 Bahrain.jpg|thumb|right|Hill demonstrating his championship-winning [[Williams FW18]] car in 2010]]

;1996
In {{F1|1996}} the Williams car was clearly the quickest in Formula One and Hill went on to win the title ahead of his teammate, reigning Indycar champion [[Jacques Villeneuve]], becoming the first son of a Formula One champion to win the championship himself.{{sfnp|Walker|Taylor|2005|p=128}} Taking eight wins and never qualifying off the front row, Hill enjoyed by far his most successful season. At Monaco, where his father had won five times in the 1960s, he led until his engine failed, curtailing his race and allowing Olivier Panis to take his only Formula One win.<ref>{{cite web |title=Review of Year 1996 |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00244.html |work=GrandPrix.com |first=Joe |last=Saward |date=2 December 2006 |publisher=Inside F1, Inc. |access-date=14 June 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409175501/http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00244.html |archive-date=9 April 2016}}</ref> Near the end of the season, Villeneuve began to mount a title challenge and took pole in the [[1996 Japanese Grand Prix|Japanese Grand Prix]], the final race of the year. However, Hill took the lead at the start and won both the race and the championship while the Canadian retired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr597.html |title=Grand Prix results: Japanese GP, 1996 |work=GrandPrix.com |publisher=Inside F1 |access-date=14 November 2008 |archive-date=30 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930231038/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr597.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Hill equalled the record for starting all 16 races of the season from the front row, matching Ayrton Senna in {{F1|1989}} and Alain Prost in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lynch|first=Steven|title=Front row regulars|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/53088.html|publisher=ESPN|date=1 July 2011|access-date=1 May 2019|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116090244/http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/53088.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite winning the title, Hill learned before the season's close that he was to be dropped by Williams in favour of [[Heinz-Harald Frentzen]] for the following season.{{sfnp|Walker|Taylor|2005|p=128}} Hill left Williams as the team's second most successful driver in terms of race victories, with 21, second only to Mansell.<ref name="Autocourse Grand Prix Archive">{{cite web |url=http://www.autocoursegpa.com/team_entries.asp?teamsroot_id=8174&type=win |title=F1 statistics – Williams – wins |publisher=Crash Media Group |access-date=14 November 2008 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707192047/http://www.autocoursegpa.com/team_entries.asp?teamsroot_id=8174&type=win |archive-date=7 July 2011}}</ref> Hill's 1996 World Championship earned him his second [[BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award]], making him one of only five people to receive the award twice – the others being boxer [[Henry Cooper (boxer)|Henry Cooper]], [[Nigel Mansell]], [[Andy Murray]] and [[Lewis Hamilton]]. Hill was also awarded the [[Segrave Trophy]] by the [[Royal Automobile Club]]. The trophy is awarded to the British national who accomplishes the most outstanding demonstration of the possibilities of transport by land, sea, air, or water.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/Motoring/Trophies-and-Medals |title=Segrave Trophy |publisher=Royal Automobile Club |access-date=6 November 2008 |archive-date=13 September 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913145447/http://www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/Motoring/Trophies-and-Medals |url-status=live }}</ref>