Josh Hill, the 22-year-old son of Damon and grandson of Graham, has retired from motorsport with immediate effect.
By: Andreu Rius
Josh Hill, the 22-year-old son of Damon and grandson of Graham, has retired from motorsport with immediate effect.
Hill, who lies 10th in the Formula 3 European Championship, announced via Twitter on Tuesday evening that “I do not want to compete unless I am 100 per cent devoted”, and that he has other activities to pursue.
He has been driving a Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes in European F3 this season, scoring a best result of second at Hockenheim. His last race, last weekend’s Masters of F3 at Zandvoort, resulted in a 15th-place finish with front-wing damage incurred early in the race; he also crashed in practice.
Hill’s decision comes right on the eve of the sixth round of the F3 European series, which takes place at the Norisring this weekend.
It provides another blow for the Fortec team, which has already had to replace one driver this season, and which faces fitness doubts over its highest-placed driver, Felix Serralles, who was forced to miss last weekend’s Masters due to a lingering back injury, but is returning this weekend.
Fortec team principal Richard Dutton said: “Damon phoned me yesterday morning and said that Josh had decided to stop and pursue other options.
“We’re gutted about it and really disappointed, and obviously surprised, and it’s a great shame because he was making such good progress.
“However, we’re pleased that Felix has had treatment to his back and will be back in action this weekend at the Norisring.”