Hill drives father's Monaco-winning Lotus in Shanghai demo
Damon Hill has driven the Lotus 49B with which his father Graham won the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix in a demo run in Shanghai.
The R10 chassis in question was also raced by Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi, enjoying its last outing in the Brazilian’s hands in Austria in 1970.
The Lotus was the only classic Formula 1 car to take to the track today as part of the celebrations for the 1000th World Championship race.
“It was great fun,” Hill told Motorsport.com. “I’ve driven 49s before, but I’ve never pushed them, although you’ve got a bit of space here.
“It’s very odd getting in – the way you get into them is very unique, because the steering wheels don’t come off. I can remember watching my dad getting in, and I’m putting my hands behind me and sliding in just like he did.
“So I have a little bit of a giggle to myself about that. However, he would have been 40 when he was driving it, and I’m a bit older than that now!”
Hill has driven his father’s cars so often that it’s not as meaningful as it might have once been, and he says he got a bigger buzz the first time he was reunited with his own Williams FW18.
“I think I’ve got over it now. Although I did get emotional driving my 1996 car at Goodwood, because I hadn’t driven that car since I got out of it.
“All I can say is that the environment is so familiar, having had such extreme experiences in it, that there’s some sort of memory thing kicks in. You remember who you were as a racing driver at your peak, and that’s a very strange feeling.”
Damon Hill with the Lotus 49
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Damon Hill with the Lotus 49
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Damon Hill
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Damon Hill with the Lotus 49
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Damon Hill with the Lotus 49
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Cosworth DFV engine of the Lotus 49
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Previous article
Hamilton "struggling" with car handling in China
Next article
Giovinazzi says Alfa doesn't know what sidelined him in FP1
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Chinese GP |
| Drivers | Damon Hill |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
Scuderia Ferrari Filming Day Backstage Footage
Back to Work | Valtteri Bottas' 2021 Seat Fit
F1 Explained | Mercedes Power Unit
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.
