Legendary founder of the Williams Formula 1 Team Sir Frank Williams has been admitted to hospital the Williams family has said in a statement.
78 year old Sir Frank relinquished control of the team he and Sir Patrick Head formed 40 odd years ago earlier this year when it was bought by Dorilton Capital, having been Williams’ Team Principal since entering the sport in 1977.
Sir Frank, born in South Shields in the North East of England, enjoyed a 50 year career in the top tier of motorsport, first entering a single Brabham under the guise of Frank Williams Racing Cars in the late 1960s with his good friend Piers Courage at the wheel, having given up on his own hopes as making it as a driver to focus on running a team.
After his first Grand Prix team failed to take off, he and Head formed Williams Grand Prix Engineering in 1977, and would taste success ajust two years later when Clay Regazzoni won the team’s first Grand Prix, with Williams’ first World Championship win following shortly after.
Sir Frank Williams’ team would go on to win 16 F1 titles, 114 Grand Prix and take 128 pole positions, making it one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of all time.
Following an accident in a road car travelling back from the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France in 1986, Sir Frank was confined to a wheelchair, which left him with a number of ongoing health issues, which Sir Frank handled with all his well-known resolve and determination.
Sir Frank became a Knight of the realm in 1999, before stepping back from Formula 1 in 2012 when daughter Claire took the helm.
Sir Frank is in a stable condition according to his family, who have asked for privacy at this time, and who will release an update in due course.
All our thoughts are with Sir Frank and the Williams family this evening, as we will him to overcome his latest challenge as he has done every other challenge that has dared to stand in his way!
COME ON FRANK!
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