Sir Frank Williams passed away on Sunday, November 28 aged 79. The Briton, who was known for co-founding Williams Grand Prix Engineering (now known as Williams Racing), served as principal of the Formula 1 team for 43 years up until in 2019, making him the longest-serving team principal in the sport’s 71-year history.

For those new to F1, you might not know it by their performance in recent years, but Williams was a top team in their day, winning a total of 114 races, 9 Constructors’ Championships, and 7 Drivers’ Championships to date. They’ve also claimed 128 pole positions, 133 fastest laps, and 3,578 points, and it was all a result of Sir Frank’s decision to start the team back in 1977.

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A statement from Williams regarding Sir Frank’s death read: “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.

“After being admitted into hospital on Friday, Sir Frank, passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his family. Today we pay tribute to our much loved and inspirational figurehead. Frank will be sorely missed. We request that all friends and colleagues respect the Williams family’s wishes for privacy at this time.”

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Jost Capito, current CEO and team principal of Williams, said: “The Williams Racing team is truly saddened by the passing of our founder Sir Frank Williams. Sir Frank was a legend and icon of our sport. His passing marks the end of an era for our team and for the sport of Formula 1. He was one of a kind and a true pioneer. Despite considerable adversity in his life, he led our team to 16 World Championships, making us one of the most successful teams in the history of the sport.

“His values including integrity, teamwork and a fierce independence and determination, remain the core ethos of our team and are his legacy, as is the Williams family name under which we proudly race. Our thoughts are with the Williams family at this difficult time.”