Hubbry Logo
Embassy HillEmbassy HillMain
Open search
Embassy Hill
Community hub
Embassy Hill
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Embassy Hill
Embassy Hill
Embassy Hill
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Key Information

Hill as a Formula One chassis constructor
Formula One World Championship career
EntrantsEmbassy Hill
First entry1975 Spanish Grand Prix
Last entry1975 United States Grand Prix
Races entered11
Race victories0
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers'
Championships		0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0

Embassy Racing With Graham Hill, commonly abbreviated to Embassy Hill, was a short-lived Formula One team started by two-time Formula One World Champion Graham Hill. The team debuted in 1973 with a customer Shadow DN1 car, and began racing as a constructor with its own chassis in 1975. The team had limited success in three seasons of racing, but everything was cut short by the death of Hill, Tony Brise and some of the team's top personnel in the crash of a light aircraft in the autumn before the 1976 season. The team was sponsored by Imperial Tobacco's Embassy cigarette brand and ran under various names during its time.

History

[edit]

1972–1973

[edit]
Main article: Shadow DN1

Embassy Racing With Graham Hill first came into being when Graham Hill decided to leave his previous team, Brabham, unhappy with the atmosphere there. He announced in late 1972[1] he was starting his own team, acting as owner and driver. Setting up shop in a warehouse based on an industrial estate in Hanworth, West London, Hill formed a small team of around 20 engineers and mechanics. Securing sponsorship from Embassy, Hill started operating a team with cars purchased from Shadow. Things did not go well that year: the team's best finish was ninth at Zolder, being the last finisher among 9 cars (the former World Champion also started 23rd of 23 cars that race).[2]

1974

[edit]
Main article: Lola T370

The chassis for 1974 were bought from Lola, and designated as the Lola T370. Graham Hill drove throughout the season and scored a point at the 1974 Swedish Grand Prix, but this was to be the team's only point that season. The second car was driven by Guy Edwards, and later Peter Gethin and Rolf Stommelen.

1975

[edit]
Main articles: Lola T370 and Hill GH1

The T370 was still being used at the beginning of the 1975 season, until the team's new car was ready. The new car for 1975 was initially designated as the Lola T371,[3] but when designer Andy Smallman left Lola to work full-time for Embassy Hill it was renamed the Hill GH1.[4] Smallman's design drew heavily from the design of previous year's Lola cars.[1]

Unfortunately, the second race of the GH1 at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix[5] was marred by the collapse of Rolf Stommelen's rear wing mounting, which pitched his car into the crowd and killed four people. Stommelen was injured in the accident and did not return until the second half of the season. He had been leading the race comfortably before the crash.[6]

After failing to qualify at the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix, a race he had won five times, Hill no longer drove the cars himself, and his driving role was taken over by Tony Brise. Brise, considered a rising star,[7] finished sixth in the 1975 Swedish Grand Prix and qualified sixth for the 1975 Italian Grand Prix.

Alan Jones took over the second car for most of the races that Stommelen missed; Jones finished fifth place in the 1975 German Grand Prix.

François Migault and Vern Schuppan were also behind the wheel of the second Hill that year.

Hill GH2

[edit]

The GH2 was the first Formula One car that Andy Smallman designed from scratch specifically for Graham Hill's team, and it was intended for use in the 1976 World Championship season.[8] It was intended to replace the previous model, the Hill GH1, which had started life as the Lola T371. The GH2 used the ubiquitous Cosworth DFV engine, and featured a much smaller and streamlined chassis which resembled the Brabham BT44 and McLaren M23. Tony Brise began testing in the late summer of 1975 at Silverstone, and the times indicated the team could hope for a successful season. During the final test session at Paul Ricard in November 1975, the GH2 was performing well, being much faster than the GH1 and set up changes had made the car easy to drive. The test successful, the team packed up and flew back to England.[9]

After the deaths of Graham Hill, Tony Brise, Andy Smallman and Ray Brimble on 29 November 1975, the GH2 project came to a halt. However, a GH2 was still built and is now in a British automobile museum.

