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Alan Jones, Australia’s 1980 Formula One champion, dies aged 80
Australian Formula One champion Alan Jones has died aged 80 after a short illness; Nine reported he had been diagnosed with cancer weeks earlier. His victory in the 1980 drivers’ championship gave Williams its first title and made Jones one of only two Australians to win the crown.
Jones claimed 12 Grand Prix victories and finished 13 points ahead of Nelson Piquet in 1980, securing the championship with a race to spare. He began racing after growing up around his father Stan, an Australian Grand Prix winner, and later became a familiar television voice for Australian viewers; his final F1 appearance was at the 1986 Australian Grand Prix.
In short
- Alan Jones has died aged 80 after a short illness.
- He won the 1980 Formula One drivers’ title.
- His 12 Grand Prix wins made him a leading Australian racing figure.
Explained simply
Formula One is the top international series of single-seat motor racing, with drivers competing for a season-long championship. Alan Jones grew up around racing through his father, Stan Jones, who won the Australian Grand Prix.
Jones won 12 Formula One races and took the 1980 drivers’ championship, finishing ahead of Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet. The title was Williams’s first, marking an important early success for the British team. Jones later became a familiar television commentator in Australia; his last Formula One appearance was at the 1986 Australian Grand Prix.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Aussie F1 racing legend Alan Jones dies after short illness battle”.