Race and classic pictures

When and where it all started for Williams in F1

Today's Monaco Grand Prix will mark the 750th World Championship event for the Williams team, and a big milestone for Formula 1's third most successful team in the sport's history.

Sir Frank was a struggling privateer entrant in F1 in the late sixties and early seventies when he eventually teamed up with engineer Patrick Head and founded in 1977 Williams Grand Prix Engineering, the outfit that would go on to win 114 Grands Prix and nine Constructors' titles.

And for Williams it all started at the 1977 Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama where the British team entered a March 761 for Belgian driver Patrick Nève.

Today, Williams is no longer owned by its eponymous founding family, having bene sold last year to US private equity firm Dorilton Capital.

But the Grove-based outfit's new owners are committed to preserving Williams' legacy while working hard to return the legendary outfit to the winner's circle at some point in the future.

Long live Williams!

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Piastri salvages silver ling despite Madrid misery

Spain was supposed to be a weekend of consolidation for McLaren, but for Oscar Piastri,…

5 hours ago

Audi junior Slater lands 2027 F2 seat with powerhouse Invicta

Freddie Slater’s rapid rise through the junior ranks is taking another significant step forward, with…

6 hours ago

Lawson opens up on the ‘tricky’ challenge of Red Bull double duty

Liam Lawson has spent the past three Formula 1 weekends with an unusual problem: preparing…

7 hours ago

Mekies defends Verstappen order: ‘Better to take the pain’

Laurent Mekies says Red Bull had little choice but to order Max Verstappen to hand…

9 hours ago

A wet-to-dry masterclass performance at Spa, à la Senna

On this day in 1985, Ayrton Senna won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, skillfully…

10 hours ago

Vasseur: ‘Staying on track made no sense’ for Hamilton

Ferrari’s decision to pull Lewis Hamilton out of the Spanish Grand Prix after just seven…

11 hours ago