Hill GH1

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Hill GH1 (Lola T371)
Category Formula One
Constructor Lola/Embassy Hill
Designer(s) Andy Smallman
Predecessor Lola T370
Successor Hill GH2
Technical specifications[1] [2]
Chassis Aluminium monocoque, with engine as a fully stressed member.
Suspension (front) Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Suspension (rear) Single top links, twin lower links, twin trailing arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Engine Ford Cosworth DFV 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in) 90° V8, naturally aspirated, mid-mounted.
Transmission Hewland TL 200 5-speed
Weight 603 kg
Fuel Esso
Lubricants Esso
Tyres Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants Embassy Hill
Notable drivers Germany Rolf Stommelen
United Kingdom Graham Hill
United Kingdom Tony Brise
France François Migault
Australia Vern Schuppan
Australia Alan Jones
Debut 1975 South African Grand Prix (as Lola T371)
Races Wins Poles F.Laps
12 0 0 0
n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only.

The Hill GH1 was a Formula One car used by Embassy Hill during the 1975 Formula One season. It was designed by Andy Smallman.[3] The car was initially designated as the Lola T371,[4] but when Smallman left Lola to work full-time for Embassy Hill it was re-named as the Hill GH1.[5] GH1 cars participated in 12 Grands Prix in 1975, with 21 entries in total using six different drivers. Two points finishes yielded 11th place in the World Constructors' Championship, with three points.

Racing history

The car was not ready for a Formula One appearance until the third race of the season, the South African Grand Prix, when Rolf Stommelen finished seventh on the car's debut.[6] At the Spanish Grand Prix, Graham Hill did not drive so François Migault took the second car alongside Stommelen. Stommelen led the race until the rear wing on his car broke, sending him into the barrier, ironically at the point that the Embassy Hill mechanics had worked on it. He bounced off it and back into the road, hitting the barrier across the way, and flying over it. Five spectators were killed by Stommelen's car with the driver suffering a broken leg, a broken wrist and two cracked ribs. Migault finished 10th of those still running when the race was stopped but was 11 laps behind,[7] and was officially not classified.

As a result of the accident, the grid was staggered and in addition, would be restricted to just 18 cars for the subsequent Monaco Grand Prix.[8] This last change affected Graham Hill's chance to qualify, the five-time Monaco winner had practice problems and failed to qualify by 0.377 seconds. Tony Brise replaced Hill, and Migault returned to replaced Stommelen, for the Belgian Grand Prix. Brise, on his debut, gained a fourth-row start but spun at the chicane and retired shortly afterwards (lap 18) with piston failure. Migault retired with Suspension failure on lap 58.[9]

Vern Schuppan drove the second Hill alongside Brise for the Swedish Grand Prix. Brise was showing little respect for his elders, overtaking Mark Donohue and Ronnie Peterson and challenging championship leader Emerson Fittipaldi. Then his gearbox jammed in fourth and he was re-passed by Donohue, but in his third Grand Prix, gained his first World Championship point and Graham Hill's first as a constructor. It would prove the only point of Brise's F1 career. Schuppan Retired with Transmission failure on lap 48.[10]

Alan Jones drove the second Hill alongside Brise for four races. The first was the Dutch Grand Prix when Brise finished seventh and Jones 13th.[11] At the French Grand Prix, Brise finished seventh and Jones 16th.[12] Prior to the British Grand Prix Graham Hill announced his retirement as a driver after 17 seasons and 176 races to concentrate on running the Embassy Hill team. Brise finished 15th and Jones 10th.[13] The German Grand Prix saw the Hill team's best result with Jones 5th but Brise retired through accident.[14] Stommelen returned for the rain-shortened Austrian Grand Prix where he finished 16th and Brise 15th.[15] At the Italian Grand Prix Brise pleased the Embassy Hill team by gaining a third-row spot. but both he and Stommelen retired with accidents.[16] The United States Grand Prix was the final race for Brise and the Embassy Hill team, which only entered Brise who retired through accident on lap five.[17]

Embassy Hill air crash

On the evening of 29 November 1975, double-world champion Graham Hill was piloting a Piper Aztec light aircraft from France to London. His passengers were team manager Ray Brimble, driver Tony Brise, designer Andy Smallman and mechanics Terry Richards and Tony Alcock. They were returning from Paul Ricard where they had been testing the Hill GH2 being prepared for 1976. They were due to land at Elstree Airfield before onward travel to London to attend a party. Shortly before 10pm, the plane hit trees beside a golf course at Arkley in thick fog. In the ensuing crash and explosion, everyone on board was killed.[18][19] As the team now only consisted of the deputy team manager and two mechanics. It was impossible to continue, and so the team closed down.[20][21]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)(results in bold indicate pole position, results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Engine Drivers Tyres 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Points WCC
1975 Embassy Hill Ford Cosworth DFV
3.0 V8		 G ARG BRA RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA 3 11th
Germany Rolf Stommelen 7 Ret 16 Ret
Australia Vern Schuppan Ret
Australia Alan Jones 13 16 10 5
France François Migault NC Ret
United Kingdom Graham Hill DNQ
United Kingdom Tony Brise Ret 6 7 7 15 Ret 15 Ret Ret

Non-Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)[22]

Year Entrant Engine Driver Tyres 1 2 3
1975 Embassy Hill Ford Cosworth DFV G ROC INT SUI
United Kingdom Graham Hill 11
West Germany Rolf Stommelen 12

References

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  18. ↑ BBC, This day in history-- 1975: Graham Hill killed in air crash.
  19. ↑ Graham Hill, 46, Retired Racer, In Fatal Crash Piloting His Plane. UPI News Service. December 1, 1975 (Monday) New York Times archive
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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