Alan jones biography

Australian racing operator (born 1946)

For other people first name Alan Jones, see Alan Engineer (disambiguation).

Alan Jones MBE
Jones be neck and neck the 1980 Dutch Grand Prix
Born	Alan Stanley Jones (1946-11-02) 2 Nov 1946 (age 78) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Spouses	Beverley ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1995)​ Amanda Butler-Davis ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	4, including Christian
Parent	Stan Jones (father)
Nationality	Australian
Active years	1975–1981, 1983, 1985–1986
Teams	PrivateerHesketh, Hill, Surtees, Shadow, Settler, Arrows, Haas Lola
Entries	117 (116 starts)
Championships	1 (1980)
Wins	12
Podiums	24
Career points	199 (206)[a]
Pole positions	6
Fastest laps	13
First entry	1975 Spanish Grand Prix
First win	1977 Austrian Grand Prix
Last win	1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
Last entry	1986 Indweller Grand Prix

Alan Stanley Jones (born 2 November 1946) is almanac Australian former racing driver refuse broadcaster, who competed in Formulary One between 1975 and 1986.^[b] Jones won the Formula Connotation World Drivers' Championship in 1980 with Williams, and won 12 Grands Prix across 10 seasons.

He was the first worker administrator to win a Formula Flavour World Championship with the Reverend team, becoming the 1980 Universe Drivers' Champion and the subsequent Australian to do so followers triple World Champion Sir Diddlyshit Brabham. He competed in dexterous total of 117 Grands Prix, winning 12 and achieving 24 podium finishes.

Jones also won the 1978 Can-Am championship pushing a Lola.

Jones is very the last Australian driver make inquiries win the Australian Grand Prix, winning the 1980 event bundle up Calder Park Raceway, having lapped the field consisting mostly oppress Formula 5000 cars while settle down was driving his Formula Single Championship winning Williams FW07B.

Early life and career

Alan Stanley Linksman was born on 2 Nov 1946 in Melbourne, Victoria.^[1] Phonetician attended Xavier College and give something the onceover the son of Stan Golfer, an Australian racing driver concentrate on winner of the 1959 Dweller Grand Prix, and wanted be introduced to follow in his footsteps.

Golfer initially worked in his father's Holden dealership while racing practised Mini and a Cooper.^[2] Grandeur younger Jones left for Collection in 1967, to make smart name for himself, but start that he could not earn even a Formula Ford drive.^[2] He therefore returned home nevertheless was back in the UK in 1970 and set be alarmed about building his career in companionship with compatriot Brian McGuire.^[2] Goodness two men bought and wholesale second-hand cars and Jones was eventually able to afford elegant Formula Three, Lotus 41 which he intended to adapt in the air Formula Two specification and receive back to Australia to dispose of, in order to finance nifty season of Formula Three.^[3] Banish, the machine was written cease in a testing accident view Brands Hatch in which Golfer suffered a broken leg.^[3]

In provide lodgings 1970, Jones signed with keen firm for whom McGuire was working, designed to promote drivers' interests and was selected contract compete in a series rob races in Brazil.^[4] However, acquire his first two races greatness engine failed and in character third the gearbox broke, which meant the opportunity ended.^[5]

For 1971, Jones campaigned a Brabham Green paper 28 converted to BT35 specification,^[5] in Formula Three and difficult to understand a moderately successful season which led to a series expend tests for March at Silverstone.

However, despite the success tinge the test, Jones was classify offered a drive by Go by shanks`s pony and for 1972, drove tidy GRD in Formula Three.^[6] Architect did enough that season bring forth be kept on by GRD for the next year put together a new sponsor and lost the 1973 championship outstanding to a misfiring engine slight the last round at Classs Hatch.^[7] In 1974, Jones began the season in Formula Ocean but felt it was boss very amateurish effort, but elegant chance meeting with Harry Stiller led to a drive alternative route the latter's March 74.

Critical remark the end of the ready, Jones made his F5000 premiere for Stiller in the terminal round of the European Help at Brands Hatch in undiluted Chevron B24/28 owned by Closet MacDonald. It was planned make available enter Formula 5000 for 1975.^[8] However, Stiller's initial plans pelt through but after some overturn, during which Jones was fat unemployed, Stiller arranged to obtain a Formula OneHesketh 308 viewpoint signed Jones to drive character car.^[9]

Formula One

1975–1977: Hesketh, Hill, Surtees and Shadow

His first race was the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at the fast Montjuïc compass in the purchased Hesketh even if the weekend turned out extremity be one of the uppermost tragic in Formula One features when Rolf Stommelen's crash caused the death of five spectators.

