Phil Hill
A sensitive, introspective American who conquered Europe's most dangerous tracks, becoming the first from his country to win the Formula One world championship.
1927–2008 (age 81)·American racing driver·Birthday: April 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Phil Hill was a paradox: a man plagued by nerves and premonitions of disaster who became one of the greatest endurance drivers in history and a Formula One champion. He came from a wealthy California family, but his passion was the mechanical scream of racing engines. He made his name in the brutal world of 1950s sports car racing, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times for Ferrari with a blend of surgical precision and relentless speed. His 1961 Formula One title, won in the shark-nosed Ferrari, was bittersweet, overshadowed by the death of his teammate Wolfgang von Trips. Hill was a thinker in a brute-force profession, often describing the eerie beauty and terror of driving at the limit. His career marked the end of an era of gentleman drivers and the dawn of a more specialized, professional age.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Phil was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Phil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Phil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2008Died at 81
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Key Achievements
- Became the first American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1961.
- Won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times (1958, 1961, 1962), all with Ferrari.
- Completed the first-ever 'Triple Crown of Endurance Racing' by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1964, adding to his Le Mans and Sebring victories.
- Won the 12 Hours of Sebring three times (1958, 1959, 1961).
Did You Know?
He was an avid collector and restorer of historic automobiles and player pianos.
He famously said, 'I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero. I'm a peace-loving man.'
He served as a color commentator for ABC's Wide World of Sports coverage of Formula One after his retirement.
“I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero. I'm a peace-loving man.”
