Frank Williams, the founder of the Williams Formula 1 team and the sport’s longest-serving team principal, died on Sunday morning at the age of 79. Under his leadership, the Williams Formula 1 team dominated much of the 1980s and 1990s, winning 117 races in all. The team he founded became one of the most successful in the sport, winning seven drivers’ championships and nine constructors’ crowns.
The team said, “It is with great sadness that on behalf of the Williams family, the team can confirm the death of Sir Frank Williams CBE, Founder and Former Team Principal of Williams Racing, at the age of 79.” He was admitted to the hospital on Friday and died peacefully on Sunday, accompanied by his family. Williams was disabled after sustaining a spinal cord injury in a car crash in 1986.
Sir Frank Williams was a legendary Formula One team owner who rose to prominence as a result of his resolve to compete at the top level despite a severe disability. In 2012, he stepped down from the Williams board of directors, and in 2013, he passed day-to-day management of the team to his daughter Claire. In the previous year, Williams and his family sold the team to Dorilton Capital, an investment group. On Twitter, current Williams F1 drivers George Russell and Nicholas Latifi paid tribute to Williams.