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Phil Hill, the only American-born driver to win the Formula One world championship, passed away on this day in 2008 aged 81.
Born in California in 1927, Hill made his Grand Prix début with the Joakim Bonnier Racing Team in France in 1958, and later that year switched to Ferrari where he picked up back-to-back podium finishes in Italy and Morocco.
He went on to win the drivers title with Ferrari in 1961, claiming victories at Spa and Monza together with second places at Zandvoort and Silverstone and further podiums at Monaco and the Nürburgring. That put him one point ahead of Wolfgang von Trips, who sadly died at Monza after a collision with Jim Clark during the race.
He retired from Formula One in 1964 although he made one encore appearance at Monza in 1966. He also scored three wins at each of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1958, 1961, 1962) and 12 Hours of Sebring (1958, 1959, 1961) sports car races.
While Hill is the only American-born driver to win the championship, Mario Andretti (who became an American citizen after emigrating from Europe) woudl also go on to win the drivers title in 1978.
