The team was formed in 1977 after Frank Williams's two earlier unsuccessful F1 operations: Frank Williams Racing Cars (1969 to 1975) and Wolf–Williams Racing (1976).
O equipo formouse en 1977 logo de dous intentos fracasados de Frank Williams de dirixir dous equipos anteriormente: Frank Williams Racing Cars (1969 a 1975) e Wolf-Williams Racing (1976).