Australian Formula 1 champion Alan Jones dies aged 80 after illness

Alan Jones, the Australian who won the 1980 Formula 1 world championship, has died aged 80. ABC Australia reported his death on November 5.

His family announced the death through Motorsport Australia, according to The Independent. Sky Sports reported that he had experienced a brief illness.

Jones's defining achievement came in 1980, when he became the first Williams driver to win the Formula 1 world title. BBC Sport reported that he also remains the last Australian to win it.

He was only the second Australian champion. Jack Brabham is the only other Australian to have won the series, according to HVG.

Across 10 Formula 1 seasons, Jones won 12 grands prix before retiring in 1986, Guardian Sport reported. His championship was the central achievement of a career that put him among Australia's most successful racing drivers.

On November 5, reports of his death followed the family's announcement. La Nacion attributed the news of his short illness to the family statement.

The coverage establishes Jones's death at 80 following a short illness, but the supplied reports do not identify the illness. The family statement issued through Motorsport Australia is the announcement cited by The Independent.

His place in Formula 1 history rests on two enduring distinctions: Williams's first drivers' world championship and Australia's most recent one. Both were highlighted by BBC Sport in its report of his death.