Alan Jones, 1980 F1 Champion, Dies Aged 80
Former Formula 1 world champion Alan Jones died on November 5, 2026, at age 80 following a short illness. The Australian won the 1980 drivers title with Williams, securing 12 grand prix victories across his career from 1975 to 1986. He remains the last Australian to claim the championship.
Alan Jones passes away at 80
Former Formula 1 world champion Alan Jones died on November 5, 2026, at the age of 80 following a short illness. His wife Amanda Butler-Davis confirmed the news in a statement released through Motorsport Australia. Jones turned 80 on November 2. [1]
Jones won the 1980 drivers championship with Williams, becoming the British team's first world champion. He secured five victories that season and finished on the podium in all but one completed race to claim the title ahead of Nelson Piquet. Across 116 starts from 1975 to 1986 he recorded 12 grand prix wins. [2]
The Australian remains the last driver from his nation to win the F1 title, following Jack Brabham. Jones made his debut at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix and later drove for teams including Shadow, Arrows and Haas. [3]
Career highlights
Jones joined Williams in 1978 and finished third in the 1979 championship before his title success. He retired at the end of 1981 after a final victory in Las Vegas. Williams described him as instrumental in establishing the team as a title contender and a true Australian icon. [1]
Related reading
- [1]F1 champion Alan Jones passes away, aged 80 (formula1). Accessed 2026-11-06.
- [2]1980 F1 world champion Alan Jones dies aged 80 (autosport). Accessed 2026-11-06.
- [3]Alan Jones dies aged 80: Ex-F1 champion 'dedicated his life to motorsport' (bbc). Accessed 2026-11-06.