He's got a reputation of a man of extremes perhaps. Never neutral in any way. I was lucky enough to meet him at the 1993 Vancouver Indy, when he was still World Driving Champion, and on his way to winning the Indy series that year as a rookie. He was on a moped, driving through the paddock towards pit lane. Stopped when he saw a crowd of eager fans, and politely, patiently, and graciously, signed as many autographs as he had time for. Including one for me who was, and is, a huge fan. My 2 cents.
He was 💯 a man of extremes 😂. We see a couple of times. In Florida we first see him in at the magic kingdom when we were on holiday we didn’t talk to him that time. But the following year my Parents brought a villa in Clearwater Florida. My Dad is a Brummie ( from Birmingham in England ) we were in a store one day and my Dad was talking and Nigel just walked in and heard the Brummie accent and had a good old chat. He lived in Clearwater too not far from our villa. I don’t know if you have heard 2 brummies talking before? But the accent gets a lot thicker. A bit like how Ozzy Osborne talks😂. But then I know people that have met him and said he was rude and a general A hole. But at the end of the day most successful people have a nasty side to them. They have to be to succeed.
In the evenings after qualifying day at grand prix, his team had to drag him away from speaking with the fans and doing autographs. The press use to wrongly portray him as boring purely because of his monotone accent but if you met him he is quite the opposite
Nigel created drama unintentionally wherever he went. He was fully "balls out," focused, spectacular, and fearless, it seemed. Every Nigel Mansell fan everywhere loved him for it. I don't think that there has been an equivalent driver who has created the atmosphere he did since. World champion, sportsman, ambassador for his sport and gentlemen. Rosanne Mansell is also a world champion. I don't think Nigel would have been able to achieve what he has without her. Huge respect to both.
He unintentionally created drama on the track with his hard charging, fearless, utterly committed driving. Off the track, he created melodrama, entirely on purpose 😆
@rondog540 I wasn't making reference to his driving entirely. Trying to push the Lotus over the finish line and passing out with exhaustion. The tyre exploding in Australia, actually denying him a world championship. Tiff Nedell hitting Nigel off into the bridge at Donnington Park in a guest touring car race. Murray Walker poking Nigels bump on his head that he did due to a low bar while riding in the back of a track touring vehicle during a TV interview, showing the viewers. "Hilarious!" He is not only a world champion, he is one hell great of a bloke.
I raced him and chatted with him a few times back in his karting days in the 70s. I was in his last ever 210 National race at Little Rissington and came 10th out of a field of about 50 entries. Mansell won as usual. He also won the 100 International class that day I believe. He was generally unstoppable although a couple of his peers, notably Mark Allen, were similarly fast. Nigel had the will to take it all the way through formula Ford, F3 and then F1 while all the rest were just happy to stay as unknowns on the karting circuit.
@@scatered1 Thanks. If you look up Jade Karts, Mark’s karting company, there is a History page which mentions Mansell. Mark was a fantastic racer but with none of Mansell’s gift of the gab and talent for self promotion needed for F1.
@@9zer0es It’s one of the big plusses of doing kart racing from an early age that you will almost certainly meet and race guys that go on to succeed and become famous. There will be hundreds of kids that grew up remembering epic battles with Lewis Hamilton at Rye House.
On his day Mansell was unstoppable but I think it's fair to say that he cost himself at least a couple of championships with his over agression, both with collisions & unreliability.
@@trainscranesandtrivialtale7262 I was shocked a bit when I saw the video couple days ago where he said that. But I also love how straightforward James Hunt
And body shape. If he'd paid more attention to his health he probably would have won a couple more than he did. Being at peak physical fitness also has mental benefits (the brain being part of the body). Immense talent though, hard charging, completely fearless, utterly entertaining, always himself and never fake; old-school legend
@@TOFKAS01 people remember the big tyre blowout in Adelaide which was outside of his control but he could have won the championship the race before at Mexico city had he not selected the wrong gear at the start & dropped down the pack.
Nigel "Il Leone" Mansell was all about pure passion and emotion. He's a man who wears his heart on a sleeve and that's why Tifosi love him so much. Tifosi always love a driver who gives his best effort on the race track, even if he doesn't win. What a driver and what a character.
