1978 Formula One champion Mario Andretti has reminisced about his “wonderful relationship” and the remarkable ambition and subsequent success of Sir Frank Williams, the co-founder of Williams Racing. Andretti shared a touching anecdote from their early days in Formula One, highlighting Williams’ journey from a team principal at the Walter Wolf Racing F1 team to becoming a leading figure in the sport.
The legacy of Frank Williams in Formula One was recently shared by racing legend Mario Andretti during an exclusive interview with Lydia Mee via Sports Illustrated. The former driver recalled a significant moment early in their careers, underscoring the deep respect and personal bond that existed between the two icons of the sport.
Andretti remembered a time when Williams was still with the Walter Wolf team, before founding his own racing empire in 1977. They were at a race in Belgium, walking behind another motorsport giant, Lotus Cars founder Colin Chapman. Andretti explained:
“You look at the amount of world champions that Frank [Williams] has created. I remember Frank Williams when he was actually working for the [Walter] Wolf team. He was a team principal there and we were walking in Belgium and I was walking behind Colin Chapman and he said to me out of the blue, he said, ‘Mario, someday I’m going to be like Colin Chapman.'”
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Williams’ career is a storied part of Formula One history. After his stint with Walter Wolf Racing, he established Williams Racing along with Sir Patrick Head who also previously worked in the Walter Wolf F1 team, which quickly became a cornerstone of Formula One. Under his leadership, Williams Racing not only cultivated numerous champions but also innovated many aspects of racing technology and strategy.
“And before you know it, he became a team principal, team owner, and look what he has accomplished. Frank and I had a wonderful relationship and, for me, of great respect and joy to see the success and how many champions created, how many people he made happy by having a successful team as he did,” Andretti concluded.
Throughout his career, Williams was known not just for his sharp mind for business and strategy but also for his unwavering passion for racing, which resonated throughout the F1 community. Sadly, Williams passed away in November 2021 at the age of 79.
Over the years the British team has celebrated 9 Constructors’ Championships and 7 Drivers’ Championship titles, the last of both being in 1997.
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