DAMON HILL was caught off guard when television presenter Eamonn Holmes asked the new Formula One world champion if he had spoken to his dead father after wrapping up the title with victory at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.

The British driver was midway through an interview on ITV's GMTV yesterday morning when Holmes asked: "There were special thoughts yesterday for your wife, your kids and your mother. Did you have a word with your dad at any stage?"

Graham Hill, who won the world championship in 1962 and 1968, died in a 1975 plane crash and his son appeared embarrassed before responding: "Well, that would have been difficult."

Holmes immediately clarified his statement by saying: "But when he's looking down there I think he'll have said, `The boy did well'."

Later the GMTV anchorman said: "I knew perfectly well that Damon's dad has been dead for quite a long time and Damon knew what I meant as well. Just because someone's dead, doesn't mean to say that you don't speak to them."