Hill GH1

The car was not ready for a Formula One appearance until the third race of the season, the South African Grand Prix, when Rolf Stommelen finished seventh on the car's debut.{{cite web|last=Henry|first=Alan|authorlink=Alan Henry|title=The South African Grand Prix|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/april-1975/36/south-african-grand-prix|date=April 1975|work=MotorSport magazine archive|page=36|accessdate=11 October 2015}} At the Spanish Grand Prix, Graham Hill did not drive so François Migault took the second car alongside Stommelen. Stommelen led the race until the rear wing on his car broke, sending him into the barrier, ironically at the point that the Embassy Hill mechanics had worked on it. He bounced off it and back into the road, hitting the barrier across the way, and flying over it. Five spectators were killed by Stommelen's car with the driver suffering a broken leg, a broken wrist and two cracked ribs. Migault finished 10th of those still running when the race was stopped but was 11 laps behind,{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink = Denis Jenkinson|title=The Spanish Grand Prix-Catastrophic|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1975/36/spanish-grand-prix-catastrophic|work=Motor Sport magazine archive|date=June 1975|accessdate=4 September 2015}} and was officially not classified.

As a result of the accident, the grid was staggered and in addition, would be restricted to just 18 cars for the subsequent Monaco Grand Prix.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The 33rd Monaco Grand Prix: Lauda all the way|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1975/26/33rd-monaco-grand-prix|date=June 1975|work=MotorSport magazine archive|page=26|accessdate=11 October 2015}} This last change affected Graham Hill's chance to qualify, the five-time Monaco winner had practice problems and failed to qualify by 0.377 seconds. Tony Brise replaced Hill, and Migault returned to replace Stommelen, for the Belgian Grand Prix. Brise, on his debut, gained a fourth-row start but spun at the chicane and retired shortly afterwards (lap 18) with piston failure. Migault retired with Suspension failure on lap 58.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=Grote Prijs van Belgie – Another Ferrari domination|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1975/34/grote-prijs-van-belgie|date=July 1975|work=MotorSport magazine archive|page=34|accessdate=12 October 2015}}

Vern Schuppan drove the second Hill alongside Brise for the Swedish Grand Prix. Brise was showing little respect for his elders, overtaking Mark Donohue and Ronnie Peterson and challenging championship leader Emerson Fittipaldi. Then his gearbox jammed in fourth and he was re-passed by Donohue, but in his third Grand Prix, gained his first World Championship point and Graham Hill's first as a constructor. It would prove the only point of Brise's F1 career. Schuppan Retired with Transmission failure on lap 48.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The Swedish Grand Prix – Ferrari Again|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1975/21/swedish-grand-prix|date=July 1975|work=MotorSport magazine archive|page=21|accessdate=12 October 2015}}

Alan Jones drove the second Hill alongside Brise for four races. The first was the Dutch Grand Prix when Brise finished seventh and Jones 13th.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The Dutch Grand Prix – An Englishman wins|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1975/44/dutch-grand-prix|work=MotorSport magazine archive|date=August 1975|page=21|accessdate=12 October 2015}} At the French Grand Prix, Brise finished seventh and Jones 16th.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The French Grand Prix – Runaway win for Ferrari|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1975/57/french-grand-prix|work=MotorSport magazine archive|date=August 1975|page=57|accessdate=13 October 2015}} Prior to the British Grand Prix Graham Hill announced his retirement as a driver after 17 seasons and 176 races to concentrate on running the Embassy Hill team. Jones finished 10th and Brise 15th despite him, Wilson Fittipaldi (Fittipaldi), Dave Morgan (Surtees), John Nicholson, (Lyncar), Brian Henton, (Lotus), Carlos Pace (Brabham), Jody Scheckter (Tyrrell) and James Hunt (Hesketh) going off at Club Corner and the race being red flagged.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The British Grand Prix – Chaotic|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1975/45/british-grand-prix-chaotic|work=MotorSport magazine archive|date=September 1975|page=45|accessdate=13 October 2015}} The German Grand Prix saw the Hill team's best result with Jones 5th but Brise retired through accident.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The German Grand Prix – Reality|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1975/26/german-grand-prix-reality|work=MotorSport magazine archive|date=September 1975|page=26|accessdate=13 October 2015}} Stommelen returned for the rain-shortened Austrian Grand Prix where he finished 16th and Brise 15th.{{citation|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The Austrian Grand Prix - A washout|work=Motor Sport magazine|date=October 1975|page=1131}} At the Italian Grand Prix Brise pleased the Embassy Hill team by gaining a third-row spot. but both he and Stommelen retired with accidents.{{citation|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=The Italian Grand Prix - A Ferrari Walk-over|work=Motor Sport magazine|date=October 1975|page=1115}} The United States Grand Prix was the final race for Brise and the Embassy Hill team, which only entered Brise who retired through accident on lap five.{{cite web|last=Henry|first=Alan|authorlink=Alan Henry|title=The United States GP – Lauda rounds it off|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1975/26/united-states-gp|work=MotorSport magazine archive|date=November 1975|page=26|accessdate=13 October 2015}}

{{Main|Graham Hill plane crash}}

On the evening of 29 November 1975, Hill was piloting a Piper Aztec light aircraft from France to London. His passengers were team manager Ray Brimble, driver Tony Brise, designer Andy Smallman and mechanics Terry Richards and Tony Alcock. They were returning from Paul Ricard where they had been testing the Hill GH2 being prepared for 1976. They were due to land at Elstree Airfield before onward travel to London to attend a party. Shortly before 10pm, the plane hit trees beside a golf course at Arkley in thick fog. In the ensuing crash and explosion, everyone on board was killed.BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/29/newsid_2527000/2527363.stm This day in history-- 1975: Graham Hill killed in air crash.]Graham Hill, 46, Retired Racer, In Fatal Crash Piloting His Plane. UPI News Service. December 1, 1975 (Monday) [https://www.nytimes.com/1975/12/01/archives/graham-hill-46-retired-racer-in-fatal-crash-piloting-his-plane.html New York Times archive] As Embassy Hill now only consisted of the deputy team manager and two mechanics, it was impossible to continue, and so the team closed down.{{cite news|title=Motor racing legend Graham Hill killed in a plane crash|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2008/dec/02/from-the-vault-graham-hill-formula-one|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian Newspapers|accessdate=24 October 2011|location=London|date=2 December 2008}}{{cite web|last=Bardon|first=P|title=Report on the accident at Arkley Golf Course|url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/14_1976__n6645y.cfm|work=AAIB Formal Reports|publisher=Air Accidents Investigations Branch|accessdate=24 October 2011}}

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(key){{Citation|title=The Swiss Grand Prix|work=Motor Sport magazine|date=October 1975|page=1125}}

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{{Embassy Hill}}

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{{F1 cars 1975}}

Category:Hill Formula One cars