The 1980 World Drivers’ Champion, Australia’s Alan Jones, died on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
In a press release launched on behalf of Jones’s household, his spouse, Amanda Butler-Davis, mentioned he died following a brief sickness. He was 80.
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“We’re extraordinarily saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Alan, who handed away on 5 November following a brief sickness,” Butler-Davis mentioned.
“He can be dearly missed and fondly remembered by these closest to him, in addition to the numerous followers whose assist he was at all times grateful for.
“Alan devoted his life to motorsport, constructing a legacy that can dwell on by means of the numerous folks he touched alongside the best way.
“By means of his achievements, ardour and unmistakable character, each on and off the monitor, Alan left a permanent mark on the game each nationally and throughout the globe.
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“As a household, we want to take this chance to thank everybody who was a part of Alan’s journey for the numerous years of friendship, love and assist. He was extremely lucky to have so many fantastic folks round him.”
Jones was born in Melbourne in 1946, the son of businessman and racer Stan Jones, and watched from the sidelines when his father received the 1959 Australian Grand Prix at Longford. The youthful Jones repeated the feat at Calder Park in 1980 and stays the final Australian driver to have received the race, which is taken into account the second-oldest Grand Prix on the planet.
Jones dabbled in racing within the UK within the Sixties earlier than returning to Australia, earlier than he moved to London in 1970. It took three years for him to determine himself, profitable his first Formulation 3 race at Silverstone in 1973, the identical yr he took second within the British F3 championship in a GRD.
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Frank Dernie, Frank Williams and Alan Jones
Frank Dernie, Frank Williams and Alan Jones
In 1975 he made his Formulation 1 debut on the Spanish Grand Prix, in a Hesketh, and when that staff shut on the finish of the season he moved to Graham Hill’s staff, then to Surtees.
That staff additionally was to shut and Jones’s profession regarded to have stalled – till Shadow known as, having misplaced lead driver Tom Pryce in a tragic crash in South Africa. In a fairytale outcome, Jones received in Austria, after a superb drive on a moist monitor, passing native hero Niki Lauda on the best way to the primary win for an Australian for the reason that retirement of Sir Jack Brabham.
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Ferrari sounded Jones out for 1978 and Jones thought he had a deal – till Enzo Ferrari reneged, and signed Gilles Villeneuve. Jones was left with a suggestion from the lowly Williams staff, for which homeowners Frank Williams and Patrick Head had massive plans.
Jones practically took the Williams FW06 to the win at Lengthy Seaside, however for a damaged wing, then once more at Manufacturers Hatch, the place a gearbox broke. Within the US Grand Prix, he was second to Carlos Reutemann’s Ferrari whereas a brand new automotive, the FW07, was being completed again at Grove.
As soon as Jones and new team-mate Clay Regazzoni received their fingers on the automotive, they regarded like winners practically instantly. Jones led by a mile at Silverstone till a water pump failed, permitting the Swiss to take the staff’s maiden victory. Jones then took over, profitable 4 of the remaining six GPs, to take third within the championship, behind Jody Scheckter and Gilles Villeneuve.
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Jones received 5 grands prix in 1980 — Argentina, France, Britain, Canada and the USA — to say the world title, topping off the yr with the non-championship win at Calder.
In 1981 he once more was in tremendous kind, main Williams to the Constructors’ title and pushing Nelson Piquet laborious within the struggle for the Drivers’ crown. Jones received solely twice, at Lengthy Seaside and Las Vegas, and a sequence of DNFs and the stress of journey led him to announce his retirement on the finish of the season.
He raced at residence, in GT vehicles and open-wheelers, however the itch to return was an excessive amount of. He drove an Arrows at Lengthy Seaside in 1983, took the next yr off, then returned a yr later with the Beatrice-Haas staff, first for 3 GPs after which a full season in 1986. There have been no extra wins so as to add to his tally, and he retired on the finish of the season.
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Again in Australia he raced in what grew to become V8 Supercars, with a greatest results of second in 1995, and even raced sports activities vehicles (together with Le Mans) with Porsche and Toyota and CART with Newman-Haas. He made his final begin in skilled motor racing in 2002, as a Bathurst 1000 co-driver with Dick Johnson Racing.
Alongside his ongoing motorsport profession Jones went on to have a profitable media profession, as a commentator on Australia’s Formulation 1 TV protection, for a few years. Simply as he was when he was within the cockpit, he was not shy, and known as issues the best way he noticed them.
Jones was awarded an MBE for companies to motor racing in 1980, and inducted into the Sport Australia Corridor of Fame in 1985.
He’s survived by his spouse and his six youngsters, Christian, Amber, Zara, Jack, Camilla and Emma.
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