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Piastri says Alan Jones’s life should be celebrated

Conceptual AI-generated editorial motorsport illustration; not a documentary photograph or evidence that a pictured event, meeting or transfer occurred. · 2026-11-06GPBeat newsroom · News Made Clear generated illustration

After Jones died aged 80, Piastri said his life deserved celebration, praised the 1980 champion’s record and acknowledged their limited personal contact.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · · 1 min

Oscar Piastri paid tribute to Alan Jones after the 1980 world champion died aged 80 on Thursday, saying his life “should be very well celebrated”. Speaking ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix, Piastri called it “a very sad day”.

In 1980, Jones became Williams’ first world champion and the team also won its first constructors’ title. Jones took five Grand Prix victories that season, with Carlos Reutemann as his team-mate.

Piastri described Jones as Australia’s most recent world champion. He said Jones had raced long before him and that they had little personal interaction, but recalled that Jones had often had kind things to say about him.

Piastri also said he had driven Jones’s championship-winning car, an experience that gave him a way to connect with the former champion.

Sources 01
  1. PRIMARY SOURCEPiastri leads F1 community in tributes to Alan JonesFormula 1