Damon Hill steps down as BRDC President
#1
Posted 07 June 2011 - 14:19
http://news.bbc.co.u...one/9506802.stm
Round of applause for that man
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#2
Posted 07 June 2011 - 14:28
I can't wait for my families annual trip to Silverstone.
Thanks Damon, from a British F1 fan.
Regards Mike
#3
Posted 07 June 2011 - 14:34
#4
Posted 07 June 2011 - 14:52
#5
Posted 07 June 2011 - 15:04
Either way, agreed!!
#6
Posted 07 June 2011 - 15:16
#7
Posted 07 June 2011 - 16:29
He did a good job of ensuring power was handed over to these two commercial arms of the group, but thereafter he took no part in negotiations of the british grand prix contract or indeed in the development of the pit and paddock buildings. By and large he is and always was a figurehead.
The two main people you should be congratulating are Richard Phillips (MD of SHL and SCL) and Neil England (Chairman of the board of SHL and effectively Richard's boss.) Richard and Neil both led the negotiations directly with Bernie, CVC and FOM and concluded the deal too.
Damon did a good job as a club president but unfortunately for those not in the know, he didn't do anymore.
#8
Posted 07 June 2011 - 16:32
To Damon!, top bombing for the past 5 years!
#9
Posted 07 June 2011 - 16:45
Well put.A class man, as a driver and as a businessman. A gentleman. A great development driver and a deserving WDC.
Or, to précis, Damon did his job well.Amazing how you all think he single handedly saved the british grand prix. His main role was to keep the members at bay and also use his influence to bargain for commercial power for Silverstone Holdings Ltd and in turn Silverstone circuits Ltd.
He did a good job of ensuring power was handed over to these two commercial arms of the group, but thereafter he took no part in negotiations of the british grand prix contract or indeed in the development of the pit and paddock buildings. By and large he is and always was a figurehead.
The two main people you should be congratulating are Richard Phillips (MD of SHL and SCL) and Neil England (Chairman of the board of SHL and effectively Richard's boss.) Richard and Neil both led the negotiations directly with Bernie, CVC and FOM and concluded the deal too.
Damon did a good job as a club president but unfortunately for those not in the know, he didn't do anymore.
#10
Posted 07 June 2011 - 16:48
Amazing how you all think he single handedly saved the british grand prix.
Do we??!
#11
Posted 07 June 2011 - 16:49
I have to say I'm inclined to agree. I was under the impression he'd stepped down a while ago...
#12
Posted 07 June 2011 - 18:26
#13
Posted 07 June 2011 - 22:35
Well done!
#14
Posted 07 June 2011 - 22:47
His main role was to keep the members at bay and also use his influence to bargain for commercial power for Silverstone Holdings Ltd and in turn Silverstone circuits Ltd.
And he did it very well.
#15
Posted 08 June 2011 - 07:13
And he did it very well.
Indeed he did!
#16
Posted 08 June 2011 - 07:38
#17
Posted 08 June 2011 - 17:15
Having said that, he's probably done a good job for Silverstone.
#18
Posted 08 June 2011 - 17:29
So just second-hand hearsay then?In reality, he is renowned for being miserable and moody. I've known a lot of people who've known (or still know) Damon in a professional capacity, and very few of them speak fondly of him.
#19
Posted 08 June 2011 - 18:13
Which isn't a whinge or that I have my nose out of joint, I just thought for someone like that he'd be a bit more of a politician? Or maybe in it's own way it's kinda sweet because he doesn't think of himself that way. Aloof but unaware is probably how I'd describe it, but wasn't he like that as a driver too?
Anyways. Girl I dated had a great story about how he tried to chat up her sister when she(sister) was a model. With the 'hey I'm Damon Hill' thing. And she had no idea who he was and even when she found out didn't care. Which totally made me a fan of his all over again.
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#20
Posted 08 June 2011 - 18:32
I applaud the man and fellow BRDC members, etc.
#21
Posted 08 June 2011 - 19:59
In his defence, he along with his family did go through a tough time when Graham was killed.
