Piastri pays tribute to late Alan Jones

Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula 1 world champion, passed away on Thursday at the age of 80. Jones, a 12-time grand prix winner, leaves behind a significant legacy, both on and off the track. His career unfolded during a dangerous era in motorsport, marked by numerous tragedies rather than triumphs. Jones made his F1 debut at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, one of the most controversial races in history.

Concerns over improperly bolted barriers at the Montjuïc Circuit in Barcelona led to a strike by the Grand Prix Drivers Association. Despite this, the race proceeded, but Jones retired after just three laps following a collision. The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix also saw Lella Lombardi become the first and only female driver to score F1 world championship points, placing sixth.

Following this, Jones retired from F1 for the 1977 season after a tragic accident in South Africa, where Tom Pryce and a track marshal lost their lives. This incident, along with several others, highlighted the lack of safety measures during that time. Jones returned to F1 in 1977, after an accident involving Welsh marshal Frederik Jansen van Vuuren claimed his life.

Jones' career reached its peak from 1979 to 1981, winning 11 grands prix with Williams and claiming the 1980 world championship. However, tragedy struck again in 1982, just after his retirement, as Ferrari suffered two horrific incidents. Gilles Villeneuve died during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, while Didier Pironi suffered severe injuries after colliding with Alain Prost.

Despite these tragedies, F1 improved in the years following Jones' retirement, with several safety measures implemented. Since then, there have been only two fatalities in F1, both occurring in 2014.