Hill back in the saddle

Former world champion Damon Hill has driven a Formula One car for the first time since 1999 as part of the Thunder In The Park charity event at Donington Park. Hill is one of a number of drivers giving passengers the ride of a lifetime in Paul Stoddart's fleet of two-seater Minardis

Aug 10, 2002, 6:02 PM

Regular Minardi race drivers Mark Webber and Alex Yoong are also driving the two-seaters, along with sometime test driver Matteo Bobbi, F3000 pilot David Saelens, and DTM regular Christijan Albers, as well as Paul Stoddart himself.

The action continues on Sunday afternoon, with a showpiece 12 lap two-seater race featuring Hill and co in the afternoon along with the sixth round of the European F3000 championship.

The main beneficiaries of the event will be the Down's Syndrome Association and F1 doctor Prof Sid Watkins' Brain and Spine research initiative, with many of the passengers having stumped up anything up to $70,000 for the privilege of five laps in one of the state of the art machines.

However, Hill is adament that this is a one-off and has no plans to return to competition in the future.