Thirty years ago, one of Britain’s greatest ever motorsport drivers Nigel Mansell claimed the biggest prize in car racing when he won the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
To mark the anniversary of his infamous win, Adrian Flux sat down with the 69-year-old to discuss how the sport has changed, his 1992 F1 world title, who he thinks could be the next breakout star in the sport, and how Williams can climb the Constructors’ Championship. Plus, we couldn’t resist getting him to show us some of his infamous magic tricks.
Mansell’s F1 win: 30 years on
Mansell is one of ten British drivers in the sports’ history who have gone on to become F1 world champions. When we sat down with him, he exclaimed that he couldn’t believe it had been 30 years since he won the title. In fact, he says, it seems just like yesterday when he was competing against the likes of Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Martin Brundle and Damon Hill during one of the most competitive periods in F1 history.
“Looking at this photograph in front of me, it feels like yesterday,” Mansell explains when presented with an image from that 1992 season, “but of course it’s [been] 30 years which is extraordinary and makes you think ‘where’s those 30 years gone?’
“But then you look in the mirror and frighten yourself and then you realise those 30 years have gone, it’s been an incredible journey.
“At the end of 1991 I broke my foot, but I knew that 1992 was going to be the year it was going to happen. But it wasn’t until I was standing on the podium with Ayrton in August in Hungary that I realised it had and him saying some very nice words to me.”
But Mansell isn’t just on a nostalgia trip, he’s still heavily involved in motorsport and often turns up at the biggest events in the racing calendar along with artefacts from his career, such as his 1992 F1 world title winning car, which is part of the interactive display at The Classic at Silverstone this year, an event that is sponsored by Adrian Flux.
Nigel Mansell’s predictions for F1 in 2022
Looking towards the future, Mansell details who he feels is having a good season in 2022: “I like both George Russell and Lando Norris. I think the opportunity that George has got is fantastic, and the fact that Lewis (Hamilton) hasn’t decided to dust off his right foot yet and is taking it easy this year, has helped him and he’s doing a great job.
“I think Lando’s performing and has got some good results. I think what we’re seeing is a jockeying of positions with the constructors and how competitive from one race to another they are.”
Could I get involved in a track day myself?
There are plenty of track days in the UK, and we have the perfect track day cover for the day at a price you will like. Call 0333 253 5968 for a swift no-hassle quote.
