On 13 October 1996, Damon Hill clinched the Formula 1 world championship at Suzuka by nine points over team-mate Jacques Villeneuve after a dominant campaign for Williams.
The Briton therefore avenged his near-miss in 1994 to take what would be his only F1 title and 30 years on, Hill has returned to his old stable as an ambassador.
So, at March’s Japanese Grand Prix, Williams took the opportunity to celebrate Hill’s crowning achievement in what was a real poignant moment.
“There’s a couple of things that stand out,” Hill told select media, including Autosport. “One is the night before, trying to get some sleep with mosquitoes in your bed. I just couldn’t sleep, so you arrive on the biggest day of your life, wishing you’d had just a little bit more sleep.
“Another one is standing on the grid before the off. I just realised that I couldn’t possibly have done anything more to determine the outcome.”
The three-week wait between the penultimate round at Estoril and Suzuka was agonising, but Hill used it to get himself into the right headspace – already making peace with the eventual outcome, for better or worse.
“And I’ve got to stop, because I’ve a lump in my throat” was the iconic line from Murray Walker as Hill became champion
Photo by: Motorsport Images
“It was just an amazing feeling of release, being at peace with yourself before any result was determined,” he mused. “What will be, will be. It’s just great to have got to that point, because there was so much waiting. It was three weeks between the previous race and the last race, so there was a lot of hanging around.”
Hill was in command of the title race throughout the season but made his life harder with an early exit in Monza, the third to last race, collecting the tyres at the first chicane. Villeneuve also failed to score in the race which handed Hill a reprieve.
Taking second behind Villeneuve in Portugal then meant Hill travelled to Japan’s title decider in a relatively comfortable position, with the Canadian having to win and Hill to not score.
At the age of 35, and having already lost his Williams seat for 1997 ahead of moving down the grid to Arrows, Suzuka 1996 felt like Hill’s last shot at a title. And as it turned out, it was. But the points situation meant he went to Japan feeling in control of his own destiny.
“I don’t think there was much pressure,” he said. “Jacques, if you’re listening, don’t take this the wrong way, I think I had it under control. It’s like when you see a dog wanting to go for a walk. They get their jitters because they’re excited. So you get that.
“I wouldn’t call that nervousness. I would call that readiness. But then you have to use your zen powers to reign that in. Otherwise, you can’t control yourself. You don’t want to have jittery fingers on the clutch and stuff like that. I was pretty calm, I think. But ready.”
Hill learned from past experiences, like the 1994 Australian GP, to clinch the ’96 title
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While Villeneuve contested the title battle as a rookie, having come over from IndyCar – or CART as it was then – Hill could draw on his experience battling Michael Schumacher in 1994, which famously ended in acrimony in Adelaide.
“I think I drew on the experience of all the years. That was my fourth season in Formula 1 at the sharp end. I got this amazing opportunity with Williams in 1993. But we had 1994 which was complicated and emotional and intense for multiple reasons,” Hill said, referring to the Schumacher battle and to losing his Williams team-mate Ayrton Senna at Imola.
“Then you start to piece together which state of mind and approach you need to become a champion and I had to learn those skills from ’93 onwards. I thought I knew how to do it, but I didn’t. You learn along the bumps and the road along the way.”
Villeneuve ended up winning the race from pole, but by finishing second Hill did everything he needed to do to write history, despite his uncomfortable situation within his own team and any futile attempts at mind games from his much younger team-mate.
“Yeah, he tried,” Hill grinned when asked about Villeneuve’s gamesmanship during the season. “I think I saw where he was coming from. But he was entertaining. He’s got some very strange ideas about set-ups and stuff. And physics in general…
“He’s a jolly good sport. I don’t mean that facetiously. He really is a good sport. He wanted to race me. He wanted to beat me. But he was very generous. He joined me for supper after the race and congratulated me. It was all done in a good spirit. Good memories.”
Hill’s former title rival, Jacques Villeneuve, is also a Williams ambassador – both have even been TV pundits
Photo by: Marco Bertorello / AFP via Getty Images
Villeneuve, who claimed the title the following season after another epic slugfest with Schumacher, has since also joined his former team-mate as a Williams ambassador.
“He came in for breakfast this morning,” Hill said. “I was thinking, here we are. If someone had said 30 years from now you’re going to be back at Williams with the same guy, you wouldn’t have believed them!”
Through his work as a pundit, Hill has frequently returned to Suzuka over the years. And as one of the true drivers’ circuits left on the calendar, and one that has changed the least, Hill retains a strong connection to the venue.
“The whole circuit is just insane,” Hill beamed. “Dunlop Curve is so intense. Every time we went around that corner, I just thought: ‘If this lets go here, we’re in big trouble.’ There’s no run-off at all.
“Degner 1 and 2 are probably one of the trickiest corners you’re going to encounter in Formula 1. Turn 1 as well. I mean, where does it end? It’s just non-stop. Even the chicane, stupid as it sounds, is actually one of the trickiest and most interesting parts of the circuit as well because it’s undulating, it’s not an even surface.
“It’s still the same feel, the same vibe, and the same great track, and the support as well. You cannot underestimate the devotion of the Japanese racing fans. They really are incredible.”
Williams hasn’t won a title this century, but its team name is still going strong
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
F1 has changed a lot over the past three decades, but the Williams legacy is still intact, with former Mercedes man James Vowles now carrying the torch for the team under new US ownership. By hiring Hill and Villeneuve, Williams is maintaining that connection with its rich heritage, while trying to move forward as a modern F1 team.
“It’s a really nice feeling to be back with the team and seeing how James is tackling the new challenge of the sport as it is today,” Hill added. “It’s such a great name in the sport, but you can’t win on heritage. You have to be constantly innovating and solving problems.
“I think there are certain individuals who gave their life to this sport because they loved it so much, because it meant everything to them. You could start with Enzo Ferrari, Ron Dennis and you’d have to put Bernie Ecclestone in there as well, and people like Frank [Williams]. The guys who built their own teams and have left their mark on the constructors and the drivers’ championships over the years.
“That’s the history, but the responsibility has grown beyond the power of one person, I think. But I still think there is a filter down effect of the leader of the team to shape things.”
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