William Ferguson

William James "Bill" Ferguson (born 1 June 1935) is an Australian former racing driver who made a single Formula One World Championship appearance. Born in Australia, Ferguson competed in the 1972 Australian Grand Prix, which was a round of the Formula One World Championship that year. He drove a Brabham-Repco and was classified as not having qualified for the race. This represented his only Formula One World Championship event, though he was active in Australian motorsport during the 1960s and 1970s.

Ferguson competed in various Australian national racing categories including Formula 5000, sports car racing, and touring car events. He raced at Australian circuits including Sandown, Warwick Farm, and others, competing against leading Australian drivers of the era. The 1972 Australian Grand Prix was held at Sandown Park in Melbourne and was unusual in being a World Championship event held outside Europe, a distinction that would not be repeated until the late 1970s when other flyaway races were added to the calendar. The race provided opportunities for Australian drivers to compete in a World Championship event without traveling to Europe, though many local competitors lacked the experience and equipment to compete effectively against the European teams.

Ferguson was part of the active Australian racing scene that produced numerous talented drivers during the 1960s and 1970s, many of whom achieved success in national championships even if opportunities in international Formula One were limited. After his competitive career, Ferguson remained involved in Australian motorsport and maintained connections to the racing community. He represents the generation of Australian drivers who competed during the era when Australian motorsport was developing its own strong identity and championships, separate from but occasionally intersecting with the European-based Formula One World Championship.