1980 – AUSmotive.com

Alan Jones

The official Formula 1 website has an article reminding us 2010 is the 30th anniversary of Alan Jones‘ world championship triumph. When you read the opening paragraph it could easily be re-used for Mark Webber.

“His belligerence was partly a by-product of a long and hard struggle to make it to Formula One racing in the first place. Once there, he was considered little more than a journeyman driver, until he teamed up with the then equally undistinguished ~~Williams~~ Red Bull team.”

See what I mean.

This weekend sees Webber return to Interlagos to defend his Brazilian Grand Prix trophy. A repeat of his 2009 victory would cut Fernando Alonso’s title lead by at least seven points and ensure the final race at Abu Dhabi will decide the winner.

If you were writing the script, the return of an Australian to the summit of Formula One would be a nice fit 30 years after the last Aussie achieved the ultimate prize. It’s worth noting, then, Jones won the last two Grands Prix of his title winning season. A repeat of that stat for Mark Webber would be a wonderful way to cap off his best F1 season to date.

Incidentally, today is Alan Jones’ birthday. So, happy birthday to you AJ, may all your wishes come true. And those of all Australian F1 fans, as well!

[Source: Formula1.com | Pic: AlanJones.com.au]

For sale: 1980 Williams FW07 driven by Alan Jones

Williams FW07/04

This coming weekend Sothebys Australia will be auctioning off a unique piece of Australian motorsport history when they put Alan Jones’ ex-Formula One car under the hammer. Built in 1979 and raced in the same year, as well as Jones’ 1980 championship winning year, the Williams FW07 is expected to sell for close to one million dollars.

The FW07, designed by Patrick Head, was recognised for its aerodynamic ground effects and was good enough to bring Williams the first of its nine F1 constructors titles and first F1 drivers championship. The car up for auction is chassis number 4 (FW07/04) and was used by Jones to win the 1979 German, Austrian and Candian Grands Prix, as well as the 1980 Argentine Grand Prix.

FW07/04 saw an end to its competitive life after it was crashed in testing during the 1980 season. Jones has recounted it was the only time in an F1 car that he feared for his life after the front wheel broke loose and brushed his helmet as it flew over the car.

After its crash FW07/04 was rebuilt for show car purposes and includes a replica Ford-Cosworth DFV engine. The car was sold in 1981 and found its new home at the York Motor Museum in Western Australia.

The car is now available to purchase for the first time since its original sale and James Nicholls from Sothebys hopes there is strong interest in Lot #130, “It’s difficult to tell as this is such a specialist carâ€”we certainly think it will be in the high hundreds of thousands, it could be $700,000 or higher than that. With the (Formula One) race in Melbourne bringing people into the country we’re hoping people are aware of the car, it’s a very prestigious car, a ground-breaking car driven by Alan Jones so it’s pretty significant here and internationally.”

[Source: Sothebys Australia | via carsguide | Pics: Sothebys Australia]