Alan Jones, the combative Australian who powered Williams to its first F1 title

Alan Jones, the Australian driver remembered for his forceful style and 1980 Formula One world championship, has died aged 80, according to the obituary. His career reached its defining chapter after he joined Williams at a time when the ambitious team was still struggling to establish itself among the sport’s leading outfits. Williams had endured years of financial and mechanical difficulties, and its first attempt at a new team in 1977 brought no championship points. Jones later recalled that people had made Frank Williams a target of jokes. Yet in 1978, after a hoped-for move to Ferrari failed to materialise, Jones signed with the team, impressed by technical director Patrick Head and the organisation’s determination. The partnership soon began to deliver. Jones scored a second place at Watkins Glen during his first season with Williams, while also winning the Canadian-American Challenge Cup title with Haas-Hall. In 1979, the team introduced the FW07, a car built around the ground-effect design of the era. After early retirements disrupted his title bid, Jones recovered to win four races and finish third in the championship. The following season brought the breakthrough. Jones won five of the 14 championship races and secured the drivers’ title, finishing ahead of Brazilian rival Nelson Piquet. Teammate Carlos Reutemann placed third, while Williams also claimed its first constructors’ championship. Jones won in Spain too, although that event was later excluded from the championship after a dispute between governing bodies. Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Jones credited the group’s chemistry and described Frank Williams as someone who knew how to get the best from him without relying on threats or promises. Their partnership helped turn a struggling operation into a championship-winning team, with Jones at the centre of Williams’ rise.