The F1 paddock grills Damon Hill

Damon Hill is one of only 33 drivers to have won the Formula 1 world championship. As a driver, he went toe-to-toe with all-time greats like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, and remains a key part of the grand prix paddock today through his punditry role with Sky Sports F1.

Yet he's an unassuming character who almost seems surprised to be interviewed, as if what he has to say doesn't carry weight. Yet as he makes his way down the paddock for his rendezvous with F1 Racing in Racing Point's hospitality unit, he's stopped at regular intervals to pass comment on the talking points of the day. There's one simple reason for that, he's worth listening to.

Now 58, there's no sign of Hill losing respect for the latest generation of drivers, many of whom have supplied questions for F1 Racing to put to him. He's also a thinker, someone who always has an interesting perspective or unusual insight to bring to the table rather than the derisory better-back-then soundbites a few retired greats might favour. And he certainly has a healthy respect for today's drivers.

"These guys now, they're so mature so young, I'm flabbergasted," he says, settling into the surroundings of the Racing Point team for which, in its earliest guise as Jordan, he took his final grand prix win at Spa in 1998. "They are prepared in a way I don't think anyone of our generation was in their 20s. They are way ahead. The game has moved on a bit."

The man himself has also evolved, as he explains in his response to our opening question from one of his Sky Sports F1 colleagues.

Why can't you be more like you are on Twitter when you're on air?
Anthony Davidson

Damon Hill: I guess because I signed with Sky! I don't know if my Twitter style would suit digital broadcasting.

F1 Racing: Do you enjoy social media?

DH: I'm a Johnny-come-lately to it. I've enjoyed the opportunity to comment on anything you like in your own way. It's a gift we've all been given and we've either used it wisely or we've used it badly. It's a challenge for everyone now. When I was racing, you were asked questions and you had to think carefully about your answer. The whole experiment with social media has put everyone in that situation. There's clearly a dark side to it as well, and we have to manage that, but it's given some people, from sport particularly, a say on things they might not have been able to get across before, to defend themselves or give their point of view without it being mediated by F1 Racing or Autosport.

From your time as Williams team-mates in 1994, was Ayrton Senna really the driver in terms of speed, commitment, testing ability, feel, work ethic - and did he help you during your relatively brief time together?
Derek Warwick

DH: I had precious little time being team-mate to Ayrton. The time I did have was very revealing and I learned from watching. But I watched, like everyone else, Ayrton as a competitor, as an aspiring racing driver, as a fan of the sport. I won't lie, there were times when I was appalled by some of the things he did, and didn't quite go with his attitude that there was only room for one person on the circuit. But you have got to admire his commitment. He was a very courageous person and I feel privileged to have known him even just for a brief time.

What was the reason for you and your father, Graham Hill, having the same helmet design and do you know why he used it?
Sebastian Vettel

DH: It was the design of a cap of the London Rowing Club. My dad said the only two sports he was ever any good at were the ones where he was sitting down, and in one he was even facing the wrong way! He loved rowing and that's how he met my mum, so the Hill family started with rowing. My mum actually rowed for England. I wasn't a rower though. I had a rowing machine and did my back in! Because he died, I think there was an element of wanting to honour him and, maybe a bit of heraldry! I was proud to be a Hill and loved the distinctive helmet so I wanted to do it proud.

F1R: It's a great design as well isn't it?

DH: Modern drivers could learn a lot from looking at the power of simplicity in design. More is not always more.

What is your craziest Eddie Jordan story?
Karun Chandhok

DH: When we were coming back from an F3000 race at Enna and we were late trying to catch the flight, Eddie was driving and there was about six of us in the car. The police had blocked the road because there was a lorry on fire. Eddie realised this was quickest way to get through and started to get irate and do his routine on the policeman. I was sitting there thinking 'this is Sicily, these guys have guns - what is he doing?' He waved a piece of paper around as if he had some sort of diplomatic immunity and eventually gets back in the car and says 'I'm going anyway'. He did it and we didn't get shot or blown up. Maniac.

You started your career on two wheels, won the world championship on four. Would you rather have been world champion on two wheels or four? And you are not allowed to say both.
Pat Symonds

DH: I can't wish for anything other than what I got. I succeeded in motorsport and I was happy in either branch. I loved going fast around race tracks. I suppose my spirit is closer to motorbikes perhaps, but then to have made it to the very top in Formula 1 means I couldn't really ask for anything more.

How does it feel to share my birthday - September 17th?
Esteban Ocon

DH: And Stirling Moss! A lot of people I get on with are Virgos - Barry Sheene was a Virgo! It feels good to share that birthday, I think 17 is a good number because it has number seven in it, which is Moss's number, and September is a good month. I'm happy to share it with Esteban.

