By Joe Murphy
There have been 34 different Formula 1 World Champions since the sport’s inception. As of this season, the division has seen 771 drivers from over 40 countries race all around the world for over seventy years. All in pursuit of finding the annual title winner. Whilst notable names such as Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton are banded around as being the greatest racing driver to have ever lived, it isn’t, technically, any of them. Nor is it Niki Lauda, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel or even the hipsters choice Jim Clark. No. The best racing driver of all time, is Graham Hill. Here’s why.
A Graham Hill Retrospective
Born in London in 1929, Hill is in the history books as a two-time Formula 1 World Champion, having been victorious in both 1962 and 1968.
You may now be shouting at your phone or laptop screens that several drivers, including some of the aforementioned names in this article, have won more World Championships. Some have, in fact, won many more. However, there is more to this suggestion than first meets the eye. The British driver in question is in an elite motorsport club, all by himself. Namely, he’s the only person in history to win the ‘Holy’; Triple Crown of Motorsport. Fernando Alonso and Juan Pablo Montoya have won 66% of these honours, but the British driver is the only man to win all three of the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hour of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix, events. Moreover, he accomplished all of these feats in less than a decade.
The achievement is often regarded as winning the three most prestigious motor races that exist. An honour, that nobody else other than Hill, can claim. It’s never been done before. It may never be done again.
Furthermore, he also held the honour of most starts in F1 history for over a decade. This is especially impressive considering the evolution of the sport’s calendar over this time.
One fact that is often overlooked is that the Brit tried to bring the sport to the masses, and make it more affordable in the process. Along with Sterling Moss, he aimed to bring low cost motorsport to people who previously hadn’t had access, in the form of the Grand Prix Midget Championship. He was then, also something of a pioneer.
After retiring from driving in F1 to focus more on his television work and Constructor projects that spanned across multiple motorsport departments. He passed away after a plane crash took his life at the tender age of 46. He had failed to qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix earlier that same year, due to mechanical issues. There is so much more he could have accomplished in motorsport. However, it is critical to recognise the achievements of his time, especially as it was rather more limited.
His legacy extends further still, beyond his death. His son, Damon Hill, is also a Formula 1 legend. And his Grandson has also raced in the lower ranks of Formula 3, too.
For every reason listed above, there is certainly a strong case for this often overlooked hero, to be christened the greatest racing driver the world has ever seen.
WHEEL2WHEEL REPORTS 
An very interesting retrospective. It was indeed an amazing achievement.
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A very interesting retrospective. It was indeed an amazing achievement.
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Thanks Ken!
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Graham Hill’s triple crown, as described on the commemorative medal awarded to him by the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) in 1972, was the Drivers’ World Championship, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours. The triple crown including the Monaco GP in place of the World Championship was not mentioned by anyone until much later.
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