In 1972, the renowned English driver Graham Hill ventured into Brabham, but by year’s end, Ron Tauranac relinquished control to Bernie Ecclestone. As the eldest contender in top-tier formula racing, Hill found himself battling against a wave of youthful aggression, their speed outpacing his own. Despite all the prime seats being occupied, Hill’s wealth of experience, vast knowledge, and reputation for fair play secured him sponsorship from Imperial Tobacco’s Embassy cigarette brand. With Ford guaranteeing him a steady supply of Cosworth V8s, Hill made the bold decision to establish his own racing team for the 1973 Formula 1 World Championship.
Faced with the choice of chassis, Hill turned to Don Nichols, the mind behind the new Shadow, a striking vehicle powered by the Ford Cosworth DFC engine. Designed by Tony Southgate, this car would also compete under the official colors for the American team UOP Shadow, driven by Jackie Oliver and George Follmer. The journey of Team Embassy-Hill’s Shadow DN1 commenced at the Spanish Montjuich track, with Hill at the wheel of the elegantly adorned car, donning a sleek white and red livery, albeit requiring some fine-tuning.
Throughout the 12 races of its inaugural year, the Shadow DN1 encountered its share of setbacks, enduring five retirements with its best finish being a modest ninth place in Zolder, Belgium. Despite the disappointments, Hill’s collaboration with Shadow was short-lived, leading him to commission chassis from Eric Broadley’s Lola for the subsequent season.
Hill continued racing for two more seasons, but his failure to qualify for the 1975 Monaco GP marked a pivotal moment. It prompted the English champion to retire from driving, devoting himself entirely to team management, with the promising young Tony Brise taking over the driver’s seat.
Remarkably, Graham Hill remains the sole driver in motorsport history to achieve the Triple Crown—an esteemed accomplishment comprising a Formula 1 World Championship victory, triumphs at the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, regarded as the pinnacle of endurance racing. The iconic Embassy-livered Formula One car stayed within the Hill family’s possession, later being sold to fund the automotive pursuits of Damon Hill, Graham and Bette Hill’s son.
