Formula One father and son winners

Monday, 16 April 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SHANGHAI(Reuters): Nico Rosberg’s victory in China for Mercedes on Sunday made him only the third son of a winning Formula One driver to triumph in the sport since the world championship started in 1950.

NICO ROSBERG (Germany) and KEKE ROSBERG (Finland)

Finland’s Keke Rosberg won the 1982 title with Williams, despite taking only one victory that season. His first win was at the Swiss Grand Prix (actually at Dijon in France) in 1982 and he went on to take five wins in a nine-season career from 1978 to 1986. Nico’s first win came at the 111th attempt.

DAMON HILL and GRAHAM HILL (Britain)

Graham Hill won two world championships in 1962 and 1968 and was known as ‘Mr Monaco’ for his prowess in the principality, winning there five times. His first of 14 wins was the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. He died in a plane crash in 1975. Damon won the 1996 title and is the only son of a champion to be a champion. His first of 22 wins was celebrated in Hungary in 1993 with Williams.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE and GILLES VILLENEUVE (Canada)

Ferrari great Gilles Villeneuve died in 1982 during Belgian Grand Prix practice with six race wins to his name, the first in his home grand prix in 1978 at the circuit now named after him.

A charismatic and thrilling driver, he finished runner-up in the 1979 championship. Jacques won the 1997 title with Williams and retired in 2006 with 11 wins to his credit, the first coming in the fourth race of his debut 1996 season with Williams.