Embassy Hill plane crash

[edit]
Main article: Graham Hill plane crash

On the evening of 29 November 1975 Graham Hill was piloting an Embassy Hill Piper Aztec light aircraft from France to London. His passengers were team manager Ray Brimble, team driver Tony Brise, designer Andy Smallman and mechanics Terry Richards and Tony Alcock. They were returning from Circuit Paul Ricard where they had been testing the Hill GH2 car 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 fire everyone on board was killed.[10][11] As the team now only consisted of Allan Turner, the deputy team manager, and two mechanics it was impossible to continue.[12][13] Most of the team's assets were purchased by Walter Wolf and merged with those of Hesketh Racing and Williams to form Wolf's new team.[14]

Complete Formula One results

[edit]

(key)

Year Chassis Engines Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points WCC
1973 Shadow
DN1 		Ford V8 G ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR NED GER AUT ITA CAN USA - -
United Kingdom Graham Hill Ret 9 Ret Ret 10 Ret NC 13 Ret 14 16 13
1974 Lola
T370 		Ford V8 F ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA - -
United Kingdom Graham Hill Ret 11 12 Ret 8 7 6 Ret 13 13 9 12 8 14 8
United Kingdom Guy Edwards 11 Ret DNQ 12 8 7 Ret 15 DNS DNQ
United Kingdom Peter Gethin Ret
Germany Rolf Stommelen Ret Ret 11 12
1975 Ford V8 G ARG BRA RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA - -
Lola T370 United Kingdom Graham Hill 10 12 DNQ DNQ
Germany Rolf Stommelen 13 14
Lola T371 7
GH1 Ret 16 Ret 3 11th
Australia Vern Schuppan Ret
Australia Alan Jones 13 16 10 5
France François Migault NC Ret
United Kingdom Graham Hill DNQ
United Kingdom Tony Brise Ret 6 7 7 15 Ret 15 Ret Ret

Formula One Non-Championship results

[edit]

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Chassis Engine Driver 1 2 3
1973 Brabham BT37 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 ROC INT
United Kingdom Graham Hill Ret
1974 Lola T370 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 PRE ROC INT
United Kingdom Graham Hill NC Ret
United Kingdom Guy Edwards 9
1975 Lola T371 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 ROC INT SUI
Germany Rolf Stommelen 9
GH1 12
United Kingdom Graham Hill 11

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Embassy Hill

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Embassy Hill was a short-lived constructor and racing team founded by two-time World Drivers' Champion at the end of the 1972 season, after he departed from the team, with sponsorship from Imperial Tobacco. The team, based in a factory unit in , , competed in the World Championship across the 1973, 1974, and 1975 seasons, primarily using customer chassis before developing its own designs. Under Hill's leadership as both team principal and driver, Embassy Hill fielded a rotating roster of talented drivers, including Guy Edwards, , , future champion Alan Jones, and promising young talent . The team's technical efforts were spearheaded by designer Andy Smallman, who contributed to the development of the Hill GH1 and the unraced GH2 chassis. In its debut year of 1973, the team raced a modified Shadow DN1 chassis with Ford Cosworth DFV engines, followed by Lola T370 entries in 1974 and a mix of Lola T371 and the in-house GH1 in 1975. Despite featuring experienced personnel and competitive machinery, Embassy Hill achieved modest results, scoring a single World Championship point in 1974 via a sixth-place finish in the and adding three more points in 1975—courtesy of Brise's sixth in and Jones's fifth in . The 1975 season was marred by tragedy early on, when driver Stommelen's crash at the resulted in the deaths of four spectators. The team's operations ceased abruptly on November 29, 1975, when a Piper Aztec aircraft piloted by crashed into trees near in , , killing all six on board—Hill (the pilot), Brise (the driver), Smallman (the designer), team manager Ray Brimble, and mechanics and Tony Alcock—instantly amid poor weather conditions. This devastating accident not only ended the Embassy Hill project but also claimed five key members of the team, leaving a poignant legacy in motorsport history.

