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Born: February 15, 1929 - Hampstead, London
Died: November 29, 1975 - Arkley, Hertfordshire

GP's contested: 176 (1958 till 1975)
Pole positions: 13
Victories: 14
Fastest laps: 10
World Champion: 2

Although Monaco is a Principality, in the Sixties it was often claimed that Graham Hill was its uncrowned King; he took five wins there in that decade, a feat not matched for over 20 years until the late Ayrton Senna's sixth triumph around the streets in 1993.
Hill came late to motor racing, after an engineering apprenticeship and service in the Navy. His first sporting obsession had been rowing, and it was the colours of the London Rowing Club which he made world-famous on his helmet. His first few drives in the mid-fifties were not necessarily indicative of greatness, but Hill's determination and willingness to work (he was one of the early band of workers at Lotus) saw him elevated to F1 status with Team Lotus in 1958.
His first two-year spell with the team was a disaster, the type 12 and 16 cars often proving quick, but desperately unreliable. Hill moved to BRM for 1960 as they started to come to grips with the problems of racing a rear-engine car. Little was achieved that season, though he came agonisingly close to a popular win at Silverstone; 1961 proved equally devoid of success, with an overweight and underpowered interim car.
The winning started in 1962, the neat new V8 BRM taking four wins and giving Hill his first World Championship. BRM, formerly something of a laughing stock, were by now the class of the field, and for the next three years, Hill and BRM were at their competitive peak; perhaps not quite on a par with the sublime Jim Clark and his Lotus, but capable of winning on all types of circuit -- especially at Monaco, where Hill triumphed three times running. Hill was by now a major star, his wit and personality making him famous beyond the confines of motor racing.
The three-litre formula saw BRM slide from competitiveness again, mixing overstretched V8s with the complex H16; Hill achieved little that year in F1 (though won Indianapolis in controversial fashion) and was lured back to Lotus to partner Clark in the new Lotus 49.
Teething troubles deprived Graham of a win in 1967, but the next season was to prove a stern test of his character. After Clark's death at Hockenheim, Hill found himself carrying the hopes and morale of the shattered team on his capable shoulders. He responded superbly, winning three Grand Prix (in Spain, Monaco, and Mexico) and taking another Championship. Partnered by the mercurial Jochen Rindt in revised 49s. 1969 seemed set to be another excellent season, but accidents (notably a collapsed wing in Spain) and unreliability made for an inconclusive year, the highpoint of which was yet another win at Monaco, but which ended unpleasantly when Hill severely injured both his legs in a crash at Watkins Glen. Although not fully fit, he returned driving a private Lotus for Rob Walker in 1970. Something of Hill's fire had gone; though he scored points for Walker, and later for Brabham (for whom he took his last, non-championship, F1 victory) it was obvious that his glory days were over, though he was still able to win at Le Mans for Matra. Hill set up his own team for 1973, running Shadows and later Lolas to relatively little effect. Finally, after failing to qualify at Monaco in 1975 in the new Hill GH1, he hung up his helmet to concentrate on a career as team owner, with new star driver Tony Brise his hope for the future.
Sadly this dream was not to last. Returning from a testing session at Paul Ricard in November 1975, Hill's aeroplane crashed approaching the airfield, killing him, Brise, and two members of the team. It would not be until 1992 that the London Rowing Club's colours were next seen in F1, this time on the helmet of Graham's son Damon.

Receiving the winners cup from Prince Rainier III in 1964

With cup in 1969

In discussion with Jackie Stewart