[Phil Hill, America’s first Formula One world champion and the only American-born driver ever to win the title, has died in California, aged 81.
The Florida-born driver’s early success came in sportscar racing; he won the Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans 24 Hours in 1958. But when Mike Hawthorn retired at the end of 1958, Hill stepped into Ferrari’s F1 team on a full-time basis. He won his first GP at Monza in 1960, then secured the world title at the same circuit a year later.
