Alan Jones, Digi Mart USA News: Alan Jones died on November 5, 2026, at the age of 80. He is remembered as one of the great names in Australian motorsport and as the first driver to give Williams a Formula 1 world title, nearly half a century ago.
Born on November 2, 1946, in Melbourne, Jones grew up in a family passionate about racing. His father, Stan Jones, was himself a well-known driver in Australia.
After his early racing in his home country, Alan moved to Europe in the late 1960s to try to turn professional. Despite limited financial means, he progressed in Formula 3 and attracted attention within the closed circle of Formula 1.
Jones made his Formula 1 debut in 1975 with Hesketh, before moving to Hill and then Surtees, teams founded by former world champions Graham Hill and John Surtees. His first Grand Prix victory came in 1977 with Shadow, in Austria.
That success opened the door to Williams, a team that would play a major role in his career.
In 1978, Jones took part in the rise of the young team co-founded and led by Frank Williams and Patrick Head. The following season brought the first major achievements.
Clay Regazzoni gave the British team its first win at Silverstone, but Jones added four more victories and finished third in the world championship behind the Ferrari duo of Jody Scheckter and Gilles Villeneuve.
In 1980, Williams was positioned to contend while Ferrari’s T5 car triggered the team’s sharp decline. Driving the FW07B, Jones dominated parts of the season and won five races in Argentina, France, Great Britain, Canada and the United States.
He claimed the world championship, becoming the second Australian to achieve this after Jack Brabham, who won in 1950, 1960 and 1966. Williams also won the Constructors’ Championship, a first for the team.
In 1981, Jones won two more races and finished third in a championship that slipped narrowly to Williams teammate Carlos Reutemann after a controversial finale at the Caesars Palace circuit in Las Vegas. Worn down by internal rivalries, Jones retired from racing.
He returned to the cockpit several times, first for a one-off drive with Arrows at Long Beach in 1983, then in late 1985 and throughout 1986 with the Lola-Haas team. That final season ended with 12 retirements in 16 races in a Lola powered by a fragile Cosworth engine.
Beyond Formula 1, where he recorded 12 wins and 24 podiums, Jones excelled in other disciplines. He won the Can-Am championship in 1978 and the Australian Sports Sedan and GT championship in 1982.
He also won the 1993 Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race in a Mazda RX-7 and took part in several Bathurst 1000 events.
After retiring from driving, he became a television commentator, where his outspoken style and long experience proved popular. Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, Jones leaves a lasting legacy in Australian motorsport.
Digi Mart USA News extends its sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.
