Derek Hill (racing driver)

Derek Hill
Nationality American
Born March 28, 1975 (1975-03-28) (age 36)
Santa Monica, California
Related to Phil Hill (father; deceased)
Previous series
1995
1995
1995-1996
1996-1997
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001-2003
2002
2004
348 Ferrari Challenge
Ferrari Challenge International
Formula Dodge
Barber Dodge Pro Series
American Le Mans Series
Toyota Atlantic Series
Formula Palmer Audi
Italian Formula 3000
International Formula 3000
Grand Am Sportscar
American Le Mans Series
Championship titles
1995
1996
1997
Ferrari Challenge International
Formula Dodge West Coast
Barber Dodge Pro Series Drivers' Champion
Awards
1996
1997
1999
Rookie of the Year
AARWBA All America Team
Goodwood Revival Driver of the Weekend

Derek John Hill (born March 28, 1975 in Santa Monica, California) is an American racing driver. He is the son of 1961 Formula One World Champion Phil Hill.

Contents

Career

Early career

Hill initially raced karts in California and Ferrari sports cars (his father won his F1 title with the team).[1] Winning three of three races in the championship runoffs in Italy at the Mugello circuit in the Ferrari 355, Hill attracted the attention of the Alfa Romeo Factory DTM team and was invited to test the DTM car at Mugello in November 1995.

Barber Dodge Pro Series

Hill competed in the US-based Barber Dodge Pro Series in 1996, finishing third overall, taking Rookie-of-the-Year honors. In 1997, he took the championship title, winning four races in the process.

Professional Sports Car / IMSA

Also in 1997, Hill raced the Factory BMW M3 for the Prototype Technology Group in GTS3 Class. He won the GTS3 class at the Daytona 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours as well as scoring two other wins with teammate, Javier Quiros.

Formula Toyota Atlantic

Hill moved up to Formula Toyota Atlantic for 1998, finishing 13th in the championship.

Formula Palmer Audi

Hill moved into European racing in 1999 by taking part in the second season of the Formula Palmer Audi series, organised by former F1 driver Jonathan Palmer. He finished 19th in that year's championship.

Formula 3000

For 2000, Hill competed in six races of the Italian Formula 3000 series, failing to score any points. The following year, he moved up to the more prestigious FIA-backed series with the DAMS team with teammate, Sébastien Bourdais, and remained there in 2002 (a part-season with Durango, replacing Alexander Müller) and 2003 (with Super Nova). In three years, he scored a total of four points and was dropped mid-way through 2003 in favour of Nicolas Kiesa, who had been left without a drive due to the withdrawal of the Super Nova-run Den Blå Avis outfit.[2]

Nonetheless, Hill was often the most prominent American driver competing in Europe at this time.[3] During this period he also entered into a management contract with Anthony Haas and Brigitte Hill – daughter and sister of unrelated namesakes Graham and Damon respectively – to act as his managers.[1] He is currently involved in historic racing and working as a racing instructor after moving back to the USA to help look after his elderly father,[4] who died in August 2008.

Other career highlights

In 1996, Hill competed in the Daytona 24 Hours in a Bugatti EB110 Competizione in the GT1 category, setting fastest lap in the Daytona Test Days. Leading the class in the seventh hour, the car experienced mechanical failure. This was the last time a Bugatti raced professionally in the United States.

In 2002, Hill raced in the Grand Am, Fontana Four-Hour California Grand Prix, in the Saleen S7. He won the category and finished fourth overall.

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Name Races Poles Wins Points Final Placing
1995 348 Ferrari Challenge North America Ferrari of Beverly Hills 9 1 3 585 2nd
1995 Ferrari Challenge International Team Fitti 3 3 3 1st
1995 Formula Dodge N/A 14  ? 11  ? 1st
1996 Barber Dodge Pro Series N/A  ? 4 5  ? 3rd
1997 Barber Dodge Pro Series N/A 12 3 4 157 1st
1997 American Le Mans Series BMW Prototype Technology Group  ?  ? 4  ? 2nd
1998 Toyota Atlantic Championship P1 Racing 11 0 0 47 13th
1999 Goodwood Revival/TT Shelby 1 1 0 2nd
2000 Italian Formula 3000 Da Vinci Team 6 0 0 0 NC
2001 International Formula 3000 DAMS 12 0 0 0 NC
2002 International Formula 3000 Durango Formula 7 0 0 0 NC
2003 International Formula 3000 Super Nova Racing 6 0 0 4 16th
2006 Goodwood Revival/Freddie March Cup N/A 1 1 1 1st

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Points
2001 DAMS INT
14
IMO
Ret
CAT
16
A1R
13
MON
Ret
NÜR
15
MAG
16
SIL
Ret
HOC
Ret
HUN
12
SPA
9
MNZ
12
NC 0
2002 Durango Formula INT
IMO
CAT
A1R
MON
NÜR
7
SIL
Ret
MAG
Ret
HOC
9
HUN
Ret
SPA
7
MNZ
Ret
NC 0
2003 Super Nova Racing IMO
15
CAT
11
A1R
Ret
MON
DSQ
NÜR
5
MAG
10
SIL
HOC
HUN
MNZ
16th 4

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b "The Hills are alive...". grandprix.com. 2002-08-10. http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns06830.html. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
  2. ^ "Double points haul for new-look Super Nova". crash.net. 2003-07-20. http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~7~id~71794.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
  3. ^ "Formula 1 on American television". grandprix.com. 2001-03-16. http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns03896.html. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
  4. ^ Richard, Jenkins. "The Formula 3000 drivers — Where are they now?". oldracingcars.com. http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Derek_Hill. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 

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