Champ Hill . . if price is right!

Damon Hill has blown his chances of becoming world champion again - unless he accepts a lifeline from Benetton.

That's the verdict from former racer Derek Warwick after Hill's decision to snub McLaren's one-year contract on Friday.

Yesterday's news of a Benetton bid will cheer Hill but Warwick, the former Arrows driver and veteran of 147 Formula One races reckons: "You have to say that you can't see Damon being World Champion again - time is running out for him.

Stuck

"It doesn't matter if he drives an Arrows, Sauber, Prost or a Jordan next year, he will not be world title material.

"Teams like that may get lucky and win one race - which Arrows and Hill nearly did in Hungary - but that is not what championship teams are made of.

"They are made of sterner stuff and we only have two of them at the moment in Williams and Ferrari."

Benetton may rank just above the also-rans as recent championship winners but Warwick added: "Damon cannot go to Ferrari and unless Williams kick out Heinz-Harald Frentzen, he's stuck in the Second Division."

Hill has revealed that he turned down a pounds 13 million, two- year deal with one F1 outfit - believed to be Sauber.

And when he refused to drive for McLaren after they offered a deal worth just over pounds 2 million for 1998, Hill has suddenly found himself running out of options.

Only Grand Prix power broker Bernie Ecclestone, who has worked to get Damon a top drive, can save our boy from becoming a has-been.

Added Warwick, who is now a co-director and driver of the Vauxhall 888 touring car team: "I think Formula One needs Damon to be in a combative car - you've only got to look at the ITV viewing figures this year to realise that. And if Bernie is serious about putting Damon in a top car then we'll have to hold our breath - he normally gets what he wants.!"

Warwick just hopes that Damon doesn't price himself out of a drive altogether.

Arrows are paying him pounds 4.5m this season and Hill, winner of 21 races for Williams, may have to take a cut to join Benetton. Says Warwick: "I am sure Damon will not price himself out of a top drive for a second time in his career.

"Call it foolish, stupid or silly, but he obviously negotiated himself out of a contract at Williams last year which I am sure he now regrets.

"He is not getting any younger and there are many young, hungry, drivers around to replace him."

Hill's decision to snub McLaren allowed team boss Ron Dennis to stick with current drivers Mika Hakkinen and Scotland's David Coulthard.

Hill's nightmare season in the Arrows only turned around when he received a public roasting from Warwick's former boss Tom Walkinshaw at Silverstone on the eve of the British Grand Prix.

Walkinshaw told his top driver to buck up his ideas or face the sack and the reigning world champion went out and scored his first point of the season with a highly popular sixth place in front of his home fans.

Robbed

But then Hill stunned his Grand Prix rivals by taking a magnificent second place in Hungary a fortnight ago - he was only robbed of certain victory when he gears gave up two laps from the end.

Added Warwick: "It has not given me any satisfaction at all seeing Damon in this predicament, because it is a shame for the sport and the British fans.

"But Tom was right to give Damon a ticking off at Silverstone because he had lost the plot.

"Now it looks as though he has got his act back together I just hope he gets a decent drive for next season."

DRIVERS' TABLE

1. M Schumacher (Ferrari)....56

2. J Villeneuve (Williams).....53

3. J Alesi (Benetton).............22

4. G Berger (Benetton)........20

5. H Frentzen (Williams)....19

6. E Irvine (Ferrari).............18

7. O Panis (Prost)....................15

8. D Coulthard (McLaren)...14

M Hakkinen (McLaren)...14

10. J Herbert (Sauber)........11

R Schumacher (Jordan)....11

12. G Fisichella (Jordan).......8

13. D Hill (Arrows)...................7

14. R Barrichello (Stewart)....6

15. A Wurz (Benetton).............4

16. J Trulli (Prost)....................3

17. M Salo (Tyrrell)..................2

18. N Larini (Sauber)..............1

S Nakano (Prost)..............1

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