Monoposto
Designer: Patrick Head
Chassis #: FW06/04
One of the favorite teams up and down the paddock, Williams Grand Prix Engineering would get its start literally through a lot of hard work, sweat, and even some tears. And while the team has become one of the most successful in Formula One history its start would be less than spectacular. But that would all begin to change when Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head rejoined forces and developed the FW06.Though he was the son of a Royal Air Force officer, having a job as a traveling grocery salesman was not about to be able to fully fund a career in racing. Still, Frank Williams would do his best as motor racing was a great passion of his. Unfortunately, by the end of 1966 he had come to realize that his talents didn't necessarily lie in being a driver. Therefore, he focused on starting a second-hand car and parts business.The business would be successful enough to allow him to start his own team named Frank Williams Racing Cars. During his short racing career, he would participate in races against the likes of Piers Courage and Jonathan Williams. In fact, he had even shared an apartment with them in London while he tried to get his own racing career on track. This relationship would prove to be important as he would enter cars for Courage during the late 60s and would actually be successful. Courage, driving an ex-factory Brabham entered by Williams, would go on to earn two 2nd place results in 1969.
Unfortunately, things would go downhill from there. Courage would die in a crash at Zandvoort taking away the promising driver and much of the hopes Williams would have with his new partnership with Alessandro de Tomaso. This partnership would come to an end at the end of '70 and the team itself would be taken away from Williams after having gone into partnership with Walter Wolf in 1976.
After a disappointing start to the season with a retirement in the Argentine Grand Prix, Jones would just miss out on a top-ten result in Brazil. However, in only the third race for the FW06 Jones would manage to come home in 4th place in the South African Grand Prix, and this despite starting the race in 18th place on the grid. After a 5th place at the French Grand Prix that would net the team 2 more championship points, Jones and the team would suffer a string of retirements. However, the end of the season would end rather strongly for the team when Jones finished 2nd at Watkins Glen. This would give him 6 points and would give the team a total of 11 for the year-end tally. As a result, Williams would end the season 9th in the Constructors' Championship while Jones would finish 11th in the Drivers' Championship.
Offered at RM Auctions' event in Monaco in 2012 would be chassis number FW06/04. This particular chassis would be one of two FW06 chassis that would be built for the beginning of the 1979 season while the team finished preparations of the new FW07. Alan Jones would happen to drive this particular chassis all the way up to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. And while the ground-effects cars were absolutely dominant Head's talent in designing the FW06 would help Jones go on to score a fabulous 3rd place result at Long Beach. He would also just miss out on another podium finish at the French Grand Prix just prior to the British Grand Prix.
After serving its time on the race track, FW06/04 would be sold to Count Zanon. It is believed the car was then even raced by Count Zanon with Giacomo Agustini and Leyla Lombardi having time behind the wheel of the car.Some time later, FW06/04 would be sold and would head to the United States to be part of a collection. In the early 1990s, John Flemming would gain interest in the car and would actually purchase it. Mr. Flemming and Mike Littlewood would actually make it a rolling museum piece by taking it to the track and competing with it in historic races. This would attract the interest of noted vintage-racer Tony Smith.Tony Smith would come to own the car in 1998 and would campaign the car extensively. He would take part in such races as the Thoroughbred Grand Prix and the Historic Formula One Series all the way up to 2009.After the conclusion of the 2009 season, the car would undergo thorough examination, which would include crack-testing and rebuilding the gearbox, which would be performed by BPA Engineering. At about the same time, a crisp short-stroke engine would be fitted to the chassis along with a new clutch. The engine's camshafts and inlet trumpets would all be conforming to the mandated rev limit of Historic Formula One. A whole list of other components would be either restored or replaced bringing the car up to race-ready status. Some of the work would include new bearings, selector forks, crown wheel and pinion, gun-drilled drive shafts and resealed brake calipers with brand new pads. Even the front-suspension is new with new uprights being fitted to the chassis. And, of course, the latest fire management system has also been fitted to the car as well.Coming to auction with am extensive package of spare components it is clear FW06/04 is still meant to take to the track in an effort to uphold the honor of Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head. A true example of the first collaboration between Sir Frank and Patrick Head, chassis FW06/04 is certainly a Formula One time-piece and was estimated to draw between 480,000 and 580,000 EUR at auction. However, the car would not be sold as the highest bid of 440,000 EUR would not enable the car to be sold.Sources:
'Lot No. 363: 1978 Williams FW06 Formula One Racing Car', RM Auctions. Retrieved 16 May 2012.'People: Sir Frank Williams',GrandPrix.com. http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/cref-wilfra.html. Retrieved 16 May 2012.'Who We Are', (http://www.williamsf1.com/team). Williams F1 Team. Retrieved 16 May 2012.Wikipedia contributors, 'Williams F1', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 May 2012, 02:41 UTC, accessed 16 May 2012 Ultimatecarpage.com: Powered by Knowledge, Driven by Passion. Retrieved 16 May 2012.'Constructors/1978/Williams-Ford Cosworth', ManipeF1.Retrieved 16 May 2012.
By Jeremy McMullen
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