1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill is returning to Atlassian Williams F1 Team as an Official Ambassador.
The announcement comes in the 30th anniversary year of Hill’s Drivers’ Championship victory with the team in 1996.
Hill joins an ambassador line-up that also includes 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve and three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick.
A defining chapter in Williams history
Hill played a central role during one of Williams’ most successful eras in the 1990s.
After two seasons as test and reserve driver, he was promoted to a race seat in 1993, securing his first Grand Prix win in Hungary that year.
In four seasons with the team, Hill recorded:
- 21 Grand Prix victories
- 20 pole positions
- 19 fastest laps
He helped Williams secure the Constructors’ Championship in 1994 and narrowly missed out on the Drivers’ title in a dramatic final race against Michael Schumacher.
In 1996, Hill claimed eight wins and secured the Drivers’ Championship with victory in Japan, becoming the first son of a Formula 1 World Champion to win the title.
He was also twice voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Ambassador line-up for 2026
Hill will serve alongside:
- Jacques Villeneuve, Hill’s former Williams team-mate and 1997 World Champion
- Jamie Chadwick, three-time W Series champion and Indy NXT race winner
Chadwick will also act as an adviser to Williams’ newest F1 Academy recruit, Jade Jacquet, supporting her development during her debut season.
Reaction
Damon Hill said:
“Williams is truly a special place for me and where some of the defining moments of my career took place. I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of this sport and to have achieved what I did, and returning as an Ambassador is a real privilege. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the team’s history and help to support its legacy and future.”
Team Principal James Vowles added:
“Few individuals represent this team quite like Damon. He played a defining role in one of the most successful eras in our history. We’re also delighted that Jamie Chadwick and Jacques Villeneuve will continue with us as Ambassadors. Together, they form an impressive line-up that reflects everything Williams stands for.”
About Atlassian Williams F1 Team
Founded in 1977 by Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head, Williams has won:
- Nine Constructors’ World Championships
- Seven Drivers’ World Championships
- 114 Grand Prix races
The team is based in Grove, Oxfordshire.
Who is Damon Hill?
Damon Hill is a British former Formula 1 driver and the 1996 World Champion.
Born in London on 17 April 1960, he is the son of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Graham Hill. Before reaching Formula 1, Hill competed in motorcycle racing and Formula 3, progressing through the junior ranks later than many of his contemporaries.
He made his Formula 1 debut in 1992 and rose to prominence with Williams during one of the team’s most successful periods. Between 1993 and 1996, Hill secured 21 Grand Prix victories and played a central role in Williams’ championship campaigns.
In 1994 he finished runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship after a controversial final race against Michael Schumacher. Two years later, Hill claimed the 1996 Drivers’ World Championship with eight wins, sealing the title in Japan. His triumph made him the first son of a Formula 1 World Champion to win the title himself.
Hill later raced for Arrows and Jordan before retiring from Formula 1 at the end of the 1999 season. Over his career, he achieved 22 Grand Prix victories and remains one of Britain’s most recognisable figures in motorsport.
Beyond racing, Hill has worked as a broadcaster, commentator and author, and served as President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.
He continues to be closely associated with Williams and British motorsport more widely.
