British Formula One team founder Frank Williams dies aged 79
- Williams had been paralysed since 1986 when his car crashed as he was speeding away from the Le Castellet circuit in the south of France where his team was testing
- One of the longest-lived quadriplegics, Williams steered the team that bore his name to success as he watched from his wheelchair
Frank Williams, founder and former boss of a team that bore his name and that still ranks as one of the most dominant and successful in the history of Formula One, died on Sunday at the age of 79.
The sport’s chief executive Stefano Domenicali, a former boss of rivals Ferrari, paid tribute to the Englishman and said the F1 family had lost a “much loved and respected member”.
“He was a true giant of our sport that overcame the most difficult of challenges in life and battled every day to win on and off the track,” the Italian said in a statement.
“His incredible achievements and personality will be etched on our sport forever”.
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Williams had been paralysed since 1986 when, at the age of 43, his rental car crashed as he was speeding away from the Le Castellet circuit in the south of France where his team was testing.