Alan Jones, the last Australian and first Williams driver to win the Formula 1 world title, has died at age 80. Jones raced in F1 between 1975 and 1986, winning 12 grands prix and claiming the 1980 championship. He turned 80 on Monday, the same day his wife Amanda Butler-Davis announced his passing following a short illness.
Jones won his first F1 race with Shadow in Austria in 1977 before joining Williams the following year. After finishing third in the 1979 championship, he won five races in 1980 to secure the title ahead of Nelson Piquet. Jones remains the most recent Australian to win the Australian Grand Prix, triumphing at Calder Park Raceway in 1980.
He finished third in 1981, winning in Las Vegas for what proved his final race victory before retiring at season's end. He made a brief, unsuccessful comeback with Haas in 1985 and continued competing in touring car and endurance races in Australia, becoming a popular motorsports pundit. His wife said he dedicated his life to motorsport, building a legacy through the countless people he touched.
Jones is synonymous with the Williams team, having become their first world champion in 1980 and forming a close bond with co-founders Frank Williams and Patrick Head. His pugnacious approach helped the team emerge as a leading force in F1. Future Williams drivers were almost always measured against Jones.
It took a while for his abilities to be appreciated, but victory for the unfancied Shadow team in the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix, beating Niki Lauda's Ferrari, was an indicator of his potential. Williams' iconic FW07 car and Jones became standard setters in 1979.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing