F1 – Alan Jones, who was the second Australian and first Williams driver to win the Formula One world title, died yesterday a few days after his 80th birthday.
Jones followed in the footsteps of compatriot Jack Brabham when he secured the drivers’ title in 1980 to become the first of the British team’s seven world champions.
“We are extremely saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Alan, who passed away on 5 November following a short illness,” his wife Amanda Butler-Davis said in a statement released on her behalf by Motorsport Australia.
“He will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by those closest to him, as well as the many fans whose support he was always grateful for.”
A tough, uncompromising racer, Jones was the archetype of the sort of driver Frank Williams looked for as he built a team that won nine constructors’ world titles in the 1980s and 1990s.
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