Former world champions Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill led the tributes to Sir Frank Williams after the Formula 1 team principal was honoured at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

The 68-year-old founder and manager of the Williams F1 team, based at Grove, near Wantage, received the Helen Rollason award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.

Williams has been confined to a wheelchair since severing his spinal cord in a car accident in France in March 1986.

But despite his disability, he continued to run the Williams team as it went on to capture seven drivers’ titles and nine constructors’ championships.

Mansell, who won the 1992 Formula 1 title driving for Williams, said: “To see Frank come through everything and create so many world champions is just fantastic.

“I feel very proud and also humble to think I am part of Frank’s history and also Williams’s history.

“His determination, dedication and fortitude is just awesome.”

And Hill, who won the 1996 F1 title in a Williams car, added: “I just had the greatest time driving for Williams.

“It completely changed my life.

“I don’t think anybody can understand what it is like to run a team in Formula 1 on top of coping with a physical disability.

“You can only stand back in amazement quite frankly.

“Every breath is a battle, but he never asks for pity or exceptions. He gets on with things.”

After Williams co-founder and engineering director Patrick Head received the award from Hill on his behalf, at Birmingham’s LG Arena, Sir Frank said of his incredible journey: “It is one I would love to do again if I were younger.

“I certainly would not try and do anything different. I would try and avoid the accidents of course, but I would have taken it as it comes.”

Looking back on his achievements, in which he helped the Williams team become the third most successful team in Formula 1 history, he picked out some of the highlights.

“The first grand prix win was at Silverstone – home crowd and it was a really strong demonstration run by a very superior car.

“Obviously after that, 1980 was the first world championship won by Alan Jones, the drivers’ championship, and by my fantastic partner on my left Patrick Head, chief designer.

“In those days he really made the world’s best racing cars.”

Williams is consumed by his love of Formula 1.

He still goes into the factory seven days a week, with Christmas Day his only time off.

When he suffered his injury, at the age of 43, doctors pointed out to those close to him that, based on the examples of other people with similar problems, he would be lucky to live another ten years.

Nearly 25 years later, Williams continues to attend most of the races in the marathon F1 calendar.

Head said: “I’m sure Frank had some terrible moments thinking about the change in his life, but he’s never been one to sit around and be sorry for himself.

“His enthusiasm and positive attitude always overcome any difficulties he has.”