We loved him in Italy. And to this day, most Ferrari supporters are puzzled by the team's choice to hire Prost as his teammate and Ferrari leading driver. We didn't like that at all! Leone Mansell was always true to his inner self, on top of the game when he had a good day, a mess of a driver when he had a bad day, but always a great fighter and a spectacle to watch on the track. We liked his human qualities, and I wish he would have been given more respect at Ferrari and could have lead the team for a few more years back in the '90s.
I think his style suited Ferrari because Mansell drove with his heart. His bravery was astonishing and I think Enzo Ferrari liked his cars to be driven with passion and bravery.
Nige was one of the few English driver that Italians could truly love because he doesn't do the normal English "Stiff upper lip" thing. He actually has a personality. At the end of the day, the Tifosi want you to return with your shield or on it. That's pretty much how Nigel drove and they loved him for it.
I'm glad Italians liked him and came up with the perfect name for him with Leone ! (he sure had the heart of a Lion & was so commited & Passionate which is very similar to Italian motorcycle racers i watch, Andrea Iannone is one of my favourites) you summed him up very well my friend. Ps. Grazie mile for all the beautiful cars you guys have made...Alfa Romeo, Lancia etc 🇬🇧❤🇮🇹
IIRC when interviewed by Jodie Kidd, he was saying how he socked Gerhard Berger in the gut, or something. Not that you need a black belt for that, but yeah, he sounded like the sort.
I was a boy in the crowd at Silverstone when Nige dummied Piquet into Stowe, we were on the straight between Stowe and Club having pitched up at 6am raceday. Never heard such a roar in my life, vibrated through my chest! Lucky enough to shake hands at an autosport and get an autograph years later. Look up Jodie Kidd's interview video of more recent years, it is very emotional, escpecially how Colin Chapman helped Nigel early on in his career. Childhood hero.
In popular culture, Tufnel is more well known than Mansell, at least here in the US. "I've been working on combining an F1 car and an aeroplane. It's beautiful, really. It's sort of a 'carp'."
@@bornwildshootingchairs2499 🤣 On a serious note, I have my own theories as to the original intended function of Stonehenge. It’s a well known fact, no two Nigel’s can agree on this!! 🇬🇧🤔🇺🇸
Mansell was exactly the type of driver Ferrari and the Tifosi loved. He took cars by the scruff of the neck, left his fear at home and drove with passion and aggression.
I remember back in the 70s Senna admitting that the only driver on the grid who made him nervous was Mansell because he knew Mansell wouldn't back down. If they were neck and neck into a corner it was a case of who's going to come out of the wreckage in the best state.
Whatever he may have been lacking in other areas, Mansell often made up for in shed loads out on the track. Unless you watched all of the Mexican GPs from the 1980s, you can never fully appreciate just how jaw-dropping it was to watch Mansell's pass on Berger on the outside of the Peraltada in the 1990 race. I don't think any other driver in the history of the sport would have attempted it, never mind pulling it off!
A sublime talent and when given the support and equipment to perform was totally committed and unstoppable. I'm sure a few of us would agree that if we don't feel we have the credit and support we believe we deserve we can become disillusioned.
Overly aggressive assholes like Mansell are like that to deflect attention away from the fact that they are indeed emotionally fragile and easily get their feelings hurt.
Been watching since 1978, every single race. Nigel is the fastest/bravest I have seen of them all on his best days, sadly Nigel had too many bad days. Was weird, like he would fall into a depression and just not perform, LeClerc is like that, without Nigel's aggression though.
One of my favorite drivers. I never understood why British "experts" downrated him almost systematically. BTW, I am not British. I understand italians' relationship with him, he was passionate, relatable as human being, not a marketing drone or a sport machine. He was creative at the wheel, brave, very brave and genial in his days. I always remember that banner in Monza: " Lion Mansell, win for us." Perfect. I read his book about F1 tracks and found it clever and full of (un)common sense. Not exactly like some motor journalists kudging circuits in an arbitrary way (for example , evaluating them according to their installations for journalists).
He was the last people’s champion. Hamilton has never garnered the undying and unconditional love of the British fans like Mansell did, and to some extent still does. He was the king of England for a long time. 😍
He might not have been the most naturally gifted but his bravery was second to none. He really did have a 'do or die' attitude to racing. Blisteringly fast as well.
