Damon Hill reflected on his 1999 European Grand Prix collision with Pedro Diniz as the moment where he decided to call time on his racing career.

Hill, the 1996 world champion, was adamant with himself that he did not want to “hurt fellow drivers” by making “crass mistakes”. Hill revealed that the scary shunt came about due to him forgetting to turn off a device in the car, causing his engine to shut down with Diniz behind him.

Damon Hill reflects on pivotal Pedro Diniz shunt

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Into Turn 1 at the Nürburgring, Benetton’s Alexander Wurz took avoiding action behind a slow-moving Damon Hill in the Jordan car. Wurz would hit the Sauber of Diniz, which was sent into a roll, and came to a stop upside down.

Thankfully, Diniz was unhurt in what was a frightening accident.

It was one which proved extremely significant in the racing career of Damon Hill.

Following the 1999 season, Hill retired from Formula 1, and racing entirely.

Fearing the worst for Diniz, Hill explained on the Up To Speed podcast how his mistake had instigated the collision.

Hill decided that it was time to call it a career when other drivers were being endangered, he felt, by his actions.

“There was some sort of device that we’re supposed to turn off, and it had to control the clutch in some way,” Hill recalled.

“I can’t remember what it did, but anyway, you did it at the start, and then you’re supposed to turn it off. Otherwise, the engine shuts down.

“Well, what happens? I’m going down to Turn 1. The engine shuts down.

“I’m going, ‘What’s going on?’ Of course, Pedro Diniz was behind me – and this is reminiscent of what happened with Ollie Bearman and [Franco] Colapinto in Japan – suddenly I slowed down and he went over the top of me.

“I thought I’d killed him. It was horrible. Poor old Pedro went over the top of me, and he was my teammate at Arrows.

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“And I think at that moment, I decided, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore, if I’m going to be making crass mistakes like that. I do not want to hurt fellow drivers’.”

Two rounds later, at Suzuka, Hill contested his final grand prix. He retired from the race, citing mental fatigue.

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