1980 Williams-Ford FW07B

Pictured is a 1980 Williams-Ford FW07B Grand Prix Car.

 

The FW07B was a development of the 1979 FW07 and driven during 1980 by 1980 World Champion Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann.

 

The car pictured above is Chassis 7 and was raced by Jones on eight occasions during 1980.

 

After winning the opening race of 1980 in the previous year's FW07, Jones' first race with the FW07B came in the second race of the season in South Africa, the Australian running as high as third until retiring with a gearbox failure.

 

Next time out at Zolder for the Belgian Grand Prix Jones put the car on Pole Position and finished as runner-up behind Didier Pironi's Ligier. The car retired from the Monaco Grand Prix with a failed differential although Jones had been running as high as second in the race.

 

The car's first 'win' came in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama, a race that was subsequently erased from the record books. The race took place amidst the infamous FISA/FOCA political war that dogged Formula 1 at the time with the Constructors Association squaring up to the governing body.

 

With threats and counter-threats being made by both sides the fallout saw the non-FOCA teams (Ferrari, Renault and Alfa Romeo) withdraw from the event and the race resumed with the other constructors. The day after the event would see the FIA declare the race results null and void and saw the Grand Prix go down in history as a non-championship event with no championship points awarded.

 

Common sense prevailed for the French Grand Prix four weeks later with all teams competing in a race that saw Jones take the car's first 'official' victory at Paul Ricard, setting fastest lap in the process. Jones then went on to win the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, the third successive victory for the car.

 

After two races using another chassis, Chassis 7 was raced again in the Dutch Grand Prix, Jones leading the race before falling down the order with damage to the aerodynamic skirts underneath the car. He eventually finished eleventh, three laps down on race winner and championship rival Nelson Piquet.

 

Jones would race another FW07B for the last three races of the season, winning the Canadian and United States East Grands Prix to clinch his one and only World Championship title.

 

Chassis 7 did have one final race during 1980, Jones winning the non-championship Australian Grand Prix at Calder Park from Bruno Giacomelli in an Alfa Romeo. The Williams and the Alfa were the only Formula 1 cars in the field with the rest of the grid comprising Formula 5000 and Formula Pacific cars.

 

Argentinian Carlos Reutemann drove the second FW07B during 1980 and would have a strong season himself. He won the Monaco Grand Prix and would take a further seven podium finishes, including three runner-up spots, to end the season third overall.

 

With six 'official' wins between both drivers Williams went on to clinch their first Constructors World Championship with almost double the points tally of runners-up Ligier.

 

Incidentally, the cars raced with numbers 27 and 28. The number 10 on this car hails from it's later competition career in historic events.

 

Pictured in August 2013 at the Donington Grand Prix Collection, Donington Park.

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