The November 28, 2021 the legendary left us Frank Williams. Yet another mourning in the history of Formula 1, who greets the founder of the team that bears his name. Frank Williams had 79 years old and he is remembered above all 16 world titles between 1980 and 1997, nine for the constructors and seven for the drivers, driving the Team Williams.
Mourning in Formula 1 with the death of Frank Williams
At the end of the 2021 season, Formula 1 was overwhelmed by mourning for the death of Frank Williams, which left a great void. With him goes even the last glimmer of romance in a sport dominated only by economic interests. Precisely because of a financial crisis in the 2020, had sold his team to the US investment fund Dorilton Capital.
Under his management Williams, especially in the 90s together with Renault, was one of the most successful teams, winning 9 Constructors ‘World Championships and 7 Drivers’ World Championships (Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jaques Villeneuve).
Who is Frank Williams, the F1 career
Sir Frank Williams’ Formula 1 career officially began in 1972 when he joined the Circus as patron of Politoys, a stable that three years later would bear his name. But his rise in the racing world began in 1966, when he founded his own stable, the Frank Williams Racing Cars. For several years the car team competed in Formula 2 and Formula 3, with drivers like Piers Courage, Richard Burton, Tetsu Ikuzawa And Tony Trimmer.
In 1969 Williams switched to Formula 1: he bought the chassis of an old Formula 1 model of the Brabham and drove the car Courage, getting second place twice in the first races.
In 1970 Williams embarked on a short period of collaboration with Alejandro de Tomaso, which ended soon after Courage’s death in that year’s Dutch Grand Prix. In 1971 Henri Pescarolo took the place of the English driver, driving a car made from a chassis supplied by March. In 1972 Williams built the first car designed by the team itself, the Politoys FX3 on a project by Len Bailey, then crashed in the debut race, with Pescarolo on board. Williams, short of money at the time (so much so that he conducted the business of the team from a telephone booth, after his phone lines were disconnected for not paying his bills), was able to solve financial problems thanks to sponsorships of the Marlboro andIso Rivolta.
Nonetheless, after the failure of the ISO, Williams had to surrender to the oil magnate in 1976 Walter Wolf, who said he was willing to help the team, 60% of the property. The following year Frank Williams, together with the engineer Patrick Head, he left the stable for good. The two bought an abandoned carpet shop in Didcot, Oxfordshire, and from there founded a new stable, the Williams Grand Prix Engineering (i.e. the current Williams), who still competes in Formula 1 today under the name of Williams Racing. Thanks to it, Williams obtained his first victory in 1979 with Clay Regazzoni, the first Formula 1 Drivers World Championship title in 1980 with Alan Jones and the second in 1982 with Keke Rosberg, in addition to the two consecutive Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship titles in 1980 and 1981.
After this first successful season Frank Williams brought his team to the consecration as a top team. After the engines Cosworth the thrusters arrived Honda, which was followed by the Judd, the Renault, i Mecachrome ei BMW in the early 2000s Williams Honda it was the car to beat from the end of 1985 to 1987; after a period with Judd engines, the English team was then equipped by V10 Renault with which a technical domain was established that would last from 1991 to 1997.
Frank Williams, accident and illness
In March of 1986, due to a car accident in France, Williams suffered the rupture of his backbone, which he has ever since paralyzed his legs, forcing him into a wheelchair. This happened because, as he was on his way from the circuit Paul Ricard at Nice airport, Williams lost control of the car which overturned and landed on the roof.
Williams, despite his seat belts fastened, was squeezed between his seat and the folded roof and suffered a fracture between the fourth and fifth vertebrae. His travel companion Peter Windsor he came out with minor injuries, as the roof of the car sagged mainly on the driver’s side.
In 1987 Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom bestowed on Williams the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (and subsequently of cavaliere in 1999). Williams also received the title of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, in recognition of the supply of Renault engines in his team, which allowed the conquest of 5 constructors’ titles.
Frank Williams, Ayrton Senna accident
In his career many joys and successes but also bitter disappointments and tragic events, such as the one that the May 1, 1994 led to the death of Ayrton Senna driving a Williams in Imola. The disappearance of the Brazilian champion marked him deeply, above all because he was accused of manslaughter.
At the height of his career Ayrton Senna, who had won three titles with McLaren, sought the final consecration by climbing aboard Williams in the 1994 season but unfortunately the epilogue of the story was tragic.
In recent years the team has been in slow decline, constantly struggling in the rear. In 2020 Frank Williams’ silent exit from the golden world of current Formula 1 and on 28 October the circle was finally closed with his silent death at the age of 79.
How many world titles has Williams won?
The Williams Formula 1 team has won well 9 World Constructors’ titles (1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997). In 1997 Williams also became the first constructor in history to have reached the milestone of 9 world constructors conquered. The record is especially relevant considering that Williams in 1997 ran from 20 seasons, far less than its main rivals McLaren and Ferrari.
In the drivers’ championship he won 7 world championships: Alan Jones in 1980, Keke Rosberg in 1982, Nelson Piquet in 1987, Nigel Mansell in 1992, Alain Prost in 1992, Damon Hill in 1996 and Jaques Villeneuve in 1997.
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