MONTEREY, Calif.—Phil Hill, the only American-born Formula One champion, died Thursday of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 81.

The 1961 Formula Open champion and a three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Hill died at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, said friend John Lamm, a noted automotive photographer and editor-at-large with Road & Track magazine.

“He raced at a time when racing was extremely dangerous and got through it all without a serious injury,” Lamm said. “He had an extraordinary mechanical sense. He was very much in tune with the car.”

Hill won the 1961 Formula One title by a point over Wolfgang von Trips, the Ferrari teammate who was killed in the team’s final race of the year. Hill won three F1 races, taking the Italian Grand Prix in 1960 and 1961 and the Belgian Grand Prix in 1961.