Coping with the death of a family member is one thing, but they then lost the vast majority of the fortune after the accident. It turned out that the aircraft was unregistered and as such its certificate of airworthiness was void. Graham also didn't not hold the instrument rating to fly in low visibility. Most of Graham's estate went on paying compensation to the families of the passengers. Bette, Damon and the rest of the family ended up living in drastically reduced circumstances. Damon had to work as a manual labourer and a motorcycle courier in order to pay the bills.
#22
Posted 08 June 2011 - 20:05
#23
Posted 08 June 2011 - 20:07
Well, so do most people really.
Yes, but the point is that he had to work for everything, rather than having that cushy lifestyle one would expect comes with being the son of a very famous and successful man.
#24
Posted 08 June 2011 - 20:09
#25
Posted 08 June 2011 - 21:08
Well no, I've met him 4 or 5 times myself to do with work. My opinion was the same. He's not an 'easy' person to deal with. It was when I expressed this opinion to others that I found out from them that their own experiences had been along similar lines. He's quiet, doesn't tend to greet people unless they greet him first (and even then all you might get it a glance of acknowledgement) and if you upset or annoy him then he can be downright rude and tell you to f*** off. He has never done that to me, but I've seen it happen.So just second-hand hearsay then?
I don't dislike him, I've no reason to. I'm just amused at how often I see fans express the opinion that he's such a wonderful bloke who's so friendly and wondeful. I would bet most these people have had either extremely limited or, more likely, no contact with him whatsoever.;)
#26
Posted 08 June 2011 - 21:55
Well no, I've met him 4 or 5 times myself to do with work. My opinion was the same. He's not an 'easy' person to deal with. It was when I expressed this opinion to others that I found out from them that their own experiences had been along similar lines. He's quiet, doesn't tend to greet people unless they greet him first (and even then all you might get it a glance of acknowledgement) and if you upset or annoy him then he can be downright rude and tell you to f*** off. He has never done that to me, but I've seen it happen.
I'm hardly surprised that he'd tell you to eff off if you upset or annoyed him. If you upset or annoyed me, I might tell you to do the same! That doesn't mean he's not friendly, it just means he was pushed too far.
#27
Posted 08 June 2011 - 23:16
#28
Posted 08 June 2011 - 23:30
#29
Posted 09 June 2011 - 08:19
He's easily annoyed/upset.I'm hardly surprised that he'd tell you to eff off if you upset or annoyed him. If you upset or annoyed me, I might tell you to do the same! That doesn't mean he's not friendly, it just means he was pushed too far.
Honestly, of all the living ex-British drivers he's the least friendly by quite a distance.
#30
Posted 09 June 2011 - 08:59
He's easily annoyed/upset.
Honestly, of all the living ex-British drivers he's the least friendly by quite a distance.
He's still British as far as I'm aware?
#31
Posted 09 June 2011 - 09:23
I've met the guy and he was very pleasant in my experience. There have been a few instances where he would have rightly lost his cool during his F1 career, most notably when the championship was taken off him in the clumsy incident in 1994, but his bowed out with grace. The public questioning during 1996 where his contract wasn't being renewed etc etc. I'm well aware people are different away from the public eye but I don't believe Damon is a sulky bar steward over the slightest thing. A friend of mine work used to work for Honda in Brackley (now works for Force India) and he has said Ross Brawn is a nasty piece of work and although his guidance is respected, he's not nice to work with when the team is under pressure. Whether thats true or not I don't know but then again you can't believe everyone who has a story to tell.He's easily annoyed/upset.
Honestly, of all the living ex-British drivers he's the least friendly by quite a distance.
#32
Posted 09 June 2011 - 09:34
#33
Posted 09 June 2011 - 09:57
#34
Posted 09 June 2011 - 10:58
Suzy, what is it that you do at the SRC again? I forget.
