Damon Hill returns to Williams as Official Ambassador 30 years on from title success

Williams have announced that Damon Hill is returning to the team as an Official Ambassador, 30 years after the Briton won the World Championship with the Grove-based outfit.

First joining the squad as a test and reserve driver in 1991, Hill was later promoted to the race team for the 1993 season and went on to claim a maiden victory later that year in Hungary.

After adding further wins to his tally, the 1994 campaign saw Hill narrowly miss out on title success following a controversial collision with Benetton’s Michael Schumacher at the finale in Adelaide, though Williams did seal the Teams’ Championship for a third consecutive season.

It was in 1996 that the son of two-time World Champion Graham Hill followed in his father’s footsteps by taking the crown, a season in which he clinched a total of eight Grand Prix victories. Throughout his stint with Williams, Hill earned 21 wins, 40 podiums and 20 pole positions.

The British racer is now rejoining the outfit as an Official Ambassador, completing a line-up that also features his 1996 team mate Jacques Villeneuve and three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick.

“Williams is truly a special place for me and where some of the defining moments of my career took place,” said Hill.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of this sport and to have achieved what I did, and returning as an Ambassador is a real privilege. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the team’s history and help to support its legacy and future.”

Team Principal James Vowles added: “It’s an honour to welcome Damon back to Atlassian Williams F1 Team as an Ambassador. Few individuals represent this team quite like him.

“Damon played a defining role in one of the most successful eras in our history, becoming a World Champion with Williams and leaving a legacy that continues to inspire the team today.

“We’re also delighted that Jamie Chadwick and Jacques Villeneuve will continue with us as Ambassadors. Together, they form an impressive line-up that reflects everything Williams stands for: our history, our commitment to opening doors and developing talent, and our ambition to compete at the very highest level again.

“Having figures like them representing Williams as we move forward is something we’re immensely proud of.”