Hill’s F1 debut amid Mansell mania

“On the slowing down lap I was right behind Nigel Mansell and I thought, ‘We’re not going to get out of here alive’, because the place was just awash; it was swarming with people. They didn’t seem to know that there were other cars on the track, they just saw Nigel and leapt onto the track. It was very difficult.

“They were giving me a great big cheer, even though I was almost last.”

Damon Hill chose the perfect weekend to qualify for his first grand prix. After five attempts to make the back of the grid, Damon squeezed in at Silverstone and even made it to the finish – getting caught up in the maelstrom that typified this year’s British GP.

The irony was not lost on the 31-year-old that the victorious Williams FW14B he was following through the crowds and which had just crushed the opposition yet again was the car on which he had cut his Formula 1 teeth and into which he had poured so much of his time and effort as a test driver.

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What did it feel like to watch Mansell soak up the adulation after having taken the car’s seventh win of the season?

“I must say that Nigel deserves it because he’s doing a fantastic job,” said Hill. “I think that I’d be very pleased to drive the car in a GP, but I have to say that at the moment I don’t think I’m capable of doing the sort of job he’s doing. I don’t see how he can lose the world championship now.”

PLUS: Nigel Mansell’s greatest drives

After many years of promising to do so, Damon has finally hit the big time, albeit in a relatively small way. Six months ago he was contemplating a year of uncertainty with the Alolique International Formula 3000 team. The Williams test contract was his only stable income and, as the financial pressure mounted on Alolique, which also owns the Brabham F1 team, the F3000 project fell apart.

Alolique boss Dennis Nursey channelled all the company’s efforts and meagre resources into the F1 team and, although Giovanna Amati was a paying driver, he made it clear that he wanted Graham’s lad in car number eight.

The opportunity came at Barcelona, following disagreements between Brabham and Amati. It was a tough start for Damon. The cars were impounded at the French border by a disgruntled creditor and Damon struggled to wring a fast lap out of the underpowered Brabham.

“We’re in the same position as Lotus were in last year, so we have to pick it up from here” Damon Hill

The problems continued in San Marino and Monaco and, although they knew he had nothing to lose, many pundits began to ask why Damon persisted with such a hopeless cause.

In France Brabham had a lurid new livery, signifying life-saving new sponsorship, and for Silverstone the team looked half sensible for the first time since South Africa [the 1992 season opener].

“We had better engines from John Judd, which definitely helped us get into the race,” said Damon, “and it’s also the first time I’ve driven the car with the new trim, including new floors. We also had a lot of help on set-up from someone who shall remain nameless.”

New sponsorship, and a lurid livery to go with it, gave new hope for Hill and Brabham

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Despite the team’s improved circumstances, qualifying was still something of a trial: “We had an engine problem on Friday so I had to share a single car with Eric [van de Poele] and we had various problems which meant that we were short on time.

“I think we could have qualified higher up, but in the race we were shown to be not as competitive as some of the other back-of-the-grid cars and we will have to make improvements there. We’re in the same position as Lotus were in last year, so we have to pick it up from here.”

Rumours continue to suggest that Brabham will be sold in the very near future. In the up-and-down world of F1, Damon could find himself in the same position as at the start of the season. But he has moved one step closer to establishing himself as a fully fledged grand prix driver.

PLUS: Damon Hill’s greatest F1 races

Hill finished his maiden grand prix in 16th, four laps down on winner Mansell

Photo by: Sutton Images