Sir Frank Williams

"I love speed, that’s why I’m in a wheelchair," he once joked. Sir Frank Williams may have lost the ability to walk after a tragic accident in 1986, but the sharp-minded Brit never lost his edge. On November 28, 2021, the legendary founder of the Williams Formula 1 team passed away.

The documentary Williams paints a clear picture of Frank Williams. Starting out racing and working on cars himself, his ambition quickly became owning a race team. Frank Williams Racing Cars was born in the 1960s, though it didn’t take the sport by storm.

Williams’ team appeared on the grid from time to time with a variety of different chassis. The engines were always supplied by Ford, but these power units failed to carry the rotating lineup of drivers—including Dutchman Gijs van Lennep—to the front of the field.

After his team was taken over by Walter Wolf, Frank pivoted and co-founded a new team with Patrick Head: Williams Grand Prix Engineering. That team would eventually become the Williams we know today.

World Champion-to-be Alan Jones joined the team in 1978, scoring 11 points in the FW06—a result that promised more to come. The following year, Jones and teammate Clay Regazzoni secured a remarkable 75 points, earning Williams second in the Constructors’ Championship. From there, the Grove-based outfit quickly rose through the ranks.

In 1980, Alan Jones delivered Williams its first Drivers' and Constructors' Championship. The following year, the team retained the Constructors' title, though Nelson Piquet claimed the Drivers’ crown for Brabham.

Williams again took the Constructors’ title in 1982, but struggled to keep pace with turbocharged V6 engines while still running Ford’s V8s. Frank began searching for a new engine supplier, and in 1983 found one—though it would take time for the Williams-Honda partnership to bear fruit.

1986 was a standout year for Williams on the track, but personally devastating for Frank. A car accident left him paralyzed, but he witnessed his team secure the Constructors' title. The following year brought even more success, with Nelson Piquet winning the Drivers’ Championship and sharing the Constructors’ title with Nigel Mansell.

A brief return to V8 engines made 1988 a poor year, but Frank secured a game-changing deal with Renault. From 1989 to 1997, Williams entered a golden era, winning five Constructors' Championships.

In 1994, tragedy struck when Ayrton Senna died while driving a Williams at Imola. A manslaughter case against the team ultimately led nowhere, but the incident deeply affected Frank.

From 2012, a Williams still led the team—but not Frank. His daughter Claire Williams stepped up as deputy team principal. Though Frank remained the figurehead, Claire took over day-to-day operations.

By then, the team was far from its former glory. In 2014, however, a partnership with Mercedes brought a brief revival, with Williams finishing third in the Constructors' Championship two years in a row. But a dramatic decline followed: just seven points in 2018, and only one in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Williams Racing hard. Investors were needed, and Dorilton Capital took over, also filling key technical roles. This marked the end of Claire Williams' tenure, and the family’s active involvement in the team.

On November 28, 2021, Sir Frank Williams passed away at the age of 79 after a brief hospitalization. Formula 1 lost a giant—an important figure who left a lasting legacy. Tributes poured in across the sport. Frank Williams is remembered not only as the legendary founder of the Williams team, but also as one of the kindest souls to ever walk the F1 paddock.