F1: No Fulltime Comeback For Damon Hill

Formula 1

F1: No Fulltime Comeback For Damon Hill

Damon Hill competed in the VW Scirocco-R Cup at Brands Hatch...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted May 21, 2012 Balen (BEL)

Martin Donnelly (Right) and Damon Hill (Left). (Photo: Cooper)

Damon Hill says he has no thoughts of proper racing comeback despite showing well in the VW Scirocco-R Cup at Brands Hatch last weekend.

Hill, who retired from F1 at the end of 1999, took part in the DTM support event for charity, along with a group of contemporaries known as the ‘Rat Pack,’ all of whom have various degrees of F1 experience.

Other previous occupants of the VW VIP cars include Arie Luyendyk, Patrick Tambay and Martin Brundle.

Despite his lack of knowledge of FWD touring cars Hill was actually fastest overall in free practice, ahead of all the young hotshoes. In qualifying proper Mark Blundell was quickest of the ‘legends’ class in fifth, ahead of David Brabham (7th), Martin Donnelly (10th), Hill (11th), Perry McCarthy (24th) and Julian Bailey (26th).

In the race Hill pitted for damage inspection after being hit from behind, and while he returned to the track he decided after a few laps that there was no point in continuing.

Brabham meanwhile won the class in fifth overall, ahead of Blundell (6th) and Donnelly (10th), while McCarthy and Bailey trailed home in 21st and 24th.

“I tell you what, it’s lovely to drive a race track on your own,” Hill told speed.com. “But not when you’ve got a bunch of aggressive young guys. And very old guys as well!

“I loved the driving, I have to say I did love the seat of the pants stuff and just playing with the car, but it’s the aggressive racing I didn’t like. I got hit so hard from behind I thought I’d crashed into the wall backwards, but there was no damage. I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s been fun, but I think it reminded me of why I stopped racing as well. There’s more lows than highs...”

Hill and his colleagues were competing on behalf of learning disability charity http://www.halowproject.org.uk

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.