WilliamsF1

Founding and early years

Frank Williams had been running various operations in Formula 1 prior to creating his own team in 1977 (see Frank Williams Racing Cars and Walter Wolf Racing). After meeting Patrick Head, the two formed what was then called Williams Grand Prix Engineering, now BMW.WilliamsF1. The team debuted in the 1977 Spanish Grand Prix, fielding a March 761 for Patrick Neve, and contested most of the European and North Ameican rounds that year. In 1978 Head designed the team's first car, the FW06, and in the following year, now with the ground effect FW07, had their first victory at the British Grand Prix with Clay Regazzoni, with teammate Alan Jones claiming the victory in the following three races. Their first FIA Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship came in 1980 through Jones. 1981 saw the team lose the title because of inner strife between Jones and his teammate Carlos Reutemann, but in the 1982 Keke Rosberg captured the title with a single win, in a season that saw 11 different drivers score victories.

Related Topics:
1977 - Frank Williams Racing Cars - Walter Wolf Racing - Spanish Grand Prix - March - Patrick Neve - British Grand Prix - Clay Regazzoni - Alan Jones - 1980 - Carlos Reutemann - Keke Rosberg

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Initially the team began with the ubiquitous Ford-Cosworth DFV engine until the second half of the 1983 season, when the team secured the support of Honda Motor Corporation, dominating the sport in 1986 and 1987, securing both Constructors Championships, but failing to claim the Drivers Champion in 1986, after Nigel Mansell suffered a tyre blowout in the final stages of the Australian Grand Prix. However, Nelson Piquet made up for Mansell's bad luck by winning the title the following year. A contractual dispute with Honda (related primarily to the selection of drivers) saw the team lose the Japanese engines for 1988.

Related Topics:
Cosworth - Honda - 1986 - 1987 - Nigel Mansell - Australian Grand Prix - Nelson Piquet - 1988

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