Alan Jones, F1 star known for fearless style, dies at 80
The Australian driver, known for his aggressive style and time at Williams, passed away Thursday after a brief illness.
By Salma Farouk ·
Australian Formula 1 world champion Alan Jones has died.
His family announced the news on Thursday, confirming that the 80-year-old veteran passed away following a short illness. Jones claimed the F1 title in 1980, a victory that made him the second Australian to win the world championship and the first to do so with the Williams team.
A statement from his wife, Amanda, expressed the family's grief. “We are extremely saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Alan,” she said. “He will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by those closest to him, as well as the many fans whose support he was always grateful for.”
Jones built his career on a reputation for fierce competition and a blunt personality. He recorded 12 race wins and 24 podium finishes during his F1 tenure. In a 2019 podcast, he described his approach to racing rivals: “They were just things that had to be passed.” His intensity was so high that after a dispute with teammate Carlos Reutemann, Jones required a police escort for a subsequent race in Argentina. He also cited a financial motivation for taking risks on track, telling listeners, “I never worried about the dangers. I worried about the money.”
Born in Melbourne in 1946, Jones moved to Britain in the late 1960s. He funded his early career by buying and selling vans. His first victory came in 1977 for the Shadow team in Austria. The win was such a surprise that race officials had not prepared the Australian national anthem for the podium ceremony. Jones later recalled that a drunk man played “Happy Birthday” on a trumpet instead.
After losing his title in 1981, Jones returned to Australia to run a cattle farm. He returned to F1 in 1983 with Arrows for one race and continued with Haas until 1986. Outside of F1, he won the Can-Am sportscar championship in 1978. He remained active in motorsport, racing in Australia’s V8 Supercars series until 2002. In recent years, he served as a TV commentator and race steward, frequently criticizing modern drivers as “prima donnas” and “too corporate.”
Jones joins Jack Brabham, who won F1 titles for Australia in 1959, 1960, and 1966, as one of the country's premier racing champions. He was inducted into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
