Formula 1

BRDC Predident Damon Hill congratulates new champ Hamilton

Damon Hill: "It is so good to be celebrating a British World Champion" Damon Hill, President of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) and the last British driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship, was joined by 1979 Formula 1 World ...

Published: Nov 2, 2008, 8:33 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Damon Hill: "It is so good to be celebrating a British World Champion"

Damon Hill, President of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) and the last British driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship, was joined by 1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter, 1981 British Grand Prix winner John Watson, BRDC Superstars Wayne Boyd and Joey Foster and more than 200 fans on Sunday to cheer on Lewis Hamilton at a private screening of the Brazilian Grand Prix in the BRDC Clubhouse at Silverstone, the home of British Motor Racing.

The British F1 sensation finished the Brazilian Grand Prix in fifth place, securing enough points to become the youngest ever Formula 1 World Champion.

Speaking at the end of the race Hill, the 1996 World Champion commented, "It was a fantastic atmosphere here at Silverstone and such an exciting race. It has put Britain right back there at the top. A British driver as World Champion, driving for a British team -- now we can look forward to an unbelievable British Grand Prix here at Silverstone in June. We are looking forward to welcoming Lewis back to Great Britain as a World Champion.

"Lewis is a tremendous talent, a great ambassador for British motor sport and possibly one of the greatest drivers we have had in this country. He has got a World Championship in the bank and I think he is going to be difficult to stop from now on.

"It was despair with two laps to go. We couldn't believe what we were watching because we thought 'how's it gone wrong at this late stage?' and then, on the last corner, Glock was overtaken and we were suddenly back in the frame again. Poor Felipe Massa and Ferrari were up and down, everyone here was up and down - it was just a tremendously exciting race.

"The rain at the end seemed to throw Glock incredibly. Lewis at one point had got it wrong but actually it turned out to be Timo that had made the mistake. My congratulations to Lewis, Lewis's family and to McLaren - it is so good to be celebrating a British world champion.

"Next year will be a whole new experience for Lewis as World Champion. Expectations will be higher than ever, but he will also receive unbelievable support from the fans -- nowhere more so than here at Silverstone for his home race. The 2009 British Grand Prix looks set to be the last at Silverstone for the foreseeable future, but he will get an unbelievable reception from the fans. It will be a fantastic occasion."

Tickets for the 2009 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX, taking place at Silverstone on 19-21 June, are on sale 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

-credit: brdc

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Brazilian GP: Toyota race report

Next article Brazilian GP: Winners press conference

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Felipe Massa



On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement

Formula 1

Formula 1

Italian GP

On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement



Defendant ordered to pay £250,000 legal fees in Felipe Massa F1 title case

Formula 1

Formula 1

Defendant ordered to pay £250,000 legal fees in Felipe Massa F1 title case



Felipe Massa’s F1 2008 lawsuit will proceed to trial

Formula 1

Formula 1

Las Vegas GP

Felipe Massa’s F1 2008 lawsuit will proceed to trial

More from

Ferrari



The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season

Formula 1

The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season



Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Latest news



TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

3 h

TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale



Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role

NASCAR Truck

NSTR NASCAR Truck

Homestead

3 h

Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role



The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season

Formula 1

The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season



“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1 8 h

“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return

Feature

Discover prime content



Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Ronald Vording

Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success



How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't



Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s



Why Rafael Camara should take heart from a tough F1 debut in Brazil

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Rafael Camara should take heart from a tough F1 debut in Brazil

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe