By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula 1 world champion and the first driver to win a title for Williams, has died at the age of 80. He passed away on 5 November following a short illness, his wife Amanda Butler-Davis said in a statement released by Motorsport Australia.
Career highlights
Jones started 116 grands prix between 1975 and 1986, securing 12 victories. After winning his first race for Shadow in Austria in 1977, he joined Williams and finished third in the 1979 championship. In 1980 he dominated, winning five races and clinching the title ahead of Nelson Piquet, becoming the second Australian champion after Jack Brabham. He remains the most recent Australian to win the Australian Grand Prix, taking victory at Calder Park in 1980 when the race was not part of the world championship.
Later years and legacy
Jones retired at the end of 1981 but returned for a full season with the new Haas team in 1985 and raced again in 1986. He continued competing in touring car and endurance events, mainly in Australia, and became a popular motorsport television pundit. "Alan dedicated his life to motorsport, building a legacy that will live on through the countless people he touched along the way," Butler-Davis said.
