Frank Williams: exclusive interview on his 500th grand prix

By Tom Clarkson

Motor Industry

11 September 2008 14:50

This weekend is Frank Williams' and the Williams F1 team's 500th Formula 1 race. To celebrate this anniversary CAR has sat down with the great man himself to talk about his team and his favourite car and driver, plus we've charted the highs and lows of the Williams F1 team.

The Italian Grand Prix will be Williams’ 500th race at the top echelon. Their first race was the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix, in which they entered just one car for Alan Jones. Since then they’ve become the third most successful constructor of all time, winning 113 GPs, seven drivers’ titles and nine constructors’ titles.

Typically, Frank Williams doesn’t want to celebrate the landmark. He is a man who only looks forward, so when people tried to persuade him to run a few old cars prior to the race at Monza, he poured cold water on the idea. At Spa last weekend, however, CAR caught up with Frank and he was surprisingly candid about his big 5-0-0.

'Five hundred is a significant number,' he said, 'but it’s been years since we last won a championship and that’s not good enough. All the teams are here to win races and to prove that they are the best in the world.

'Having said that, I take a lot of pleasure from the fact that we’ve been around for a long time. I’ve enjoyed my life; I’ve enjoyed the challenges and I’ve worked with some bloody brilliant racing drivers.'

'Frank loves racing almost more than anyone else in the pitlane,' says Keke Rosberg, who won the 1982 World Championship in a Williams FW08. 'Even now, after all his success, he would sell his house if it would help his team. With that kind of spirit, it’s unsurprising that he’s been around so long.'

Such reverence is echoed by Damon Hill, 1996 World Champion in an FW18. 'I see Frank as a kind of monarch,' says Damon. 'Williams is his army; Patrick is his general and he fights the fire breathing Ferrari dragon for England. I suppose that would make me one of his knights! Or one of those nights?! Either way, Frank is a stupendous fighter; the epitome of stoicism and a great man.'

Only Ferrari and McLaren have contested more races than Williams; here’s to the next 500.

Click 'Next' below to read Frank William's comments on his best ever car and driver

By Tom Clarkson