F1 legend reaches milestone in Monaco

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Williams founder Sir Frank Williams is not one for the limelight.

The Monaco Grand Prix is his 600th Formula One race, a milestone unlikely to be challenged for a long time.

The Briton, however, is typically dismissive of the achievement.

"As most people would expect, reaching 600 grands prix means very little to me."

The 66-year-old's first Formula One race was in Spain in 1969, when he entered compatriot Piers Courage at the old Montjuic circuit in Barcelona.

Although his car failed to finish due to engine problems, he and Courage claimed second in the Monaco Grand Prix a fortnight later.

Since then Williams has won 113 races, seven drivers' titles and nine constructors' world championships, and this year he became the longest-serving individual entrant in Formula One.

Sir Frank said there had been "some brilliant moments" over the past 40 years, but also alluded to times of "great sadness."

Career hit by tragedy twice

Ayrton Senna's 1994 crash death while driving a Williams car at Imola -- only his third race since joining the team -- resulted in Italian manslaughter charges, which took years of legal wrangling before Sir Frank and five others were cleared of any wrongdoing.

Eight years earlier Sir Frank was driving in France when he lost control of his rental car. The accident left him paralyzed and wheelchair bound.

However, Sir Frank said he was content with where he had ended up.

"If I was 40 years younger, I would still choose the same path towards where I find myself today."

He describes Formula One as an "addiction," which had him hooked from the start.

"When I was very young, motor cars were few and far between but I always loved them. I was just thrilled by their speed and their specification."

Sir Frank believed the most significant change in Formula One had been the level of safety.

"The advances we've seen over the years are very much down to Max Mosley and the FIA."

One of the other great changes has been the level of funding required to keep a team a float.

Money remains hard to find

Sir Frank famously managed to keep his teams running on shoe-string budgets in the 1970s, once even doing business from a public phone box, and money remains an issue.

"Making ends meet is the single largest problem that I face... better results always help, but when we have a good year we reap the rewards for the following few years.

"We haven't been what I would call a force for a good few years, but I hope that we will be an honest and able competitor."

His 33-year relationship with Patrick Head, a co-owner and Williams' director of engineering, has been an enduring feature of the team's success.

Head was effusive about his friend.

"For Frank to reach 600 grands prix is a hell of an achievement. I know this will sound rather trite, but he really loves Formula One, and motor racing in general, and I think that's the secret of his longevity."

Head said Sir Frank had changed little, bar the obvious physical injury from his accident, since employing him in 1975.

"When we first started working together, I suppose you could say he was a bit like Tigger [of Winnie the Pooh fame], full of enthusiasm and excitement.

"Since his accident, he's become a deeper thinker and much more strategic, and I think that has benefited the team. Being Frank, I expect him to be the least interested person in the 600 celebrations in Monaco. He'll be too busy thinking about the future."

Drivers laud "amazing" man

Alan Jones, a world champion with Williams in 1980, said Sir Frank never ceased to amaze him.

"I look upon Williams as family. I grew up with them... Frank and Patrick are unbelievably professional. They would walk over broken glass and hot coals to go racing."

David Coulthard and Jenson Button, who now drive for Red Bull and Honda respectively, said they owed their careers to Sir Frank.

"Frank is a remarkable man. He's highly intelligent, yet also modest, and he's an out-and-out racer. He's never been against taking a punt on a young driver, which is what he did with me. I owe my career to him," Coulthard said.

Button, meanwhile, said he would be "forever grateful" after Sir Frank asked him to test a car.

"That first year in 2000 was a great learning year for me and both he and Patrick were very patient. We had some fantastic races together."

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