Formation and Background

Founding by Graham Hill

After concluding his two-year tenure with the team at the end of the , which had been marked by underwhelming results and no podium finishes, decided to establish his own racing outfit to sustain his involvement in the sport. At age 43, and facing limited options for a competitive driving seat elsewhere, Hill was driven by a personal ambition to transition into an owner-driver role, leveraging his extensive racing pedigree to build a team from the ground up. In late , Hill formally announced the formation of Embassy Hill Racing, positioning himself as the team's principal with plans to enter the 1973 World Championship as a privateer constructor. The operation began modestly in a factory unit in , near , serving as the initial headquarters for assembly and preparations. Early recruitment focused on assembling a core group of trusted mechanics and engineers from the British scene, drawing on Hill's industry connections to form a lean team capable of managing customer acquisitions and basic operations without a large budget. Hill's dual responsibilities as team owner and lead driver underscored his commitment, allowing him to directly influence strategy while competing, informed by his 16 seasons of experience that included two world championships and 14 Grand Prix victories. This hands-on approach defined the team's foundational ethos, emphasizing resourcefulness and Hill's veteran insight to navigate the challenges of entering as an independent entrant.

Sponsorship and Operations

Embassy Hill's primary sponsorship came from Imperial Tobacco's Embassy cigarette brand, which provided essential funding and branding visibility through prominent livery on the team's cars starting in late 1972. This partnership enabled the team to enter Formula One as a privateer outfit, with the sponsor's support covering operational costs in exchange for advertising exposure on the vehicles and team apparel. The team's operational base was established in a factory unit near , initially drawing on assembly work at Maurice Gomm's workshops in before relocating in 1973 to facilitate in-house maintenance and minor modifications. These facilities supported the team's limited logistics, focusing on reliability rather than extensive innovation due to resource constraints. As a small independent constructor, Embassy Hill operated under tight budget limitations typical of non-factory teams in the era, relying on customer-purchased from suppliers like Shadow and Lola to avoid the high costs of full in-house development. This approach allowed the team to compete without massive capital outlay, though it restricted their competitiveness against better-funded rivals. Graham Hill maintained direct oversight of operations as team principal, personally managing strategic decisions while assembling a lean administrative structure that included hiring key support personnel such as Andy Smallman for technical roles. This hands-on leadership ensured efficient day-to-day management despite the outfit's modest scale.

Racing History

1973 Season

Embassy Hill entered the 1973 Formula One World Championship at the fourth round, the Spanish Grand Prix, with a customer Shadow DN1 chassis assembled from parts supplied by the Shadow team and primarily driven by owner Graham Hill. The team, operating from a Feltham factory unit and backed by Embassy cigarette sponsorship, aimed to establish itself as an independent entrant despite the challenges of building operations from scratch. In their debut at Park, Hill qualified 20th but retired on lap 28 with brake failure, a common issue on the demanding that highlighted the Shadow DN1's teething problems as a customer car. The season progressed with entries in seven races, all driven by Hill, as the team navigated a steep marked by mechanical unreliability and tight funding constraints typical for a startup outfit. The team's best performance came at the at Zolder, where Hill finished ninth, five laps behind winner after a steady but unremarkable run. Retirements due to mechanical woes continued to hamper progress, including suspension failure on lap 62 at the , where Hill had started 22nd on the tight street layout. Similarly, at the at , Hill was caught in the dramatic first-lap pile-up caused by Jody Scheckter's spin, damaging the rear wishbone; after repairs during the red-flag stoppage, he rejoined but retired on lap 25 with failure. These setbacks underscored Embassy Hill's early struggles with the Shadow DN1's reliability and the broader difficulties of funding and logistics for a new team in Formula One's established ecosystem, resulting in no championship points scored that year.

1974 Season

In , Embassy Hill sought to enhance its competitiveness by switching from the Shadow DN1 chassis to the , a design commissioned from and adapted from their successful Formula 5000 platform by engineer Andy Smallman. This move addressed the reliability and performance issues encountered in the team's debut year, allowing for greater consistency in qualifying and race finishes. The team entered 15 races and two non-championship events, marking a progression from the limited outings of 1973. The driver lineup featured as the lead, supported by Guy Edwards as the semi-regular second driver, with and filling in for specific races. Edwards, a promising British talent, handled most of the early-season duties alongside Hill, but suffered a injury during qualifying for the , prompting the temporary substitution by Gethin for that event. Stommelen, an experienced German driver, joined later in the season for the final four Grands Prix, bringing improved qualifying pace to the team. These changes reflected mid-season challenges, including mechanical unreliability and the need for reliable personnel amid a tight budget. The season's highlight came at the , where secured the team's sole point with a sixth-place finish, completing 79 laps just one behind the winner in a field plagued by retirements. Other notable results included Hill's seventh place at the and Edwards' eighth-place finish there, demonstrating the Lola T370's potential on twisty circuits despite frequent engine failures and handling issues elsewhere. Overall, these modest achievements represented growth for Embassy Hill, ending the year with one point and several top-10 finishes, a step up from the zero points of 1973.

1975 Season

The 1975 season marked Embassy Hill's most active year in , with an expanded driver lineup that included rising talent as the primary driver, alongside Australian Alan Jones, German , Australian Vern Schuppan, French driver François Migault, and occasional outings by team principal himself. , a 23-year-old British prospect who had impressed in , joined mid-season and quickly became the team's focal point, while Jones made his Grand Prix debut with the team and provided experienced support early on. The lineup reflected 's strategy to blend youth with reliability amid the team's growing ambitions. The team began the season using the Lola T371 chassis before transitioning to its in-house designs, entering all 14 Grands Prix events despite persistent funding challenges from sponsor Embassy, which limited resources for development and spares. A significant milestone was the debut of the team's in-house designed Hill GH1 chassis at the , signaling Embassy Hill's push toward full constructor status after relying on customer cars in prior years. Designed by Andy Smallman, the GH1 offered improved reliability over the previous Lola-based entries, allowing for more consistent race participation, though mechanical issues and accidents hampered overall consistency. Early results included Hill's 10th-place finish in the and 12th in . Key highlights included Brise's sixth-place finish at the at Anderstorp, earning the team's first point of the year and demonstrating the GH1's potential on a demanding circuit. Jones delivered Embassy Hill's best result with fifth place at the at the , securing two points in a chaotic race marked by rain and retirements, while also marking his personal breakthrough in . These performances, combined with Brise's strong qualifying efforts—such as sixth on the grid for the —underscored the team's progress, though retirements like Stommelen's high-speed crash in limited further gains. As the season progressed, Brise's consistent showings built momentum, with finishes including seventh places in the Dutch and French Grands Prix, positioning him as a cornerstone for future success. Embassy Hill concluded the year at the , where the team's resolve was evident despite ongoing financial strains. Looking ahead, plans for 1976 expansion included Brise leading the squad in the new GH2 , with testing showing promise and ambitions for regular points finishes, though sponsor constraints loomed as a hurdle.

Chassis Development

Shadow DN1 and Lola Chassis

In 1973, Embassy Hill entered as a customer team, acquiring a sourced directly from the Shadow factory as a . The DN1 featured a sheet aluminum designed by , with the serving as a fully stressed rear member, producing approximately 460 horsepower. Suspension consisted of double wishbones at the front with coil springs over dampers and an , while the rear used a similar setup with inboard brakes. The team assembled the car at Maurice Gomm's workshops in , handling all maintenance and minor upgrades in-house to adapt it for racing. The DN1's reliability proved a significant limitation for Embassy Hill, plagued by vibration issues and mechanical failures that frequently sidelined the car during races. These problems contributed to the team's inability to score points in 1973, with Graham Hill often struggling at the back of the grid compared to the works Shadow entries. Despite its quick potential in qualifying when running reliably, the chassis's developmental shortcomings highlighted the challenges of relying on a customer design without substantial factory support. For the 1974 season, Embassy Hill transitioned to the , a customer chassis commissioned from and based on their successful Formula 5000 T332 platform. Like the DN1, it employed a Ford Cosworth DFV and a broad, flat-topped aluminum tub, but incorporated 1974 safety regulations with deformable structures. Suspension was independent all around, featuring outboard coil-over dampers at the front and parallel links with a radius arm at the rear, paired with a FG400 five-speed transmission. The team again managed assembly, maintenance, and minor revisions at their base, sourcing components directly from Lola to address the previous year's shortcomings. The T370 offered improved handling over the DN1, with a more stable wedge-shaped nose and conventional that provided better balance in mid-field qualifying sessions. Rolf , for instance, achieved 11th on the grid in and 13th in , outqualifying Hill in several events and demonstrating a slight edge in outright speed. However, by mid-season, the design's overweight construction and lack of advanced aerodynamic refinements—such as emerging ground-effect concepts—left it outdated against top teams, though its enhanced reliability allowed Embassy Hill to secure their first point with Hill's sixth place in . Overall, the T370 marked a step forward from the DN1's frequent retirements, enabling more consistent race participation despite persistent midfield limitations.

