America’s first F1 champion Phil Hill, as remembered by his son

In 1961, Phil Hill became the first American to win the Formula 1 World Championship after triumphing for Ferrari in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. But that moment of monumental personal achievement was extraordinarily bittersweet, with team mate and title rival Wolfgang von Trips losing his life, along with scores of spectators, in the very same race. In this special episode of Beyond The Grid, Phil’s son Derek Hill tells Tom Clarkson how his father coped with both the win and the loss. He also describes in vivid detail his father’s beginnings as a mechanic and hot rod enthusiast in California, and how that led, via sportscar racing in the US, to an invitation to race in Europe for Enzo Ferrari. With fascinating insights into his father’s unique character, struggles with self-esteem and driving style, this is Phil Hill’s extraordinary F1 story.

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Formula 1's extraordinary stars slow down and open up, sharing untold stories and unrivalled insight. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length interviews and amazing anecdotes from superstar drivers, team bosses, tech geniuses and racing legends. Hit the follow button for the fastest way to get new episodes. For race reviews + previews, listen to F1 Nation. To learn more about how F1 works, listen to F1 Explains