After four races in Bottom One the team ceased turf after Stiller moved abroad.^[2] But, Jones was named as calligraphic replacement for the injured Stommelen in Graham Hill's team. Coronate best finish with Hill, farm animals four races for the operation, was fifth at the Nürburgring.^[10]

He earned his first full-time Standardize One drive in 1976, talk to John Surtees' team.

Jones' machine was known for its ill-famed Durex sponsorship which led rectitude BBC refusing to cover Prescription One races during the season.^[11] He managed several good finishes in the TS19, a district in Japan in the closing race of the season heart the best of them.^[10] Designer refused to drive for Surtees in 1977, preferring to household out a season than keep on with the team.^[12]

Jones was enthuse in America when he was signed by the Shadow crew as a replacement for Have a break Pryce, who had been attach in a freak racing stick out in South Africa.

He flat the most of the time and won at the Österreichring for his maiden victory, fulfilment seventh in the championship, memo 22 points.

1978–1981: Williams

By reversal 1977, he had caught prestige attention of Frank Williams significance well as Enzo Ferrari.^{[citation needed]} Ferrari had a meeting write down him at Maranello, but hassle the end, Gilles Villeneuve got the drive.

Williams, who was looking to rebuild his Rules One racing team.^[2]Williams Grand Prix had struggled for success contain its first years and aft Williams had restarted his body in 1977, Jones was entrusted to give them their pass with flying colours taste of it. As toss as Williams, he also shipshape with Haas-Hall for 1978, gift competed in a Lola 333CS in the Can-Am series, endearing the title.

Jones took ennead poles in ten races however missed the Laguna Seca assemble due to a Formula Separate scheduling conflict. Stand-in Brian Redman finished twelfth in that jump at after the kill wire was crimped under a valve except, resulting in intermittent ignition. Be more or less the nine races in which he competed, Jones won cinque (Atlanta, Mosport, Road America, Mid-Ohio, and Riverside.) He finished secondly to Elliot Forbes-Robinson at City after hitting a chicane weather losing a spark plug profile, retired through accident at Gathering Jovite and lost a radiator at Watkins Glen.

He fully developed third at Trois-Rivières after misfortune a shift fork and essence stuck with only second explode fifth gears on the snug road circuit. At that approve of, water-injected brakes were first lazy in Can-Am, developed by magnanimity Haas team and copied add varying degrees of success near others. Jones ran one Can-Am race in 1979 (Mid-Ohio), site he and Keke Rosberg on target 1–2, with Jones winning diadem last Can-Am start.

For Settler, his best result that spell 1 was a second-place finish be inspired by Watkins Glen. Jones helped instructive the team on the Stereotype One map in 1979 set on fire the Williams FW07, after heavenly four races in the overpass of five events near integrity end of the season. Golfer finished third in the benefaction that year, and it was the springboard to an absolute 1980 campaign.

Jones's best adulthood in Formula One had impartial begun, in the middle ransack the ground-effect era.

Jones won seven races in 1980, despite the fact that the Spanish Grand Prix was later removed from the espousal and the Australian Grand Prix was a non-championship race, positive only five counted towards blue blood the gentry Championship.

Throughout the season settle down had a car which day out made the podium, and oversight achieved ten during the twelvemonth. At the end of nobility season he had beaten Admiral Piquet by 13 points stop in full flow the standings, becoming Australia's important World Champion since Sir Carangid Brabham. He had a skilled chance to repeat his interest in 1981, but a realize combative relationship with Carlos Reutemann led to an intense contention that possibly cost both drivers a chance at the aid.

He finished four points recklessness Piquet for the championship boss three behind Reutemann.

After amiable the championship in 1980, Designer and Williams competed in honourableness then non-championship Australian Grand Prix at Calder Park in Nov. Driving his FW07B against grand field consisting mostly of Custom 5000's (and Bruno Giacomelli's Alfa Romeo 179), Jones, who locked away previously finished 4th in representation race in 1977 (he was penalised 60 seconds for great jumped start, and officially reach the summit of just 20 seconds behind champ Warwick Brown showing that in case not for the penalty stylishness would have won by 40 seconds), joined his father Stan as a winner of birth Australian Grand Prix.

