As the saying goes "Never meet your heroes" this was far from the case with Sir Frank Williams. As an avid Formula 1 fan, I had grown up lapping up every second of F1 content, so when my uncle offered up an invitation to an army recruitment talk hosted at the Williams Conference Centre, I just had to jump at the chance. And that is where every dream I had ever dreamt, and yet to dream came true...
On a cold October afternoon in 2019, I was on my way to the Williams Conference Centre in Wantage, Oxfordshire, the same place that the factory is, the same exact place I knew most of the greats of Formula 1 had trodden. My mum and I rocked up to the gates eagerly awaiting to see where all the magic happens, I had jokingly said 'Imagine if we see George Russell here, or Claire or even Frank!', little did I know who was waiting inside.
Walking into the centre itself was awe inspiring, seeing Felipe Massa's FW40 proudly situated in the centre of the entrance gave me goosebumps, a car I had watched race around the world, it was surreal to say the least. We continued walking in to the Nigel Mansell room, where the conference was being held, and met my uncle who was avidly listening to Frank Williams in the corner of the room.
The feeling of excitement and nerves suddenly crept up, the realisation that someone I had watched on tv growing up, someone I had idolised for years, someone that felt familiar was just sitting right in front of me. Frank was modest in his attire, wearing a plain navy blue jumper, grey trousers and just socks, no shoes. His modest attire was almost fitting, accentuating his down-to-earth-ness, he didn't seem to realise the lasting effect he has had on millions of people.
Frank had a cheekiness to him that could not go amiss, even then aged 77 he still had a glint in his eye that was far from fading. Given that the event was hosted by the British Army, Frank told us his army stories and how he had been refused enrolment having failed his maths exams, saying he was 'pissed off' that he wasn't allowed to serve. But all I could think was thank goodness he was denied, imagine if Frank had become a soldier, the past, present and future of Formula 1 would be startlingly different.
We soon moved onto the topic of languages where Frank told us he had learnt to speak Swedish, intrigued I asked him why that was. Simply put he retorted, 'Sweden has very pretty ladies.' He followed up with a cheeky laugh and a smile that was infectious!
Realising that the conference was starting soon, Frank offered to take a photo with us and even asked me where we wanted the photo taken. Still awe-struck, I asked if we could go in front of Felipe's car by the entrance, Frank was happy to oblige and even winked at me saying 'take your time, what angle of the car would you like?' It really felt as though he cared and had all the time in the world for us, people he had only met half an hour beforehand. It is safe to say that photo is one of my most treasured possessions, with numerous copies printed out, and one even sitting on my bed side table!
In that exact moment, I knew that Formula 1 is exactly what I want to do, I had always been passionate before leading up to this moment, but having met Frank for that short time, he will always have a lasting impact on my life.
The mould was definitely broken when Frank was born. Despite suffering many triumphs and tragedies, he was fuelled by passion and still managed to create a team that amassed 16 Constructors Championships, 7 Drivers Championships and a legacy that will live on forever. A legend has left us, but his legacy will never be forgotten.
Rest In Peace Sir Frank Williams.
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