Alan Jones obituary

Australian race car driver Alan Jones, who won the Formula One World Championship in 1981 with the Williams team, has died at the age of 80 after battling cancer. Jones first joined the Williams team in 1980, driving their revolutionary new FW07 car, which featured innovative "ground effect" technology. This was the first year a Williams driver had become World Champion, marking a significant achievement for both Jones and the team.

The Williams team went on to win nine constructors' championships in total, two of which were secured under Jones's leadership. Jones's talent and determination were unparalleled, with F1 commentator Mark Hughes describing him as a strong and mentally robust racer who consistently challenged his rivals on the track. Despite the presence of other talented drivers such as Nelson Piquet, Carlos Reutemann and Alain Prost, Jones was considered to be the finest driver in the sport during the 1980s.

Before joining Williams, Jones had already established himself in the racing world, having won four race victories in his third season with the team. He had also been offered a drive by Ferrari in 1978, but ultimately chose Williams after a series of unfortunate events involving his previous team, Shadow. The combination of Jones's no-nonsense approach and the hard-headed duo of Williams and his designer, Patrick Head, proved to be an unparalleled force in motor racing.