Mind games cloud Hill's endgame

Damon Hill began the task of restoring his reputation and his Formula One world championship aspirations here yesterday. He arrived for Sunday's German Grand Prix insisting he was not the villain he had been portrayed and that he would continue to seek ways of outracing the world champion, Michael Schumacher.

Hill, the 34-year-old Williams-Renault driver, was widely blamed for the ill-fated attempt to overtake his Benetton-Renault rival at Silverstone 12 days ago, to the point where he felt his integrity had been called into question. That hurt as much as the knowledge that a probable victory had been spurned.

The Englishman is anxious to clear his name, take every opportunity to reinforce his brittle truce with the cunning Schumacher, yet emphasise that he is here to compete for the title.

He denied suggestions that he deliberately drove Schumacher off the road in the British Grand Prix, saying: "It makes me angry that might be implied. If I made a mistake it was thinking Michael knew I was there. It was just a racing accident. I'm not the first person to have an incident like this and won't be the last."

Schumacher has responded positively to Hill's proposal that they ride side-by-side on the drivers' parade lap in a further gesture of reconciliation, though even now Hill senses more psychological points scoring by the 26- year-old. He said: "It's a good move on his part to agree, but to imply admission of guilt is irritating.

"If he wants to make an issue of it again it would be a bad move, trying to resurrect any animosity. I'm prepared to bury the hatchet, to be adult, bite my tongue and get on with motor racing. I'm prepared to demonstrate I can bear to be in the guy's company for however long it takes to complete a lap and show we're here to race and not for some sort of dogfight."

Hill admits he will be more circumspect when passing in future, but is adamant his combative instincts will not be shackled. "Better to have tried," is his credo.

"I don't want to end up in the gravel and it will be on my mind if the situation arises again here. But part of the skill of driving is the ability to overtake and I believe I'm as good as anyone at that. But you can't keep everyone happy. Either I'm not trying hard enough or I'm trying too hard. I just do my best."

Hill appears to have a healthy perspective on the "feud" and the supposed "hate campaign" here. He said: "I had a very friendly reception when I got here. I can take care of myself."

For all the flak he took over the Silverstone collision, he is hugely encouraged by the form he displayed in that race and craves a first success on this circuit to eat into Schumacher's 11-point advantage. "Maybe it's time for a change of luck," he mused.

But then Schumacher has not won here, either. Something has to give. If it is the Benetton, Schumacher just might be more inclined towards a move to Ferrari, whose president, Luca di Montezemolo, yesterday confirmed that he had spoken to both the German and Hill about driving for the Italian team next season.

Montezemolo is desperate to close the gap on the leading teams. "To win in Formula One you need three things," he said. "They are good organisation, a great car and a great driver. I have a duty to bring home the best. Today, Schumacher is undoubtedly the No 1."

Montezemolo, who expects a decision to made around mid-August, said Hill was a "a very serious type and decidedly faster than he appears to be".

The new face on the grand prix scene here will be the Italian Giovanni Lavaggi, who hasreplaced Bertrand Gachot in the Pacific team.