Sir Frank Williams RIP
Discussion
Nickp82 said:
Sad to hear and I hope he rests in peace. My Dad actually worked for him in the 70s (when he was based in Reading) and so I have grown up hearing various stories involving him as my Dad talks about that time fondly.
My grand father ran an engineering business. He took over that unit on Bennett Road in Reading where Frank started Williams F1. My grandfather proudly told any visitor to the factory the history of the unit.
I have very fond memories of
Mansell in ‘92 when I was younger, that was the season that got me hooked on F1.
RIP Frank.
wiliferus said:
My grand father ran an engineering business. He took over that unit on Bennett Road in Reading where Frank started Williams F1.
My grandfather proudly told any visitor to the factory the history of the unit.
I have very fond memories of
Mansell in ‘92 when I was younger, that was the season that got me hooked on F1.
RIP Frank.
The place Frank was kicked out of by Walter Wolf. I used to race prep that years car, which were really the last Hesketh 308C rebadged and repainted as Wolf Williams FW05. Frank bought the Hesketh team cars and parts when Lord Hesketh shut the team down, which led to Hunt losing his drive and going to McLaren.My grandfather proudly told any visitor to the factory the history of the unit.
I have very fond memories of
Mansell in ‘92 when I was younger, that was the season that got me hooked on F1.
RIP Frank.
I also used to race prep the first ever Williams GP Engineering car, that was a March 761 that Patrick did some mods to. I then worked on the FW07's, which really moved the game on and where the team really took off with. The difference in those few years when Frank lost his team and then came back stronger with Patrick was enormous.
Genuinely saddened by this news today. In my formative years there were 2 standout British teams in F1 - JPS Lotus in the 70's and Williams Renault /Honda from the mid 80's to mid 90's. (I never really felt the love for Marlboro McLaren, probably because my dad smoked John Player Specials rather than Marlboro! ) Rest easy Sir Frank, a life well lived and one that will always be remembered by fans of racing
Edited by TheMilkyBarKid on Monday 29th November 00:20
The only word that I can use to describe Sir Frank Williams is titan. He had a near unbreakable will, which was evident after his tragic accident.
I don't really watch F1 but his team was the one that seemed to have a true racing spirit.
I highly recommend the Williams documentary.
RIP Frank. You will be missed.
I don't really watch F1 but his team was the one that seemed to have a true racing spirit.
I highly recommend the Williams documentary.
RIP Frank. You will be missed.
Sad news.
Given the team's backmarker status today, it's easy to forget just what a tour de force Williams were in the 80s and particularly the early-mid 90s with Renault power. Those iconic yellow white and blue cars were the ones to beat for what seemed like an eternity back then.
Eddie Jordan gave a nice tribute to Sir Frank in an interview on breakfast telly this morning. Said he was a formidable negotiator and competitor, and absolutely not someone you ever tried to get one over on, but he was a true gentleman, and genuinely respected by all in the paddock.
RIP, Sir.
Given the team's backmarker status today, it's easy to forget just what a tour de force Williams were in the 80s and particularly the early-mid 90s with Renault power. Those iconic yellow white and blue cars were the ones to beat for what seemed like an eternity back then.
Eddie Jordan gave a nice tribute to Sir Frank in an interview on breakfast telly this morning. Said he was a formidable negotiator and competitor, and absolutely not someone you ever tried to get one over on, but he was a true gentleman, and genuinely respected by all in the paddock.
RIP, Sir.
Slippydiff said:
Panamax said:
35 years in a wheel chair after a younger life of such vigour. A salutary lesson about the risks of driving too fast.
Some great achievements along the way.
RIP
There's a time and place for such comments. This is neither.Some great achievements along the way.
RIP
A letter dated 2016 from the late Sir Frank Williams. Just bringing it to attention of the thread.
https://twitter.com/MikeTV1990/status/146502082728...
https://twitter.com/MikeTV1990/status/146502082728...
jsf said:
wiliferus said:
My grand father ran an engineering business. He took over that unit on Bennett Road in Reading where Frank started Williams F1.
My grandfather proudly told any visitor to the factory the history of the unit.
I have very fond memories of
Mansell in ‘92 when I was younger, that was the season that got me hooked on F1.
RIP Frank.
The place Frank was kicked out of by Walter Wolf. I used to race prep that years car, which were really the last Hesketh 308C rebadged and repainted as Wolf Williams FW05. Frank bought the Hesketh team cars and parts when Lord Hesketh shut the team down, which led to Hunt losing his drive and going to McLaren.My grandfather proudly told any visitor to the factory the history of the unit.
I have very fond memories of
Mansell in ‘92 when I was younger, that was the season that got me hooked on F1.
RIP Frank.
I also used to race prep the first ever Williams GP Engineering car, that was a March 761 that Patrick did some mods to. I then worked on the FW07's, which really moved the game on and where the team really took off with. The difference in those few years when Frank lost his team and then came back stronger with Patrick was enormous.
Ha Ha, I was born and brought up not far from that Reading workshop. My parents house was just round the corner in Basingstoke Road. Not far from the famous public telephone box that Frank used because the workshop phone had been cut off.
I had a mate who worked for Frank, one evening he took me into the workshop to see the F1 car. I had a look in the rubbish skip and found a damaged Cosworth Piston and took it home. I think it came from the Iso Marlboro DFV that Merzario blew up. I still have it on my desk at home.
Just compare those days with todays huge, secret, clinical multi million F1 HQ`s. There I was an uninvited odd bod wandering round this workshop and taking home a bit of an F1 engine.
How special to receive that..
Those words are indeed inspiring..
A special man who will always be remembered..
R.I.P
Those words are indeed inspiring..
A special man who will always be remembered..
R.I.P
carinaman said:
A letter dated 2016 from the late Sir Frank Williams. Just bringing it to attention of the thread.
https://twitter.com/MikeTV1990/status/146502082728...
https://twitter.com/MikeTV1990/status/146502082728...
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