I think Mansell was the master of not fearing pressure that the normal man would crack under. I think all racing drivers have to have this, but their success is based on how much they master that., He just had it mastered best.
Mansell got beaten five years in a row at Lotus by Elio de Angelis. Got beaten by Keke Rosberg in 1985 at Williams. Got beaten by Prost at Ferrari. And even self-destructed in 1987 against injured Piquet. Nigel had the speed but he was very erratic driver. That's why he needed a superior car in 1992 to win the title. Don't get me wrong I loved him as he was a spectacular and entertaining driver. But I think the UK F1 media way overhyped his abilities. Losing 6 years in a row against his teammate and still got the position in the best car in 1986. That wouldn't have happened if he were some other nationality. He got also beaten by Hill and Hakkinen but to he was already in his 40's so the comparison wouldn't be fair.
But won the Indy series in his rooky year, which apparently had never been done before! The strangest thing I thought about Nige, was the way he always looked exhausted on the podium after a race. Was he less fit than the other F1 drivers of the time?
Just to provide a counterpoint - I agree that he was more 'erratic' than Prost or Senna but he was still an amazing driver - one of the absolute best. In my opinion you can't just judge an F1 career just with stats because it isn't always black and white. Yes he was beaten by Elio, as a CLEAR number two. His car was clearly compromised and he was battling with Peter Warr who actively disliked him - his confidence was at rock bottom and as someone who was around at the time - it's pretty clear he was a 'confidence' driver and at that stage of his career he was nothing like he was later. Even so, there were glimpses of what he was to become - if you chose to see them. Not many did. Yes, he was beaten by Keke for much of the season in 85 - again, you could see that he spent much of the time building confidence in himself and the team after the Lotus experience. Something clicked by about Monza and from then on it was back and forth until the final 3 races of the year when Nigel got that first race win and finished with another win and 2 poles. It was pretty clear that from then on he was a very different driver. Piquet came to the team with a reputation as one of the absolute best in 86 and Mansell was more than a match for him. Just to prove that things can be complex - Elio was thoroughly beaten by Patrese in the first 4 races of 86. The same Patrese who was thoroughly beaten by Mansell in 88 and 92 (and overall in 91). Yes Mansell was beaten by Prost but he still could have gotten a couple more victories - San Marino and the British Grand Prix come to mind. Everyone the world over loved him - it didn't need the UK press for that. The Italians adored him, here in Australia we loved him. As good as Prost and Senna? No - but that's why they are at the absolute upper echelon but personally I put the 86-92 Mansell right up there. F1 would have been MUCH less spectacular without Nigel Mansell.
@@turboslagHe was spectacular for sure, no fear at all. Probably helped him a lot in Indycars, impressive, although i didnt really follow it at the time. I really enjoyed his Ferrari stint. He really deserved his Il Leone nickname.
In interviews after he retired, he said that the problem with Ferrari was too many bosses. Too many departments bumping chests making development one by committee rather than solely by F1 side of the business. Made it excruciatingly difficult to get anything done and very frustrating.
Well, his team mate, Prost didn't seem to have an issue at Ferrari, Perhaps it was Nigel's temper and aggressive demeanor that didn't help either. Besides look at Michael Schumacher the greatest driver in F1 success at Ferrari, as well as others...no excuses.
@clattereffect Prost didn't seem to have an issue? Er did you watch F1 back then? Ferrari fired Prost because he was so critical of the team and car and he said he was glad to leave
@@AmericasChoice Indeed. Mansell was an engineer and mortgaged his house to buy an F3 car. Berger broke back before his first F1 race after crashing his BMW. These guys were all men, not little boys like today, as you quite rightly point out!
