{"id":24200,"date":"2021-11-28T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-28T16:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24200"},"modified":"2021-11-30T09:18:30","modified_gmt":"2021-11-30T14:18:30","slug":"formula-ones-frank-williams-dies-aged-79","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24200","title":{"rendered":"Formula One’s Frank Williams Dies, Aged 79"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sir Frank Williams (PA Archive)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sir Frank Williams, founder and former team principal of Williams Racing, has died at the age of 79.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team won the Formula One drivers\u2019 title seven times and the constructors\u2019 championship on nine occasions under Williams\u2019 stewardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A statement from Williams Racing on Sunday read: \u201cIt 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter being admitted into hospital on Friday, Sir Frank passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team statement continued: \u201cToday we pay tribute to our much-loved and inspirational figurehead. Frank will be sorely missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe request that all friends and colleagues respect the Williams family\u2019s wishes for privacy at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor those wishing to pay tribute, we ask that donations are made in place of gifts to the Spinal Injuries Association, alternatively we would welcome flowers to be placed at the entrance of the team\u2019s headquarters in Grove, Oxfordshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDetails of the memorial service will follow in due course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Williams driver George Russell paid his own tribute on Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He wrote: \u201cToday, we say goodbye to the man who defined our team. Sir Frank was such a genuinely wonderful human being and I\u2019ll always remember the laughs we shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was more than a boss, he was a mentor and a friend to everybody who joined the Williams Racing family and so many others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stefano Domenicali, chief executive of F1 rights holders the Formula One Group and former Ferrari team principal, described Williams as a \u201ctrue giant\u201d of the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domenicali said in a statement: \u201cThis morning, Claire Williams called to inform me of the very sad news that her beloved father, Sir Frank Williams had passed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was a true giant of our sport that overcame the most difficult of challenges in life and battled every day to win on and off the track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have lost a much loved and respected member of the F1 family and he will be hugely missed. His incredible achievements and personality will be etched on our sport forever. My thoughts are with all the Williams family and their friends at this sad time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Williams team enjoyed their first F1 race win at the 1979 British Grand Prix at Silverstone with Clay Regazzoni at the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1980, Australian Alan Jones steered the team to the drivers\u2019 and constructors\u2019 titles for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1994, Williams was charged with manslaughter following the death of driver Ayrton Senna in a crash at Imola but was acquitted several years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Williams ceased to have any involvement with the team following its sale in 2020. His daughter Claire quit her post as deputy team principal later the same year.<\/p>\n

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