Former Formula One World Champion Alan Jones dies at age 80

Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula One world champion, has died at the age of 80 following a short illness, according to a statement released by his wife, Amanda Butler-Davis, via Motorsport Australia.

Racing Career and Achievements

Jones was the second Australian to win the Formula One world championship, following Sir Jack Brabham, who won titles in 1959, 1960, and 1966. Jones's career included 116 Formula One races between 1975 and 1986, during which he won 12 grands prix.

His career milestones include:

• 1975: Made his Formula One debut at the Spanish Grand Prix driving for Hesketh.
• 1977: Achieved his first race victory at the Austrian Grand Prix while driving for the Shadow team.
• 1980: Won five races (in Argentina, France, Britain, Canada, and the United States) and finished on the podium in all but one race to secure the world title with Williams.
• 1981: Won his final race victory in Las Vegas.

Jones remains the most recent Australian to win the Australian Grand Prix, having won at Melbourne's Calder Park Raceway in 1980 during a period when the race was not part of the world championship.

Relationship with Williams

Jones is closely associated with the Williams team, where he became the team's first world champion. He formed a bond with co-founders Frank Williams and Patrick Head. According to reports, the team valued Jones's "pugnacious, no-nonsense approach."

During the 1979 season, Jones and the Williams team utilized the FW07 car. While reliability issues prevented him from challenging Jody Scheckter and Gilles Villeneuve for the title that year, he won four of the final six races. In 1980, using the upgraded FW07B, Jones won five of 14 races to clinch the title ahead of Nelson Piquet.

Later Years and Legacy

After retiring from Formula One at the end of the 1986 season following a stint with the Haas team, Jones continued to compete in touring car and endurance races, primarily in Australia, until 2002. He also worked as a Formula One driver steward and a motorsports pundit on television.

In a statement, Amanda Butler-Davis said, "Alan dedicated his life to motorsport, building a legacy that will live on through the countless people he touched along the way." She added that through his achievements, he "left an enduring mark on the sport both nationally and across the globe."

The Australian Grand Prix stated that Jones "holds a special place in the history of our sport" and noted that his 1980 championship "inspired a generation of Australian motorsport fans."

Jones is a member of the Sport Australia Hall Of Fame and was made an MBE. He is survived by his wife, Amanda, and six children: Christian, Amber, Zara, Jack, Camilla, and Emma.

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Sources

• bbc.com: Alan Jones dies aged 80: Ex-F1 champion 'dedicated his life to motorsport' - BBC Sport
• theguardian.com: Australian Formula One world champion Alan Jones dies aged 80 | Formula One | The Guardian
• sports.yahoo.com: Former F1 world champion Alan Jones dies - Yahoo Sports

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