Frank Williams (Formula One) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Frank Williams
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Williams in 2011
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| Born |
Francis Owen Garbett Williams
16 April 1942 South Shields, England
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| Died | 28 November 2021 (aged 79) Surrey, England
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| Education | St Joseph's College, Dumfries |
| Occupation | Team principal |
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| Spouse(s) |
Virginia Berry
(m. 1974; died 2013) |
| Children | 3, including Claire |
| Awards |
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Sir Francis Owen Garbett Williams (born April 16, 1942 – died November 28, 2021) was a British businessman and a big name in Formula One racing. He was the person who started the famous Williams Formula One team. He led the team as its boss from when it began in 1977 until 2020. During his time, his team won nine championships for constructors (the car builders) and seven championships for drivers.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps
Frank Williams was born on April 16, 1942, in South Shields, England. His father was in the Royal Air Force, and his mother was a school teacher. After his parents separated, Frank was partly raised by his aunt and uncle.
He spent many of his later childhood years at a private boarding school in Scotland. In the late 1950s, a friend gave Frank a ride in a fast Jaguar XK150 car. This ride sparked his huge interest in speedy cars.
Racing Career and Team Building
Frank Williams first worked as a driver and mechanic. In 1966, he started his own racing team called Frank Williams Racing Cars. He funded this by working as a traveling grocery salesman. For several years, his team raced in Formula Two and Formula Three with drivers like Piers Courage.
In 1969, Williams bought a Brabham Formula One car. Piers Courage drove it and finished second twice that year. After a short partnership with another company, Williams started building his own F1 car in 1972. It was called the Politoys FX3, but it crashed in its very first race.
Frank Williams often struggled to find enough money for his team. He even had to use a public phone box for team calls because his office phone was cut off! In 1976, he partnered with a Canadian oil businessman, but Frank soon left to start fresh.
In 1977, Frank Williams teamed up with engineer Patrick Head. They bought an empty warehouse and started a new team called Williams Grand Prix Engineering. This new team was ready to compete in Formula One. They hired talented people to design and build their cars.
The Williams team got its first win in 1979 at the 1979 British Grand Prix. The driver was Clay Regazzoni. Their first championships, both for drivers and constructors, came in 1980 with Australian driver Alan Jones. Between 1981 and 1997, the team won six more drivers' championships and eight more constructors' championships. Under Frank's leadership, the team won a total of 114 Grand Prix races.
In May 1994, a very sad event happened when driver Ayrton Senna died in a Williams car during a race. After this tragedy, every Williams car from 1995 until 2012 carried a small Senna logo as a tribute.
In 2012, Frank Williams announced he would step down from the main board of Williams F1. His daughter, Claire Williams, took his place, but he remained the team principal. Frank Williams stopped being involved with the team completely when it was sold in September 2020.
Family and Later Life
Frank Williams met Virginia Berry in 1967, and they got married in 1974. They had two sons, Jonathan and Jaime, and a daughter, Claire. Claire later became the deputy team boss for her father's Formula One team.
In March 1986, Frank Williams was in a serious car accident in France. This accident left him unable to move his arms and legs, meaning he needed a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He was driving back to the airport after watching his team's new car being tested. He lost control of the car, and it rolled over. Frank was badly hurt, but he stayed strong and continued to lead his team. He needed constant care because of his injuries.
Virginia, his wife, wrote a book in 1991 about her experiences and Frank's accident. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 and passed away in 2013 at age 66.
Frank Williams was admitted to the hospital in November 2021. He died two days later, on November 28, at the age of 79. Many people in the racing world shared their sadness. Sir Lewis Hamilton, a famous Formula One driver, said:
Sir Frank Williams was one of the kindest people I had the pleasure of meeting in this sport. What he achieved is something truly special. Until his last days I know he remained a racer and a fighter at heart. His legacy will live on forever.
Awards and Recognition
Frank Williams received many honors for his contributions to motorsports:
- He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987.
- He received a knighthood in 1999, which means he became "Sir Frank Williams," for his services to the motor sport industry.
- France also honored him with the Knight of the Legion of Honour for his work with Renault F1 engines.
- In 2008, he received the Wheatcroft Trophy for his important contributions to motorsports.
- In 2010, he won the Helen Rollason Award for his amazing achievements despite facing challenges.
- He was added to the Motor Sport Hall of Fame in 2011.
- In 2012, a new road in Didcot, Oxfordshire, was named Sir Frank Williams Avenue in his honor.
After his death, Formula One teams paid tribute to Frank Williams. They used a special logo on their cars at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and a moment of silence was held. A large mural (a big painting on a wall) of Frank Williams was created at the Silverstone Circuit in England. A special memorial service was held for him in London in 2022. Also, a racing trophy was named the Frank Williams Memorial Trophy to honor him.
National honours
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Foreign honours
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See also
In Spanish: Frank Williams para niños
