Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula One world champion, died on Thursday, November 5, 2026. His wife, Amanda Butler-Davis, announced his passing, stating he died following a short illness a few days after his 80th birthday.
Born in Melbourne, Jones was the son of a racing driver and moved to Europe to pursue a career in motorsport. He made his Formula One debut in 1975 at the Spanish Grand Prix driving for Hesketh. He achieved his first of 12 career race wins in 1977 while driving for the Shadow team at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Jones joined the Williams team in 1978, where he achieved his greatest professional success. During the 1980 season, he won five world championship races and secured a podium finish in every race he completed, except for one. This performance earned him the world title over Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet, making him the second Australian to win the championship after Sir Jack Brabham.
Following his retirement from Formula One in 1986, Jones continued his involvement in the sport as a television commentator and race steward. In these roles, he was known for his critiques of modern drivers, whom he described as "prima donnas" and "too corporate." He also continued racing in Australia's V8 Supercars series until 2002.
The scale of his influence is noted in his longevity within the industry, having competed in professional racing until the age of 55 and remaining a public figure in the paddock for years afterward. His family, including his wife and six children, as well as the fans who followed his career from his 1975 debut through his final V8 Supercars races in 2002, are directly impacted by his passing.
In the day-to-day context of Formula One, Jones’s death concludes a chapter of Australian racing history that has stood since his 1980 victory. As a race steward, his decisions and public critiques regarding driver behavior and corporate influence set a precedent for a more traditionalist view of the sport. The family has not yet reported public memorial dates or specific next steps regarding funeral arrangements.