Some people can be considered messengers of motorsport. One of them was Sir Frank Williams, who died on 28 November at the age of 79.
It is reported that Frank Williams was admitted to the hospital on November 26 and died peacefully on November 28.
Frank Williams was born on 16 April 1942 in South Shields, South Tyneside, England. When he was a teenager, his friends gave him a Jaguar xk150. Since then – he has developed a keen interest in racing.
He devoted most of his life to driving. Without him, the world of motorsport would certainly be a much more empty place.
In 1966, after a brief stint as mechanic and driver, Frank Williams founded Williams FI Racing and participated in Formula II and Formula III
His Formula One debut came in 1969, after purchasing the Brabham F1 chassis. Drove and completed two races in that year's F1 season. In 1970, Williams established a brief partnership with Alejandro de Tomaso.
In 1972 Williams built the first F1 car, and sadly, Henri Pescarolo crashed in the first race, completely destroying it.
Sir Frank Williams has experienced many ups and downs in his struggle to create one of the most successful motorsport teams. After several unsuccessful collaborations, he founded the Williams Grand Prix Engineering Company in 1977. That was the beginning of his legend, which will become one of the most dominant Formula One teams in the history of modern racing.
The Williams team's first victory was at Silverstone in 1979, when Clay Lagazoney drove the Williams FW07 with a Cosworth engine. Over the next few years, the team won several driver and constructors' championships in a row. The team has an impressive squad of drivers, including Koko Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, and other famous drivers.
Despite great success in the Career of Formula One, both Frank Williams and his team have experienced tragedies.
In March 1986, Frank Williams was trapped in a wheelchair after a car accident near the Circuit de La Riccard in France.
1994 Williams driver, Elton Senna driving his Williams FW16 meets his finish line on the wheel. Since then, as a tribute to the drivers, every Williams car has the legendary Brazilian driver's logo stamped on it.
In 2012, Frank Williams resigned from the board of directors of the Williams F1 team but remained the team's head.
He appointed Claire Williams as the team's vice-captain.
In September 2020, Williams F1 was sold to Dorilton Capital. At this point, Frank Williams was no longer involved in motorsport.
In any case, Sir Frank Williams was a truly virtuous man who never gave up on pursuing his dreams. His legacy lives on and the F1 team has vowed to keep his nickname as it has become one of the most famous Formula One teams in history.
The team recently issued a statement saying many great things to the team founders: "Sir Frank Williams is a true legend and icon of our sport. His passing away really marks the end of an era for our team and for the F1 movement."
"He is unique and a true pioneer. Despite the considerable adversity he experienced in his life, he led our team to 114 victories, 7 drivers' championships, 9 constructors' championships, making it one of the most successful racing teams in Formula One history. His values, including integrity, teamwork, and a strong sense of independence and determination, remain the core spirit of our team and his legacy."