Hill GH1

The Hill GH1 represented Embassy Hill's first proprietary chassis, developed as an evolution of the T371 customer car used earlier in the 1975 season. Designed primarily by Andy Smallman, who had previously worked at , the project was overseen by team principal and involved modifications to the existing T371 tub to create a more customized structure. The development process began in late 1974, with the chassis constructed by TC Prototypes using a conventional aluminum layout, where the engine served as a stressed member. This approach allowed the team to transition from reliance on external suppliers to in-house innovation, aiming to enhance competitiveness amid financial constraints. Key features of the GH1 included a revised front and rear suspension setup derived from the Lola design, featuring double wishbones with coil springs over dampers and an at the front. The car was powered by the standard Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter , producing approximately 460 horsepower, coupled to a FGA400 five-speed gearbox. Additional elements, such as a sharp , tall airbox for engine cooling, and a twin-element rear wing supported by carbon fiber struts, were incorporated to optimize , though the latter proved problematic due to structural failures. The overall design emphasized a lighter weight compared to the Lola predecessor, with angled tub sides and repositioned components for better weight distribution. The GH1 made its debut as the renamed Hill chassis at the 1975 at , where it was driven by , marking the team's official shift to self-built hardware following the amicable split from Lola in April 1975. Over the course of the season, the car appeared in 12 World Championship Grands Prix, with 21 total entries shared among drivers including , Stommelen, , and Alan Jones. Performance was mixed, showing midfield potential in qualifying—such as 7th place in and 6th in —but hampered by reliability issues, notably the carbon fiber rear wing supports that contributed to a fatal accident at the Spanish GP. The chassis demonstrated strengths in cornering stability and wet conditions, as evidenced by competitive practice times at , yet struggled with consistency in dry races. Embassy Hill produced four GH1 in total (GH1/1 through GH1/4), though only two were raced extensively during the season, with ongoing modifications to address handling and aerodynamic shortcomings. Tweaks included adjustments to suspension geometry for better driver feedback, particularly benefiting Brise's aggressive style in later races and Jones's brief stint, where he secured a 5th-place finish in . Despite these efforts, the GH1's development was curtailed by the team's resources, yielding just three championship points overall. Only two survive today, underscoring the project's limited but pioneering role in the team's brief history.

Hill GH2

The Hill GH2 served as the planned successor to the Hill GH1, designed specifically for 's entry into the . Crafted as the team's first fully in-house chassis by designer Andy Smallman, it aimed to build on prior experiences with modified Lola chassis by introducing more advanced engineering to elevate the team's competitiveness against established rivals. Construction commenced in late 1975 at the Embassy Hill facility in , , where a single was assembled and fitted with a 3-liter V8 engine paired to a FG400 gearbox. The design incorporated a trapeziform tub with a shallow profile, pinched around the driver's knees to optimize fuel tank capacity, and featured sidepods that enhanced ground-effect for improved and reduced air resistance. These aerodynamic refinements, including a flat nose inspired by the and a slim cockpit cover borrowed conceptually from the Hesketh 308C, were intended to yield better overall efficiency, enabling sustained over extended race durations. Initial testing of the prototype, conducted by driver at venues such as and through November 1975, produced encouraging lap times that suggested potential for mid-field contention. The GH2's development halted abruptly with the end of Embassy Hill's operations, leaving it unraced and unproven in competition. The prototype endures as a poignant artifact of the team's forward-looking ambitions, preserved at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, , where it occasionally appears at historic motorsport events to illustrate the era's innovative chassis evolution.