F1R: And another quick driver for that birthday?

DH: A much underused driver, a talent. Let's hope we see him back racing as soon as possible.

Are you what caused Adrian Newey to lose his hair? And will you play a guitar solo at the British Grand Prix party again?
Christian Horner

DH: I'll join in but I won't play a solo. Adrian's looking more and more like Professor Pat Pending from Wacky Races. He's a thinker and they do say that people with a lot of testosterone lose their hair, so he's obviously got more than Christian!

How did it feel to break down in the Arrows while leading in Hungary in 1997?
George Russell

DH: It was a semi-breakdown. It was a weekend of disbelief. I signed for Arrows, which had a cat in hell's chance of doing anything, and the only thing that made me think something could happen was the Bridgestone tyres. The car handled really well in Hungary and the tyres were brilliant, while Goodyear brought cheese! To find myself in the lead, I thought 'it has been a great weekend up to now so if it breaks down I'll still have had a ball' but it kept going. Two laps from the end I got stuck in gear, then the throttle goes because it's all hydraulics. I went round on tickover and managed to get back but I ended up second. It was cruel to get that close.

I used to race against your son Josh in Formula Renault. What's he doing now?
Pierre Gasly

DH: He had flair and he had talent, I saw some great races from him, but you can tell when someone does not wholly believe this is for them. I always sensed that he wasn't 100% hungry for it. I didn't pull the plug, he pulled the plug. He now plays in a band called The Severs. He's a very good drummer.

Who was quicker, you or Jacques Villeneuve?
Charles Leclerc

DH: We took turns.

F1R: Very diplomatic...

DH: Jacques was on a high when he joined Williams in 1996. He came out with some ridiculous comment before the season asking if you'd be able to overtake someone around the outside of the last turn at Estoril. Everyone looked at him with their mouths open and thought he must be completely mad. Then he did Michael Schumacher there in the Portuguese Grand Prix. He was a seat-of-the-pants driver and talented, but when he got what he wanted, maybe the fire went out? But I'm avoiding the question, who was quicker? Well, me, obviously, because I beat him!

How hard was it to lead the Williams team in the wake of Imola 1994?
Romain Grosjean

DH: It wasn't an experience anybody would want to go through - the team didn't want it, no-one in F1 did. We had to deal with the deaths of two drivers and when you go through that you ask yourself 'why do something when you can lose your life and cause a lot of people grief?' It wasn't something I envisioned myself doing at the start of the season. I wasn't equipped to deal with the pressure, especially because I had a lot of support from Brazil and felt a huge responsibility.

How difficult was it working with Patrick Head?
Johnny Herbert

DH: Remember, my dad was Graham Hill, so Patrick was a pussycat. I liked his directness. He's passionate about racing and engineering, and forthright. He knew my job better than I did. He's intellectually a very potent individual. If you get wounded easily or are sensitive then he's probably not the bloke for you.

Would it be easier for a driver from the 1950s to drive a current car or a modern driver to drive a car from the 1950s?
Lando Norris

DH: The '50s drivers would need to be in the gym for a long time because they wouldn't be as able to cope with the G-forces, plus it's a lot more difficult with technology and strategy. Would they have liked that and have coped with these cars? I think they'd get the knack. The difficulty would be going backwards and doing the Nurburgring in a seat that feels like it's out of the car not in it, with no seatbelts, in the wet, not knowing where the limit is. And would they have been able to carry on with losing their mates regularly?

How tough a competitor was Michael Schumacher?
Alex Albon

DH: As tough as they come. He had everything covered and he and his team went about motor racing with a fine tooth comb, looking at every possible loophole. He had enormous natural talent. From what I learned, I don't think he was very good at setting the car up but had an ability to drive anything, like Ayrton.

How drunk were Def Leppard when they asked you to play on their record Demolition Man?
David Croft

DH: I met them in Dublin and they said 'you should come round and we'll put you on the album'. Maybe it was a joke but I turned up! You can hear me on the guitar as it fades out on Demolition Man on the album Euphoria. The album went platinum and I've actually got a platinum disc. They were very nice guys, very generous.

What do you think made you such a great driver?
Gil de Ferran

DH: I wish I got compliments like that all the time. When I started working with Sky, where they call the presenters 'the talent', I said that was the first time I'd been called that. I was never called that when racing.

F1R: So what were the qualities that made you successful?

DH: A dogged determination not to give up, and a competitive bug. I must also have had some degree of natural ability, and luck. You have to be in the right place at the right time.