Williams

Interesting facts

Frank Williams launched his own team at the 1969 Spanish Grand Prix after concluding he had reached his ceiling as a driver; his first driver, Piers Courage, finished second twice that year (Monaco and the US). Courage was killed at the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix when his De Tomaso caught fire after a crash, the tragedy affected Williams so deeply that he deliberately kept an emotional distance from his drivers from then on. 1971 was a 'hand-to-mouth' year financially; the 1972 Politoys FX3 (designed by Len Bailey) suffered a steering failure on its debut at the British Grand Prix. During the 1973-74 Iso-Marlboro era, Howden Ganley scored the team's only point of 1973 at the Canadian Grand Prix. In 1975, Jacques Laffite's second place at the German Grand Prix in the FW04 brought in crucial money for a team on the brink of collapse. In 1976, Walter Wolf bought 60% of the team, which became Wolf-Williams Racing; Frank Williams left at season's end and founded Williams Grand Prix Engineering with Patrick Head in 1977. Between 1969 and 1976, Frank Williams Racing Cars entered 105 races and managed only a single fastest lap, with no wins, poles or titles. Williams has been competing in Formula 1 since 1975 as a British team. Williams won the Constructors' Championship 9 times, in 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997. The team scored a total of 3791 constructors' championship points.