Demise and Aftermath

The 1975 Plane Crash

On the evening of 29 November 1975, Graham Hill was piloting a Aztec aircraft, registration , which crashed into trees on the golf course near Barnet in , , approximately 12 miles north of . The twin-engine light aircraft had departed from Le Castellet Airport near the Circuit in earlier that day, with an intermediate stop at Lyon-Satolas Airport for refueling, en route to . The flight's purpose was to return members of the Embassy Hill team after testing the new Hill GH2 chassis in preparation for the 1976 season. All six occupants were killed instantly in the impact and subsequent fire, which reduced the wreckage to a burned-out shell. The victims included Hill himself, the 46-year-old team owner and two-time world champion; , the 23-year-old rising driver; Ray Brimble, the team manager; designer Andy Smallman and mechanic ; and Tony Alcock, a representative from sponsor Embassy. Thick prevailed in the area, limiting to around 50-100 meters, with conditions worsening during the night approach to . Witnesses reported hearing the low-flying aircraft around 21:30 hours before a muffled and seeing a flash through the fog; the plane struck trees while attempting an instrument landing approach, short of the runway. Emergency services, including police and ambulances, were alerted shortly after 21:45 hours following reports to air traffic control of a possible . However, the dense fog hampered response efforts, delaying access to the remote crash site on the ; by the time responders arrived around 22:00 hours, the fire had intensified, and no survivors were found. Identification of the victims was complicated by severe burns, relying initially on documents like Hill's recovered from the scene; formal confirmation came via dental records and personal effects. The official investigation by the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) concluded that both engines were producing power at impact, with no evidence of pre-crash mechanical malfunction or failure. Propeller damage indicated the blades were under load, ruling out fuel exhaustion or engine issues as primary causes. The aircraft's maintenance history showed it was compliant with required inspections, though it retained its original U.S. registration despite being based in the UK. At the subsequent inquest in 1976, the coroner determined the plane was flying at only 60 feet (18 meters) above the ground when it clipped the trees, with Hill unaware of the low altitude due to the obscured visibility; verdicts of accidental death (misadventure) were recorded for all six victims. The primary contributing factor was identified as the adverse weather conditions combined with the challenges of the instrument approach in fog.

Team Dissolution and Legacy

Following the tragic plane crash on November 29, 1975, which claimed the lives of team principal , driver , designer Andy Smallman, and three other key staff members, Embassy Hill ceased operations immediately, marking the abrupt end of its endeavors. The team's assets were liquidated without delay to settle estates and debts; much of the equipment and spare parts were acquired by the newly formed team, while the unfinished Hill GH2 —the prototype intended for the 1976 season—was donated to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu for preservation. Surviving Hill GH1 fared variably: one example remains in private ownership and has appeared in historic events, underscoring the team's brief but tangible mechanical legacy. The impact on personnel was profound, with the surviving mechanics and support staff dispersing across the Formula One paddock to teams such as and , carrying forward expertise gained under Hill's independent operation. Sponsorship ties with Imperial Tobacco's Embassy brand, which had provided crucial since the team's , dissolved entirely post-crash, as the was inextricably linked to Graham Hill's personal involvement and the brand's visibility through his celebrity. This dispersal not only fragmented the core group but also highlighted the fragility of small-scale operations reliant on individual leadership. Embassy Hill's legacy endures as a symbol of the privateer teams' bold ambitions amid escalating costs that favored factory-backed squads, with the team achieving just four points across three seasons—scored via Graham Hill's sixth place in the 1974 Swedish Grand Prix, Tony Brise's sixth in 1975 , and Alan Jones's fifth in the 1975 —despite approximately 41 entries. It paved the way for familial continuity in the sport, most notably through Graham's son , who later won the 1996 Drivers' Championship and symbolically drove the restored GH2 at in 1987, bridging generations of racing heritage. Historically, the team's demise exemplified the vulnerabilities of independent outfits, where personal risks and limited resources amplified the perils of the era.

Formula One Results

World Championship Results

Embassy Hill entered the in 1973 as a privateer team using customer Shadow chassis, transitioning to Lola customer cars in 1974 before developing its own GH1 in 1975. Over three seasons, the team made 56 starts across 57 race entries, scoring a total of 4 points with no podium finishes or pole positions achieved. Retirements were frequent, primarily due to mechanical issues such as engine failures, suspension problems, and gearbox troubles.

1973 Season

In its debut year, Embassy Hill ran the Shadow DN1 chassis powered by a , with as the sole driver across all 12 races entered and started. The team scored no points, with Hill's best finish a 9th place in . Qualifying ranged from 16th to 27th, and there were 5 retirements, including a suspension failure in that resulted in a crash.
RaceDriverChassisQualifyingFinishing PositionNotes/Points
Spanish GPGraham HillShadow DN122ndDNFBrakes / 0
Belgian GPGraham HillShadow DN123rd9th/ 0
Monaco GPGraham HillShadow DN125thDNFSuspension (crash) / 0
Swedish GPGraham HillShadow DN118thDNFIgnition / 0
French GPGraham HillShadow DN116th10th/ 0
British GPGraham HillShadow DN127thDNFChassis / 0
Dutch GPGraham HillShadow DN117thNC/ 0
German GPGraham HillShadow DN121st13th/ 0
Austrian GPGraham HillShadow DN122ndDNFSuspension / 0
Italian GPGraham HillShadow DN122nd14th/ 0
Canadian GPGraham HillShadow DN117th16th/ 0
United States GPGraham HillShadow DN119th13th/ 0
Season Total: 0 points.