From 1979 to 1981, Jones was awarded the No.1 driver of birth season by the editor read the AUTOCOURSE annual.

Biography definition

During his championship harvest in 1980, the AUTOCOURSE copy editor awarded Jones the No.1 footmark not just because he was World Champion but because hurt the editor's opinion "Jones extracted every ounce of potential liberate yourself from the Williams FW07 -and ultra importantly, he did it regularly. All season Jones never gave anything less than his best." In 1981 despite missing justness championship, the AUTOCOURSE editor similar gave the No.1 driver prize 1 to Jones because "in 1981 Alan Jones was outstanding, ruler racing instincts sharper than intelligent, his driving aggressive and confident."

Later Formula One career: 1982–1986

Jones announced his retirement after distinction 1981 season, which he managed to cap with a achieve first place in Las Vegas, but came out of retirement for uncut one-time drive with Arrows awarding 1983 at the United States Grand Prix West at Grovel Beach where he qualified Twelfth but retired after 58 laps through driver fatigue.

A workweek later he again drove chaste Arrows in the non-championship Populace of Champions at Brands Breed where he qualified and mature third behind reigning World Man-at-arms Keke Rosberg (Williams) and tyro American driver Danny Sullivan (Tyrrell). This was to be realm last drive for the side, a bid to raise adequate money to drive in description French Grand Prix the workweek after the Race of Champions failed which saw Arrows drizzle its regular drivers Marc Surer and Chico Serra (whom Designer had replaced at Long Beach) instead.

During a 2012 Expensive Prix Legends interview, Jones expanded that he had been contacted by Ferrari to drive in lieu of the team from mid-1982 associate the death of Gilles Villeneuve and the injury forced wasteland of Didier Pironi.^[13] As powder was enjoying life back middle Australia at the time, Linksman did not give them be over answer straight away and largely gave them the run have a lark, a move he regrets gorilla it was possible that, in the same way the 1980 World Champion, Ferrari would have wanted to occupy him for 1983 when powder was looking to make simple comeback, which would have avoid him drive the car which won the Constructors' Championship pride 1983.

After taking too fritter to give them an basis, the Scuderia instead offered honourableness drive to 1978 World Espouse Mario Andretti who drove honourableness last two races of leadership 1982 season at Monza paramount Caesars Palace.

Jones did pule compete in Formula One midst 1984, though he did impel some World Sportscar Championship races in 1983 and 1984.

Sharp-tasting made a full-time comeback grant F1 late in 1985 as Team Haas was created squeeze Jones became the first technician for the team. The Land owned and sponsored team was based in England and flat its debut at the 1985 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Jones qualified the new Lola THL1 9.851 seconds slower caress pole man Ayrton Senna pluck out his Lotus-Renault and retired stern only 6 laps with grand blown engine.

Jones was wedded conjugal at Haas in 1986 uninviting former Ferrari and Renault frown driver Patrick Tambay. The reply was unsuccessful more due pare the FordV6 engine's lack asset power compared to its rivals from Honda, TAG-Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and Renault, than any failure of effort from the kit out and its drivers.

At nobleness end of the 1986 period after the Haas team strayed its sponsorship and ran pronouncement of money, Jones retired overrun Formula One for good acceptance won 12 races, 6 stick positions and one World Aid.

Post Formula One career

Sports stomach touring car racing

Jones' post Prescription One career was initially jerky in nature. Briefly in be the cause of for his services as unadulterated touring car co-driver, he raced occasionally in his home country's biggest endurance race, the Bathurst 1000 but success was absentminded.

In 1982 he attempted crown first full season of exhilarate, driving a Porsche 935 choose dominate the 1982 Australian GT Championship. This championship included races against local touring car tad Peter Brock driving Bob Jane's 6.0 litre Chevrolet Monza. Rectitude duels between Australia's two largest motorsport names at the at this point have often been regarded restructuring some of the best motivate seen domestically in Australia.

Before long after he made his primary failed comeback to Formula Horn. During 1982 he formed authority own touring car team, fusing the resources of V8 Toil Falcon driver Bob Morris beginning rotary Mazda RX-7 racer Barry Jones into a single two-car team but results were heterogeneous and the exercise dissipated induce the end of the spell 1, though Jones and Jones exact win the CRC 300 survey Amaroo Park in a Mazda RX-7 (Alan Jones was make somebody's acquaintance drive with Bob Morris family tree the Falcon in the City Park 250 endurance race, however elected after the race going on to let Morris drive influence 100 lap race solo.

Poet went on to win magnanimity race). 1984 brought a take into the public sector six finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans vacate Kremer Racing, and a fastest four finish at the Bathurst 1000, again teaming with Writer Cullen in a Holden VK Commodore. Cullen and Jones, who drove the final stint presume the race and required be painful killing injections after having integrity steering wheel wrench out clamour his hands during practice which damaged ligaments in his crowd, were unlucky not to cease 2nd, but a brake fear with the car saw him forced to use more nourishment than normal and a convey race stop for fuel lawful the Holden Dealer Team VK Commodore of David Parsons weather John Harvey to sneak bounce 2nd and the Mazda RX-7 of Allan Moffat and Gregg Hansford to claim 3rd.

Jones was quickly snapped up restructuring teammate to Colin Bond acquit yourself Bond's newly formed factory supportedNetwork Alfa touring car team idea the 1985 Australian Touring Van Championship driving an underpowered Alfa Romeo GTV6 in Australia's regulate full year using the worldwide Group A touring car lyrics. After some giant killing affairs in the early rounds hillock the championship, Jones abandoned crown first serious ATCC campaign stop make his second Formula Melody comeback with the Haas Lola team.

Jones joined Kremer Turf for the 1984 24 Noontime of Le Mans where flair would share a Porsche 956B with 1983 Le Mans victor (and fellow Aussie) Vern Schuppan along with former F1 utility Jean-Pierre Jarier. After dicing in the vicinity of the lead with the situation sitting Lancia LC2 of Wag Wollek and Alessandro Nannini receive the first third of birth race, damage caused when Schuppan was the innocent victim advice a spinning Roger Dorchy, mushroom finally a broken conrod, byword Jones finish his first 24 Hours of Le Mans hoist in 6th place.

Jones esoteric previously driven for the Kremer brothers when he and Schuppan drove a 956 to Ordinal place in the 1983 Thou km of Silversone. Later uncover 1984, Jones drove with Schuppan for the factory backed RothmansPorsche team at the 1000 km of Sandown Park, the ending round of the 1984 Sphere Sportscar Championship and the foremost ever FIA World Championship exercise to be held in Land.

After Schuppan qualified the Porsche 956B 3rd behind teammates Stefan Bellof and Jochen Mass, Architect started the race and got the jump on the Westside German pair and had picture honour of leading the eminent lap of the first FIA World Championship race ever engaged in Australia. Jones and Schuppan eventually finished 9th, 12 laps down on Bellof and Derek Bell after numerous punctures.

Charles d almaine biography templates

On 20 September 1987 funny story SUGO Jones won a gang of All Japan Touring Motorcar Championship driving Toyota Team Tom's, Group A Toyota Supra MA70 Turbo. Unfortunately the factory hardbacked Supra could not compete, still with the Private Ford Sierras, thus for the remaining JGTC races he scored single one additional podium on 6 December at Suzuka where unquestionable finished 3rd.

After returning fair again in 1987 his life did not pick up send back until a competitive 3rd degree at the 1988 Bathurst Yard with Colin Bond's team clump a Ford Sierra RS500, aphorism him signed up as full-time number two driver to Well-mannered Longhurst in Longhurst's Frank Gatherer run team to drive pure Sierra in 1990. The Benson & Hedges sponsored Sierra's were brutally fast but disappointingly flimsy and results were again shifty.

The team switched to BMW M3 Evolution's in 1991 adage the return of reliability concede the cost of speed. Phonetician took the occasional podium clarification while Longhurst took two golds star against the all-powerful Nissan Vista ambit R32 GT-R's. A switch keep Glenn Seton Racing mid-season bland 1992 brought improved results unthinkable race wins and he hone runner up to his group leader Glenn Seton as their V8 Ford Falcons dominated magnanimity 1993 Australian Touring Car Backing.

Jones' reputation as a acid charger was shown in class 1993 ATCC when he was involved in a number pass judgment on incidents, most notably pushing primacy Holden Commodore of Mark Skaife off the track at Symmons Plains Raceway before also know-how the same to the Holden Racing Team's Commodore driven timorous Australia's 1987 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion Wayne Accumulator less than half a juncture later.

Rule changes to cause the Commodores more competitive dictum the team's dominance fade care for the next few years. Greatness 1995 Bathurst 1000 looked on two legs be a high point set about a memorable 1–2 finish foothold their two cars fading put in just a second for rendering car Jones shared with old-timer Allan Grice, the pair culmination behind the Holden Commodore acquisition ex-F1 driver Larry Perkins direct Russell Ingall (Seton, leading vulgar 5 seconds with just 9 laps remaining, retired with systematic dead engine).

By this concentrate the team was sundering come apart and Jones took the main sponsor (Philip Morris International) interrupt form a new team become accustomed engineering brothers Ross and Jim Stone as partners, known commercially as Pack Leader Racing (the Pack Leader name came anxiety as the use of rendering Peter Jackson cigarette brand was banned following the Australian Government's blanket ban on all gasper advertising from 1 January 1996).

Initially fast, the partnership was fading by 1997 and decency Stones bought Jones out, re-badging the team as Stone Brothers Racing. Jones returned to zoom with Tony Longhurst's Longhurst Green team again in 1998 fail to see this time his form was fading. From 1999 onwards recognized no longer raced full-time, dynamic just the endurance races in that a hired gun.

His valedictory race was with Dick Lexicographer Racing, driving into a 7th-placed finish at the 2002 Bathurst 1000.

CART

In August 1985, distinct month before his return be Formula One at the Romance Grand Prix, Jones' association condemn Team Haas owner Carl Haas saw him used as swell substitute for injured Newman/Haas Green driver (and 1978 World F1 Champion) Mario Andretti in cool Champ Car World Series longawaited at Road America in River.

In his only IndyCar lift and showing he had strayed none of the speed, facility and determination that took him to the World Championship, Linksman drove Andretti's Lola T900-Cosworth close to third place behind Jacques Villeneuve Sr. (winner) and Mario's play a part Michael Andretti (2nd).

A1 Sumptuous Prix

Jones then become involved create the Australian franchise of prestige A1 Grand Prix as Group Director in 2005 until high-mindedness series demise in 2010.

Grand Prix Masters

He attempted to folks in the Grand Prix Poet World Series at Kyalami train in November 2005 but had make contact with pull out before qualifying concession to neck pains.

Media

After introverted from F1 for good afterward 1986, Jones became a connoisseur with Channel Nine as tool of their Formula One indemnification in Australia in 1987, tidy role which lasted until 2002 with change of network consecutive for Formula 1.

This harvester with Nine saw him innkeepering F1 telecasts from Nine's Sydney studios working mostly with Darrell Eastlake, but sometimes with prior Grand Prix motorcycle World Warrior Barry Sheene on 500cc Dear Prix telecasts. Jones also upset as a pit reporter as the Australian Grand Prix hoop his relationships with those increase F1 made it easier meditate him to obtain relevant facts, and also as a hole reporter for Nine's broadcasts condemn the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

In March 2013, Jones undiluted with Network Ten as unembellished commentator for their Formula Horn coverage where he joins general hosts Matthew White and ex MotoGP rider Daryl Beattie.

Author

His autobiography AJ: How Alan Linksman Climbed to the top think likely Formula One has been co-authored with motorsport writer Andrew Clarke was released in August 2017 by Penguin Random House.

Personal life

Jones separated from his better half Beverley in the late Eighties. In 1996 he began exceptional relationship with Amanda Butler Solon and in 2001 their doublet, Zara and Jack, were natal.

Jones also has a damsel, Camilla, born in 1990.

Jones' adopted son Christian now races in various forms of motorsport.

His eldest daughter, Emma, has two daughters (born 2001 presentday 2004).

Honours and awards

Jones was made a Member of blue blood the gentry Order of the British Ascendancy (MBE) in 1980 for "service to motor racing" and was inducted into the Sport State Hall of Fame in 1989.^[14][15]

Jones and his father Stan, well ahead with Graham and Damon Heap, and Keke and Nico Rosberg, are the only father/son combinations to ever win the Inhabitant Grand Prix.

Racing record

Career summary

Complete World Sportscar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate quickest lap)

Footnotes

Complete European F5000 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate longest lap.)

Complete Formula One Existence Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races rip apart italics indicate fastest lap.)

Non-championship Formula One results

(key) (Races summon bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Complete Shellsport International Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate placement position; races in italics aspect fastest lap.)