- Frank Williams of 'Williams Grand Prix Engineering' and his team are the profile of this 1988 documentary, who ranks among Enzo Ferrari and Colin Chapman as one of the great racing car constructors. With archive footage and up to date footage of the build-up to the 1988 season, 'Williams' have seen many changes and developments, and this year is no different. Fresh from the mighty success with the 1.5 litre turbocharged 'Honda' engines from 1984 to 1987, 'Williams have a new 3.5 litre naturally-aspirated V8 'Judd' engine. With decisions on the current car, there are sponsors to keep onboard and happy whilst planning for the future of the team and its hoped for return to success.—Britrick_c21
- After the introductory fanfare of "Prussia's Glory" by 'Johann Gottfried Piefke' and a fast paced collection of sponsors logos, 'Toys for the Boys' is a 1988 documentary about the Williams (Grand Prix Engineering)' team. This features interviews with staff at 'Williams' including Public Affairs Manager; Peter Windsor, Head of Development and Research; Frank Dernie and Engineering Director; Patrick Head. There is also an interview with Keith Botsford, the motor racing editor of 'The Sunday Times'.
There is archive footage of German racing manager Alfred Neubauer of 'Daimler Benz' ('Mercedes Benz') in the late 1930s, showing the power of advertising (and the hidden Nazi propaganda).
After the Second World War, when motor racing became a more mainstream sport open to the masses of potential teams and fans too, we see additional archives of the evolution of 'F1' with stars like Graham Hill and Jim Clark in 1967 and their team boss Colin Chapman.
Hot on their heels are the new fresh teams like 'Frank Williams Cars' of 1970 with racing drivers like 'Howden Ganley' and many more. In 1977 the team would become 'Williams Grand Prix Engineering' and slowly but surely a new force on the grid would challenge the established rivals.
Towards the end of the 1980s, there were up to 18 Formula One' teams, with 7 being British. In 1988, 'Mobil Oil' paid 'Williams' £2.5m for advertising on the cars of Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese. We see Peter Windsor giving a speech and guided tour to some VIP's of one of their sponsors 'Mobil Oil' around the factory. He shows them the processes involved in producing a racing car and also a visit to their heritage centre to see the winning cars from previous years. His final stop is at the wind tunnel with detailed miniature models that the team uses to check and refine the aerodynamics of that years new cars.
The power of modern sponsorship by the big tobacco manufacturers with their industrial scale advertising is displayed by that of the 1988 advert of 'Team Lotus' and its drivers, Nelson Piquet and Satoru Nakajima.
Toward the end of the documentary, there is some additional archive of Frank Williams and his Race Director; Peter Collins in the 'Williams' workshop from 1985 to show how Frank Williams was prior to his road car crash.
On the 8th of March 1986, Frank was driving back from an 'F1' test in the south of France with Peter Windsor, when he misjudged a corner at speed and the car left the road. The car crashed and rolled into a field after hitting a ditch. The effects of this were so severe that the car roof was crushed and Frank become a quadraplegic, but Peter was lucky to emerge almost unharmed. Despite the grave prognosis, Frank battled to survive and gradually recovered only a small amount of movement in his shoulders, After some time, he was able to move his wheelchair, with his arms despite the loss of feeling.
At the time of this documentary (early 1988) Frank is chauffeured to the factory and helped into his wheelchair by Ian, always ready to help but Frank's ability to wheel himself around the factory shows his bravery and determination. After a another day at the office and being taken back home by Ian, Frank's mind is clearly focused on the Grand Prix of old, with the closing fanfare of "Les Préludes" by 'Frank Liszt'.
The documentary ends with a repeat of the German military march "Prussia's Glory".
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