The 1997 Formula 1 World Championship proved to be a pivotal one for Williams. Not only did it mark the final season of Williams incredibly successful partnership with Renault, but the FW19 would be the final Adrian Newey-designed Williams. With Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen as the team’s main drivers, the FW19 secured an exceptional eight wins across the 17 Grands Prix on the calendar, alongside 11 pole positions, 9 fastest laps, and 15 podiums.

The Drivers’ Championship was decided at the European Grand Prix at Jerez where the pivotal moment in the season came from Villeneuve battling with title contender Michael Schumacher in his second year racing for Ferrari. In that race, the final round of the championship, Villeneuve managed to overtake Schumacher going into the Dry Sac corner, resulting in Schumacher turning into Villeneuve, a move which sent Schumacher into the gravel, therefore destroying his championship hopes. Escaping without major damage to his car, Villeneuve finished the race in third and took his one and only Drivers’ Championship title.

Of the six FW19s built by Williams, this example, chassis number 06, would be the final example built and was used exclusively in testing by Williams. Appearing for the first time on track at Magny Cours for a test over June 18-19 with Heinz-Harald Frentzen behind the wheel, this was just three days after the Canadian Grand Prix, the seventh round of the championship. Chassis no. 06 was tested only on European tracks, but at some of the most iconic tracks in Formula 1, including Silverstone, Monza, and Barcelona. In addition to Frentzen, Jacques Villeneuve would also see time behind the wheel of 06 during his sole World Championship season. The car would also be driven by Jean-Christophe Boullion during the season (who was racing for Williams in the British Touring Car Championship at the time), as well as being driven by Soheil Ayari and Nicolas Minassian during a post-season test at Barcelona in December of 1997.

Retained by Williams for the following twenty years, the car was sold to its first private owner in 2019 following a restoration to running and driving condition completed in 2017. Having been well looked after by Williams Heritage whilst in private ownership, the car has been driven 173 km out of a maximum available mileage of 1,000 km available before necessitating an overhaul including full engine rebuild by Williams Heritage. In advance of future use, the car will require a service by Williams Heritage. Please contact a member of the RM Sotheby’s Private Sales team for further information.

Nearly two decades after the model was introduced, the FW19 remains amongst Williams most significant Formula 1 cars, combining the best of their partnership with Renault, namely a 3.0-litre V-10 engine producing 730-760 bhp at an eardrum-shattering 17,000 RPM, Adrian Newey’s legendary skill and abilities, and the tenacity of two drivers that lead them to both the Driver’s and Constructors Championships for 1997. Although chassis number 06 never saw competition, it undoubtedly assisted the team in refining and enhancing the model mid-season, helping the team to secure their most recent championship titles in Williams’ storied history.

As such, chassis number 06 would be an astute acquisition for any keen driver, either someone willing to dip their toes into the waters of Formula 1 for the first time, or a seasoned driver looking to buy a fully prepared car to enjoy on track with the support of the same team and constructor who manufactured it in period.