@@lukemallory7832 Yup. I saw my first race in 1968, and enjoyed the 70's and 80's F1. It will never be like that again, today's F1 is packaged and controlled by the Corporation $$$
@@lukemallory7832 Exactly. I say that all the time. But it only resonates with people over 55 years old. And not everyone in that age group. the Great Reset wants to eliminate anyone who remembers how things were when people had a modicum of freedom. I am afraid that things are on the brink of a total reset of humanity. Sad...
he was a gentleman ( not in the sense of gentleman driver with the money bag.. ), he took, he took, he took for years and years from assholes like Senna and Piquet and he become an hammer in the end of career, in 1992, he didn't leave an inch to the enemy, he lapped them all even at the cost of blowing up the car. lol.
still lives in jersey Mansell Motors lol met him once at the cinema where I worked he shaved his tache off and I said hello Mr Mansell any problems let me know heres your seats .... no autograph hunters lukily but hey man was with his family and I didnt say a lot to him as per the job
Who cares how many championships he could have won, he was great, he was memorable and is still a legend in his own time. Ferrari could use another Nigel Mansell..
Nige is a loveable loony and as brave as they get. IMO his win at Hungary in 89 gets nowhere near the recognition it deserves. Started `12th and won and not just by inheriting from others misfortunes but involved actual overtaking and no DRS nonsense.
I was invited to Brands Hatch by my brother in law who was having a race day for his staff. Mansell, who I think owned the race school at the time, had flown in by helicopter with his neighbour and was wandering around the paddock as we were trying our luck out on the track. My sister, who is a good looking woman was casually standing around chatting to the staff was approached by him and he started to give it the big one which was supposed to impress her, when he realised it wasn't cutting any ice he actually came out with 'do you know who I am', 😂 my sister replied I have no idea ? And he proceeds to tell her that he was once an F1 champion, she said, that must be very nice for you, apparently he turned around very red faced and stormed off. I spoke to her later and she innocently asked me if I knew who he was...I replied, yeah, a nob.
He was. I worked as a supervisor for a group of ushers at the Adelaide Grand Prix one year. I accidentally dropped my hat as he was walking towards me. As i picked it up he told me to get out of the f___ing way when there was plenty of room to go around me. An absolute tool back then.
I have met Nigel Snowdon’s Wife in 2019 (both F1 photographers) and she said when people would give their book for Nigel to sign, he would sign “Go fuck yourself!” She said he really hated losing.
Piquet? Ha ha you said a funny joke. Oh by the way Prost won two of his championships because of Mansell, the blowout in '86 and the gifted Renault (sorry Williams) drive in '93. There I've corrected you. Thank me later.
@@paulwoodhall1748 The second that one world tile is better than three, I'll thank you lots, but in the meanwhile, I'll probably just think Mansell is easily as lucky in '92 to have the car he had as Prost was in '93.
Piquet, frequently shown the way home by Nigel in ‘86 & ‘87. I was at Hungary ‘87 when Nigel had a wheel come loose when leading by 30 secs and had to retire. I once asked Patrick Head of his views on Nigel and he said, “ blindingly fast in the car but bit of a pain out of it…On balance just about the fastest driver we ever had.”
@@rolandcherry5615 And who won that race in Hungary in '87? ... I kid, I kid, I don't mind when people respectfully disagree with me. It's an Englishman's prerogative to think they are the best at everything all the time!
As you probably know, Piquet back into it, as the Americans would say. Nigel was heading at a canter until he found himself driving a tricycle. As per the God-given right to win, that is a rather lazy cliche, but Nigel usually got the worst of the luck.
The last clip - light blue had stolen Mansell's hat; yellow gives it back to Mansell.
Looks like Hungaroring, can't trust those goulash eating khunts.
😂
Actually light blue is Alain Prost)
@@antonmironenkovI don't know who that (light blue) but definitly not Alain Prost.
@@antonmironenkov Actually light blue is John Rambo.
Back in the days when you could do 170mph down the pitlane lol
Or, 'The good old days'.
@@rob832They weren't the good old days in terms of pit lane speed
Scary to think that was the normal thing to do now😆
@@Dishanta_Goswami I think the sarcasm was obvious, /woosh
@@rob832 Yep.
He's got a reputation of a man of extremes perhaps. Never neutral in any way. I was lucky enough to meet him at the 1993 Vancouver Indy, when he was still World Driving Champion, and on his way to winning the Indy series that year as a rookie. He was on a moped, driving through the paddock towards pit lane. Stopped when he saw a crowd of eager fans, and politely, patiently, and graciously, signed as many autographs as he had time for. Including one for me who was, and is, a huge fan. My 2 cents.
