A page of history turned on Friday in Formula 1, with the officialization of the sale of the team Williams. The Grove team came under the control of an American investment fund, Dorilton Capital, leaving the family fold. The identity will remain, but Frank Williams, founder and pillar of the epic since 1975, no longer owns his work.
Under his leadership, Williams has achieved many successes, and if the last world title dates back to 23 years ago, the statistics remain staggering. In 750 Grand Prix contested, the British team has 114 victories (including 33 doubles), 128 pole positions and 312 podiums.
1980 – World constructors and pilots champion
In 1980, five years after Williams debuted in its final form, Alan Jones is the first driver to offer him the world title. The Australian also pocketed the crown for the drivers, after a season during which he won five times and took pole position three times. His teammate Carlos Reutemann clinches a victory that year.
1981 – World constructors champion
The following year Jones and Reutemann were beaten in the championship by Nelson Piquet (Brabham). Nevertheless, the results of the two men allow Williams to retain his world title among constructors, with a record of four wins (two for each driver) and two pole positions.
1982 – Drivers’ World Champion
In 1982, the reverse happened, at the end of a particularly trying year marked by tragedies, including the accidental death of Gilles Villeneuve or the accident of Didier Pironi. The title seemed promised to one of the two Ferrari drivers, but fatality thus allows Keke Rosberg to be crowned at the end of the season, despite a single victory. Williams, however, cedes his crown among the constructors, finishing only fourth.
1986 – World Constructors Champion
We then have to wait four years, and the association between Williams and Honda, to see the British team return to the world title. Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet share no less than nine victories (five for the Briton, four for the Brazilian), also sign two pole positions each and this solid record sees Williams recover the title. The two men were, however, defeated in the championship by a Alain Prost (McLaren) relentlessly regular.
1987 – World constructors and pilots champion
The following season, Piquet and Mansell confirm, and this time it is the double in the championship for Williams. The Brazilian driver is crowned in front of the Briton, who nevertheless won six of the team’s nine victories during the season. He is also devilishly quick in qualifying with eight pole positions against four at Piquet, but his seven Grands Prix without scoring points are crippling.
1992 – World constructor and driver champion
The year 1992 is that of the first coronation for the victorious association between Williams and Renault. Nigel Mansell dominates the season outrageously: he pocketed nine wins after having taken pole position 14 times. His teammate Riccardo Patrese only collects the crumbs with a victory and a pole position.
1993 – World constructor and driver champion
A year later, the Williams-Renault still dominates its subject, and it is the ghost Alain Prost, after a sabbatical year, who benefits. The year is not as easy as it seems for the Frenchman behind the scenes, but he still manages to clinch his fourth and last world title, with seven wins and 13 pole positions. Damon Hill brings its stone to the building with three successes.
1994 – World constructors champion
The year 1994 is a trauma for Williams, who sees his star recruit Ayrton Senna kill himself behind the wheel of the FW14 in Imola. Damon Hill must don the title contender costume but fails against Michael sSchumacher. The British driver nonetheless signs six victories, Nigel Mansell one for his quick comeback in the team.
1996 – World constructor and driver champion
After failing the two previous years, Damon Hill won the Grail in 1996, still driving a Williams-Renault. The Grove team are then at the top and pocket the two world titles, since Hill signs eight victories and his teammate Jacques Villeneuve offers four. The two men also accumulate 12 pole positions (nine for Hill, three for Villeneuve).
1997 – World constructors and pilots champion
Hill crowned and gone to Arrows, Villeneuve takes over in 1997. The duel against Ferrari and Schumacher is epic, ending in a real thriller in Jerez. The Canadian is crowned after having won seven victories and signed ten pole positions. Williams took the constructors’ world title for the last time to date, helped by contributions from Heinz-Harald Frentzen (one victory, one pole). 
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