Williams to celebrate 600 F1 races at British GP

Silverstone - Williams will celebrate completing 600 races in Formula 1 at the British Grand Prix here this weekend.

Founded in 1977 by Frank Williams and Patrick Head, Williams have secured 297 podiums, 114 race wins and 16 World Championship titles over the past 36 years.

Nine of these titles have been won in the Constructors’ Championship, with the remaining seven titles being Drivers’ Championships won with Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve.

Williams have grown into a significant international business since their inception and achievements have earned founder and team principal Frank Williams a knighthood in the 1999 New Year’s Honours List to augment France’s highest decoration, the legion d’Honneur.

The team will celebrate reaching 600 races at their home Grand Prix this weekend, “a fitting place to celebrate as Silverstone witnessed the team’s first ever race win in 1979 and its 100th race win in 1997,” Williams said in a release.

The team will officially reach 600 starts in Formula One at the German Grand Prix the following weekend, and will mark this milestone by displaying the number 600 on the sidepod of both FW35s. The livery will also be emblazoned with the names of all 691 Williams employees who work across all divisions of the Williams Group as a tribute to their continued hard work and dedication, the release added.

Speaking about reaching the landmark, Frank Williams said: “For an independent team like Williams to reach 600 races at the pinnacle of motorsport is a remarkable achievement. 78 teams have come and gone or changed ownership since our foundation and our longevity is a testament to the thousands of people who have sacrificed so much to keep us here. It seems only right to mark this milestone at the home of British motorsport alongside our loyal British fans.”