Damon Hill: five classic drives

Damon Hill started racing motorbikes in his early twenties before following in the footsteps of his father – two-time World Champion Graham Hill – to race for Formula One, winning the championship in 1996. After retiring from the racetrack, he became president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, succeeding Sir Jackie Stewart, from 2006-2011, and is currently a member of the Sky Sports F1 broadcasting team. Here, he shares his most memorable experiences behind the wheel.

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Nordschleife, Nurburgring, Germany

Wrapped around a castled hilltop in Germany’s Eifel Mountains, this must be in the running for the longest one-way street in the world – it’s over 20km long, but doesn’t go anywhere because it loops right back to where you began. One lap of the ‘Green Hell’, as Jackie Stewart dubbed it, and you won’t be the same person when you return. Your mind will have been blown. Its endless corners are mesmerising.

Car of choice: Porsche 550 Spyder

Photo: Alamy

Isle of Man TT course, UK

This beats the Nordschleife on distance and sheer madness. There’s virtually no place to escape if you get it wrong – and there is even an oak tree in the middle of the track. I say track, but it’s really a 38-mile open road that you can ride or drive round any day of the week. An amazing island, and the views are legendary.

Car of choice: An SUV (so you can see over the hedges)

Photo: Getty Images

Ronda road, Spain

The famous Ronda mountain road connects Marbella to Ronda. We used to have a house in Marbella and often took the endlessly winding road, which ends up on the plateau of the wild Sierra de las Nieves mountain range. The drive from Malaga to Madrid is pretty spectacular, too. Toledo is worth a stop – it’s ancient and riddled with history.

Car of choice: Any car from the Porsche Panamera range

Photo: Getty Images

San Marino to Florence, Italy

This stunning road snakes over Italy’s spine through its national parks. I only found it because I had gone to see the San Marino MotoGP, which I then discovered was actually on the other side of Italy, near Florence. But I’m glad I made that mistake. Rounding the hillside to be presented suddenly with Florence in all its grandeur takes some beating.

Car of choice: A Fiat 500 or Ferrari GTC4 Lusso

Photo: Alamy

Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica to Carmel, USA

In 1979, I did this trip in a 1929 Le Mans-winning Bentley driven by the 1961 Formula One World Champion Phil Hill. When Hill did the drive, he reached Carmel, raced the car at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, then drove it back home to Santa Monica. I was probably too young to appreciate the privilege when I did it, but it was still an incredible drive.

Car of choice: A black 1968 Dodge Charger (like the one in Bullitt)

Photo: Getty Images

Damon Hill

Damon Hill: five classic drives

Nordschleife, Nurburgring, Germany

Isle of Man TT course, UK

Ronda road, Spain

San Marino to Florence, Italy

Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica to Carmel, USA

Nordschleife, Nurburgring, Germany

Isle of Man TT course, UK

Ronda road, Spain

San Marino to Florence, Italy

Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica to Carmel, USA

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