1974 Season

The team switched to the Lola T370 chassis with Ford V8 power, fielding up to two cars in several events with drivers (15 starts), Guy Edwards (7 starts), and (4 starts). Across 15 races with 25 starts, the team earned 1 point from Hill's 6th place in , its best result of the season. Qualifying highs included 11th (Stommelen, ), with 5 retirements mostly mechanical.
RaceDriver(s)ChassisQualifyingFinishing Position(s)Notes/Points
Argentine G. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37017th, 25thDNF, 11thEngine (Hill) / 0
Brazilian GPG. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37021st, 25th11th, DNFChassis (Edwards) / 0
South African G. HillLola T37018th12th/ 0
Spanish GPG. HillLola T37019thDNFEngine / 0
Belgian G. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37029th, 21st8th, 12th/ 0
Monaco GPG. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37021st, 26th7th, 8th/ 0
Swedish G. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37015th, 18th6th, 7thBest finish (Hill) / 1
Dutch GPG. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37019th, 14thDNF, DNFGearbox (Hill), Fuel (Edwards) / 0
French G. Hill, G. EdwardsLola T37021st, 20th13th, 15th/ 0
British GPG. HillLola T37022nd13th/ 0
German G. HillLola T37019th9th/ 0
Austrian GPG. Hill, R. StommelenLola T37021st, 13th12th, DNFAccident (Stommelen) / 0
Italian G. Hill, R. StommelenLola T37021st, 14th8th, DNFSuspension (Stommelen) / 0
Canadian GPG. Hill, R. StommelenLola T37020th, 11th14th, 11th/ 0
United States G. Hill, R. StommelenLola T37024th, 21th8th, 12th/ 0
Season Total: 1 point.

1975 Season

Embassy Hill primarily used the Lola T370 and T371 chassis early in the season, introducing the in-house GH1 later, with Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engines. Drivers included (10 starts), Alan Jones (4 starts), (0 starts after DNQ), (3 starts), François Migault (2 starts), and Vern Schuppan (1 start). The team entered 11 races with 19 starts, scoring 3 points: 1 from Brise's 6th in and 2 from Jones's 5th in , its best results. Qualifying peaked at 6th (Brise, ), with 9 retirements mainly mechanical; the team skipped the first three races.
RaceDriver(s)ChassisQualifyingFinishing Position(s)Notes/Points
Spanish GPR. Stommelen, F. MigaultLola T3709th, 22ndDNF, NC/ 0
Monaco GPG. HillGH121stDNQ/ 0
Belgian GPF. Migault, T. BriseLola T371/GH122nd, 7thDNF, DNF/ 0
Swedish GPT. Brise, V. SchuppanGH117th, 26th6th, DNF1 point (Brise) / 1
Dutch GPT. Brise, A. JonesGH17th, 17th7th, 13th/ 0
French GPT. Brise, A. JonesGH112th, 20th7th, 16th/ 0
British GPA. Jones, T. BriseGH120th, 13th10th, 15th/ 0
German GPA. Jones, T. BriseGH121st, 17th5th, DNF2 points (Jones) / 2
Austrian GPT. Brise, R. StommelenGH116th, 25th15th, 16th/ 0
Italian GPR. Stommelen, T. BriseGH123rd, 6thDNF, DNF/ 0
United States GPT. BriseGH117thDNF/ 0
Season Total: 3 points.

