Frank Williams, founder and former boss of the team that bears his name and that still ranks as one of the most dominant and successful in the history of Formula One, died on Sunday at the age of 79.

The sport's chief executive Stefano Domenicali, a former boss of rivals Ferrari, paid tribute to the Englishman and said the F1 family had lost a "much loved and respected member."

"He was a true giant of our sport that overcame the most difficult of challenges in life and battled every day to win on and off the track," the Italian said in a statement.