One of the greatest American race car drivers of all time, Phil Hill, has passed away today. The Californian won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring three times—but his most famous accomplishment in racing is that he’s the only American ever to win a Formula One championship (Andretti is a naturalized American, he’s Italian born). It was a feat that could never be done today.

Think about this for a second: In 1961 Hill won the Formula One championship as well as Le Mans and Sebring.

For a comprehensive obit follow the NY Times link below.

Primary career victories :
24 Hours of Le Mans (3) : 1958, 1961, 1962
12 Hours of Sebring (3) : 1958, 1959, 1961
1000 km Buenos Aires (2) : 1958, 1960
1000 km Nürburgring (2) : 1962, 1966
F1 Italian Grand Prix (2) : 1960, 1961
F1 Belgian Grand Prix (1) : 1961

(Source: NYTimes)