Nº 6

Phil Hill

1961 World Champion

Scuderia Ferrari

Overview

Philip Toll Hill Jr., born in Miami on 20 April 1927, won the 1961 World Drivers' Championship with Ferrari, and remains the only American-born champion.¹ He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times.¹ He died in Monterey on 28 August 2008, aged 81.¹

1961

Two wins, 1 point clear of Wolfgang von Trips

Only a driver's best results counted in 1961. He scored 38 points in all, and 34 counted.

Monza

He trailed teammate Wolfgang von Trips with two races left.¹ A crash at the Italian Grand Prix killed von Trips and fifteen spectators.¹ Hill won the race, and with it the title.¹

Every Grand Prix finish, 1961

Numeral size follows the result. Round 1 at left.

Image plates

4 photographs, in season order

I
With Wolfgang von Trips and Jim Clark at the 1961 Dutch Grand Prix.
Harry Pot · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Wikimedia Commons
II
The Ferraris of von Trips and Hill, Zandvoort 1961.
Harry Pot · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Wikimedia Commons
III
Fighting with Jim Clark's Lotus at Zandvoort, 1961.
Anefo · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
IV
Carrying the number 1 at Zandvoort in 1962.
Bilsen, Joop van / Anefo · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Wikimedia Commons

Helmet

The helmet he wore in his 1961 title season is in the collection of The Henry Ford.⁴

Ferrari 156

He won the title in the Ferrari 156.¹

1961: Ferrari 156

Road to the title

1958Formula One debut at the French Grand Prix, in a Maserati.¹
1958–62Won Le Mans three times with Olivier Gendebien.¹
1960First win, at the Italian Grand Prix.¹
1961World Drivers' Champion.¹

Records

Only American-born World Drivers' Champion¹