Directed by Morgan Matthews

Released by Curzon Artificial Eye

2017, 109 minutes, 15

In UK Cinemas  4th August

Frank Williams as Himself
Claire Williams as Herself
Jackie Stewart as Himself
Jacques Villeneuve as Himself

By Claire Bueno

The life of a red carpet reporter is not always a glamourous one, and on Tuesday 11th July, the heavens would open for the World Premiere of Williams, to remind me just of that.

Still, I was in pole position and hopeful I would secure some winning interviews with Sir Frank Williams’s daughter and Williams Formula One, Deputy Team Principle, Claire Williams; documentary director Morgan Matthews and William’s racing car driver, Lance Stoll.

As a child I remember visiting my aunt for the Birmingham Superprix. The Birmingham streets were transformed into a Formula 3000 race track, and my auntie Doll’s flat over looked it. The weekend was full of adrenaline fuelled motor racing, and so it became an annual pilgrimage for the family.

Austen Rover had a plant in Birmingham, my Nan had worked there. So there was all day racing, different cars locally manufactured, Maestros, Metros all competing ahead of the Formula 3000, and I loved it! The noise, the speed, the rush.

Formula 3000 is the precursor to Formula One. I had always promised myself that when I grew up I would go to Silverstone or Monte Carlo and experience F1, but alas to this day, I have still to fulfil this ambition. So when I was invited to the World Premiere of the Williams documentary, I jumped at the chance.

If you watch this documentary, you’re on to a winner. As I sat to watch the film, I had no idea of its emotional core, which was not what I expected.

“I would hope never to deliver a film which is exactly what people expected. Err, and for me I hope it’s a film that appeals outside of the Formula One fan contingent, although I hope it appeals to them too.” Laughs Morgan Matthews.

Undoubtedly, Williams is one hundred percent rags to riches story. The tenacity, relentless belief and commitment Frank Williams had to build an F1 racing team, is a story out of Hollywood.

But as the expression goes, behind a successful man is a strong woman.

“For me personally, this is a legacy story for us. And I don’t want people to forget the involvement that my Mum had in particular in Williams, that’s been so important to me in this film, and why we’ve done it,” shared Claire, about her mother Virginia Williams.

Having passed away in 2013, we learn more of the inner thoughts of Virginia (Ginny), through interview recordings, which very much forms the backbone to this documentary.

“My Mum was an astonishing woman. If it wasn’t for her the team probably wouldn’t exist, she really bankrolled it, and gave dad and Patrick so much advice in the early years, and then obviously with dad’s accident, if it wasn’t for her, dad, he wouldn’t have made that. So yeah, I’m very proud of my Mum.”

Of course a documentary about William’s racing would not be complete without the participation of the man who was literally the driving force, Sir Frank Williams CBE.

The documentary reveals a private man, who does not open up easily. And one of the many things I personally admired about the film, was that it did not shy away from asking difficult questions.

“Well, that’s partly to do with the time, you know, I spent with the team, and with Claire and with Frank and hopefully with the trust that was built during that time allowed me to feel a bit braver. Because I mean, Frank, you know is a lovely man but he can also be a bit intimidating, he just has a presence, he’s just one of those people,” said Matthews on the privilege of interviewing Sir Frank.

And where would a racing team be without a racing driver, and amongst the red carpet attendees was one of Williams’s current drivers, Lance Stroll.

“Keep working hard and follow your dreams,” advises Stroll, on pursuing a career in racing. Wise words indeed, but actions that were clearly put into practice and demonstrated by Sir Frank Williams.

The story of Williams’s trajectory is remarkable, in fact, inspirational. But for me, the story of the nuts and bolts of a family who were not afraid to strip away the paint, tear off the panels and reveal the chassis of their lives was without doubt the winning formula.