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Hill showed us the soul of F1

With Phil Hill's death two weeks ago, motor racing lost one of its most intelligent analysts. Very few people fully 'get' the many-faceted nature of the sport, understand the importance of the psychology, the engineering, the physics, the gladiatorial combat, the human relations, the competitive drive, the romance and the nuances of mood and feel that combine whenever a motor race is held.

Hill did so. Even more so once he'd retired from the cockpit. A lot of people, fans and participants alike, 'get' only one or two elements and therefore miss out on a whole chunk of the majesty of this sport. Hill, a former adrenaline junkie, a fine mind, a free spirit, an engineering buff, a physically and mentally sensitive soul and a huge car enthusiast, understood all this perhaps better than any other successful driver.