That reads as a rather sarcastic response you know. I know I'm not as important as you and I have no desire to be important either. I'm a fan, assistant club photographer for them and a member of the Steering Group. However I also encounter Damon on a personal basis as we do have something in common involving our families. The latter, however, is private.
#35
Posted 09 June 2011 - 13:46
Probably a legal minefield though
#36
Posted 09 June 2011 - 14:04
The 1994 incident was at least 50% his own fault. And let's be frank Schumacher was the best driver in 1994, it would've been the wrong result if anyone else had taken that year's world crown.I've met the guy and he was very pleasant in my experience. There have been a few instances where he would have rightly lost his cool during his F1 career, most notably when the championship was taken off him in the clumsy incident in 1994, but his bowed out with grace. The public questioning during 1996 where his contract wasn't being renewed etc etc. I'm well aware people are different away from the public eye but I don't believe Damon is a sulky bar steward over the slightest thing. A friend of mine work used to work for Honda in Brackley (now works for Force India) and he has said Ross Brawn is a nasty piece of work and although his guidance is respected, he's not nice to work with when the team is under pressure. Whether thats true or not I don't know but then again you can't believe everyone who has a story to tell.
An example of Damon's moodiness is the way he responds to fans asking for his autograph. Yes we all know there's a load of folk who sell on eBay and that that annoys the celebs in question, but Damon is particularly awkward about it. He'll often refuse outright, or otherwise be less than pleasant about signing stuff. I'm sure it can be frustrating being asked by people all the time, but all the other old drivers go about it in a far more chilled out fashion than Hill. But that's just my own observations from seeing him at places like Goodwood. I'm going more by the things I've been told by his former colleagues. I have also heard that he can be great company and a good laugh to be with.
As for Ross Brawn, I've spoken with him a few times in relation to work and he's obviously a highly intelligent guy. I can imagine that he doesn't suffer fools gladly though.
#37
Posted 09 June 2011 - 19:34
That's BS. One driver drove cleanly, one cheated.The 1994 incident was at least 50% his own fault. And let's be frank Schumacher was the best driver in 1994, it would've been the wrong result if anyone else had taken that year's world crown.
#38
Posted 09 June 2011 - 19:40
Amazing how you all think he single handedly saved the british grand prix. His main role was to keep the members at bay and also use his influence to bargain for commercial power for Silverstone Holdings Ltd and in turn Silverstone circuits Ltd.
He did a good job of ensuring power was handed over to these two commercial arms of the group, but thereafter he took no part in negotiations of the british grand prix contract or indeed in the development of the pit and paddock buildings. By and large he is and always was a figurehead.
The two main people you should be congratulating are Richard Phillips (MD of SHL and SCL) and Neil England (Chairman of the board of SHL and effectively Richard's boss.) Richard and Neil both led the negotiations directly with Bernie, CVC and FOM and concluded the deal too.
Damon did a good job as a club president but unfortunately for those not in the know, he didn't do anymore.
us plebs like famous people though, so, well done Damon. Now focus on Josh!
#39
Posted 09 June 2011 - 20:07
I'm can't really stand Michael Schumacher to tell the truth, but in 1994 and 1995 he was quite obviously the best driver by a mile. Hill did an alright job under difficult circumstances in 1994, but the attempt to pass Michael from so far back was just plain dumb.That's BS. One driver drove cleanly, one cheated.
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#40
Posted 09 June 2011 - 21:17
We should start up a thread for people who have worked with well know F1 personell, see how close the reality is to the public image.
Probably a legal minefield though
I've met him twice while Go-karting and he was very pleasant to talk to, humble and eloquent . He even offered me a piece of his chocolate.
#41
Posted 09 June 2011 - 21:20
I'm can't really stand Michael Schumacher to tell the truth, but in 1994 and 1995 he was quite obviously the best driver by a mile. Hill did an alright job under difficult circumstances in 1994, but the attempt to pass Michael from so far back was just plain dumb.
Although if you watch the video, Schumacher is looking straight at the Williams from the moment he turns the wheel to the right. As clear a deliberate act as there ever has been.