You would think being the son of a two times World Champion F1 driver would mean an automtioc route into the F1 world and at least a good chance of a drive. Not so

Damon Hill did become a World Champion in F1 in 1996, becoming the first father-son duo to be F1 World Champions (Keke and Nico Rosberg being the only other one to date),  but he only started in F1 at the age of 32, the age when most drivers are retiring now!

He talked about his time with his famous father and the group of his father's F1 racer friends - a very different paddock atmosphere in the '60s and '70s to today. His father died when he was just 15, somewhat ironically for the era in a plane crash, not a race car.

His main passion was motorcycles which he raced succesfuilly whilst working as a builder's labour and despatch rider. His mother persuaded him to move in racing cars as she thought this was safer.

He struggled to make progress through the ranks, and struggled even more to secure finance.  But, he made it, racing alongside the famous names of Prost and Senna. Damon had quite a bit to say about both of them, very different characters from each other. I got the impression that Damon did not quite see himself on the same level as either of them despite having matched their records of starting all 16 Grand Prix in a season from the front row. The death at the wheel of Senna whilst Hill's teammate clearly still weighs on him, but his insight into what may have gone wrong (we may never know for sure) was fascinating.

He also talked about the psychological toll inflicted by nearly but not quite winning the 1994 season and how that detracted from his performance in 1995. This is not something we think about much but clearly all athletes (and F1 drivers are athlete) need a sound mind as much as a sound body.

Perhaps understandably, Damon was less complimentary about the man who "stole" his 1994 championship in controversial circumsatnces - one Michael Schumacher.

Overall it was a fantastic night which ran well over schedule but still finsihed too soon, with some wonderful insights into the rarefied world of F1 both as team hanger-on-er,  a driver and finally a commentator and pundit.

Lawrence Glynn #3