Non-Championship Results

Embassy Hill's involvement in non-championship races was minimal, with the team entering just three such events between 1974 and 1975 to provide testing opportunities and visibility for its developing , particularly as a outfit seeking to evaluate performance outside the high-stakes calendar. These invitational races, held early in the season at British circuits, served lower-priority roles for the team compared to its championship campaigns, often functioning as shakedowns for new customer like the Lola T370 to refine setups before Grands Prix. The team's debut non-championship outing came at the 1974 at , where piloted the Lola T370 but was not classified after completing 30 of 40 laps, likely due to mechanical issues preventing a finish among the leaders. Just a month later, at the 1974 BRDC International at , Hill again drove the Lola T370 but retired on lap 35 following an accident, marking another unremarkable result in an event won by . Embassy Hill's final non-championship appearance was the 1975 BRDC International at , with Hill at the wheel of the in-house Hill GH1; he completed 39 of 40 laps to secure 11th place, the team's best—but still modest—showing in these supplementary races.
YearEventDriverChassisResult
1974Lola T370NC (30 laps)
1974BRDC International Trophy ()Lola T370DNF (accident, lap 35)
1975BRDC International Trophy ()Hill GH111th (39 laps)
Overall, these entries yielded no podiums or points, underscoring the challenges faced by as a newcomer reliant on customer and early proprietary designs amid growing competition from established squads.

References

  1. https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-embas.html
  2. https://www.f1technical.net/f1db/teams/51
  3. https://nicholsonmclaren.com/embassy-hill-f1/
  4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/29/newsid_2527000/2527363.stm
  5. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/remembering-tony-brise-40-years-on/660684/
  6. https://www.retrogp.com/blogs/motorsport/embassy-hill
  7. https://www.formula1.com/en/information/drivers-hall-of-fame-graham-hill.NUqzbttsJ2gsuGtW9PzNG
  8. https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/spon-051.html
  9. https://www.oldracingcars.com/lola/t370/
  10. http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db=LWF&db2=ms&n=138
  11. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1973/45/21st-spanish-grand-prix-a-luck-win-for-lotus/
  12. https://www.oldracingcars.com/f1/results/1973/belgium/
  13. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1973/35/the-31st-monaco-grand-prix/
  14. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1973/25/rac-british-grand-prix-a-momentous-occasion/
  15. https://www.lolaheritage.co.uk/type_numbers/t370/t370.html
  16. https://motorsportstats.com/team/embassy-hill/summary/series/fia-formula-one-world-championship
  17. https://www.statsf1.com/en/guy-edwards.aspx
  18. https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1974_Texaco_Grand_Prix_of_Sweden/F/
  19. https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1974_Grand_Prix_of_Monaco/F/
  20. https://motorsportsmarket.com/racecars/1975-embassy-hill-gh1/
  21. http://www.forix.com/8w/brise.html
  22. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-2004/53/hill-back/
  23. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/5647/Hill-GH1-Cosworth.html
  24. https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1975_Grand_Prix_of_Argentina/F/
  25. https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1975_Grand_Prix_of_Brazil/F/
  26. https://www.formula1.com/en/results/1975/races/354/germany/race-result
  27. https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wpex49y
  28. https://www.oldracingcars.com/shadow/dn1/
  29. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/spec/5648/Shadow-DN1-Cosworth.html
  30. https://www.conceptcarz.com/z23980/shadow-dn1.aspx
  31. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/spec/5518/Lola-T370-Cosworth.html
  32. https://www.oldracingcars.com/hill/gh1/
  33. https://forums.autosport.com/topic/219097-embassy-hill-gh2/
  34. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/12/01/archives/graham-hill-46-retired-racer-in-fatal-crash-piloting-his-plane.html
  35. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f6a040f0b61342000593/14-1976_N6645Y.pdf
  36. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2008/dec/02/from-the-vault-graham-hill-formula-one
  37. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/30/archives/graham-hill-top-auto-racer-is-feared-dead-in-plane-crash.html
  38. https://www.formulaonehistory.com/drivers/graham-hill/
  39. https://pitwall.app/drivers/graham-hill/1973
  40. https://pitwall.app/drivers/graham-hill/1974
  41. https://pitwall.app/drivers/guy-edwards/1974
  42. https://pitwall.app/drivers/rolf-stommelen/1974
  43. https://pitwall.app/teams/embassy-racing-with-graham-hill/1975
  44. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/when-non-championship-races-gave-f1s-b-list-a-chance-to-shine/
  45. https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/13715980/about-formula-1
  46. https://www.oldracingcars.com/f1/results/1974/race-of-champions/
  47. https://www.statsf1.com/en/1974-hc/grand-prix-285.aspx
  48. https://www.statsf1.com/en/1975-hc/grand-prix-287.aspx
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.