RiP Sir Frank Williams

[ERC]

Passed away aged 79, 28th November.

Like me, Sir Frank had solid connections with Nottingham, and at an NSCC evening hosted by BMW dealer Frank Sytner (they were long time buddies), he gave a great talk and recounted the time that he and Frank had Austin A40's and hooned around the city streets.

"Earning a mere £3 10s a week in his first job, as a trainee with a vehicle distribution centre in Nottingham, he persuaded his mother to give him £80 to buy a hotted-up Austin A35 saloon with which, as a teenager, he entered his first races."

Having written off the A35 against a lamp post(!), he transferred the bits to an Austin A40 and carried on racing.

I seem to remember him saying that either he or Frank Sytner rolled an A40 in the city.

The rest is well known history and sad to see the passing of the last real independent F1 owner.

[928]

i would like to join you ERC, if you do not mind. i new sir frank long before he had a viable F! team. RIP Sir frank

[Oldfart]

He had a real roller coaster ride! Broke enough that he did business from a call box to being an absolute powerhouse in F1. It was one of his cars that had Piers Courage do the Tasman series. Without his team the F1 series would not have been the same. RIP Frank.

[khyndart in CA]

There are some fine tributes to Frank at this site.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.triumph-and-tragedy-the-story-of-sir-frank-williams.3CsY8Wrrjhx8jQr3Buj2qV.html

Before his 1986 car crash Frank was always fit and in good shape and that helped him survive.
He was a fighter to the end. RIP Frank.