Graham Hill Biography

The inclusion of Graham Hill on my list of the ten greatest drivers is probably the most controversial. It is easy to underestimate someone who has come from so humble a beginning. Hill came late to motor racing, in fact he had not even driven a car until he was 24. His early years marked by a profound lack of money and one of the first passenger cars that Hill owned was a 1929 Austin. The car was a wreck which is just about what you would expect for 70 dollars. Soon loosing its brakes Hill would have to scrub the car’s tires against the curb in order to stop. He would later remark that all budding race car drivers should own such a car. 

“The chief qualities of a racing driver are concentration, determination and anticipation”, he said “A 1929 Austin without brakes develops all three – anticipation rather more than the first two, perhaps.”

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