He was 💯 a man of extremes 😂. We see a couple of times. In Florida we first see him in at the magic kingdom when we were on holiday we didn’t talk to him that time. But the following year my Parents brought a villa in Clearwater Florida. My Dad is a Brummie ( from Birmingham in England ) we were in a store one day and my Dad was talking and Nigel just walked in and heard the Brummie accent and had a good old chat. He lived in Clearwater too not far from our villa. I don’t know if you have heard 2 brummies talking before? But the accent gets a lot thicker. A bit like how Ozzy Osborne talks😂. But then I know people that have met him and said he was rude and a general A hole. But at the end of the day most successful people have a nasty side to them. They have to be to succeed.
Nice.
In the evenings after qualifying day at grand prix, his team had to drag him away from speaking with the fans and doing autographs. The press use to wrongly portray him as boring purely because of his monotone accent but if you met him he is quite the opposite
Nigel created drama unintentionally wherever he went. He was fully "balls out," focused, spectacular, and fearless, it seemed.
Every Nigel Mansell fan everywhere loved him for it.
I don't think that there has been an equivalent driver who has created the atmosphere he did since.
World champion, sportsman, ambassador for his sport and gentlemen.
Rosanne Mansell is also a world champion. I don't think Nigel would have been able to achieve what he has without her.
Huge respect to both.
Great comment and spot on. Absolutely.He never backed down to his teamates even when he was probably told to do so. Legend.
He unintentionally created drama on the track with his hard charging, fearless, utterly committed driving. Off the track, he created melodrama, entirely on purpose 😆
@rondog540 I wasn't making reference to his driving entirely.
Trying to push the Lotus over the finish line and passing out with exhaustion.
The tyre exploding in Australia, actually denying him a world championship.
Tiff Nedell hitting Nigel off into the bridge at Donnington Park in a guest touring car race.
Murray Walker poking Nigels bump on his head that he did due to a low bar while riding in the back of a track touring vehicle during a TV interview, showing the viewers. "Hilarious!"
He is not only a world champion, he is one hell great of a bloke.
@@martinhambleton5076 all true. Hard to think of a more entertaining driver than Nigel
He sets off like his Mrs has just called him to say that if he isn't home from the pub within 5 mins she's feeding his Sunday roast to the dog.
Lol
I raced him and chatted with him a few times back in his karting days in the 70s. I was in his last ever 210 National race at Little Rissington and came 10th out of a field of about 50 entries. Mansell won as usual. He also won the 100 International class that day I believe. He was generally unstoppable although a couple of his peers, notably Mark Allen, were similarly fast. Nigel had the will to take it all the way through formula Ford, F3 and then F1 while all the rest were just happy to stay as unknowns on the karting circuit.
What a legend of a story, beyond amazing.
@@scatered1 Thanks. If you look up Jade Karts, Mark’s karting company, there is a History page which mentions Mansell. Mark was a fantastic racer but with none of Mansell’s gift of the gab and talent for self promotion needed for F1.
Wow a good story on the internet for once.
Enjoyed reading this, good hearing these unknown stories. Thanks Tailspin🤝🏼
@@9zer0es It’s one of the big plusses of doing kart racing from an early age that you will almost certainly meet and race guys that go on to succeed and become famous. There will be hundreds of kids that grew up remembering epic battles with Lewis Hamilton at Rye House.
On his day Mansell was unstoppable but I think it's fair to say that he cost himself at least a couple of championships with his over agression, both with collisions & unreliability.
Thats true, at least the 1986 championship could have won if he was just a little bit more reliable.
James Hunt described it as his 'choking problem'
@@trainscranesandtrivialtale7262 I was shocked a bit when I saw the video couple days ago where he said that. But I also love how straightforward James Hunt
And body shape. If he'd paid more attention to his health he probably would have won a couple more than he did. Being at peak physical fitness also has mental benefits (the brain being part of the body). Immense talent though, hard charging, completely fearless, utterly entertaining, always himself and never fake; old-school legend
@@TOFKAS01 people remember the big tyre blowout in Adelaide which was outside of his control but he could have won the championship the race before at Mexico city had he not selected the wrong gear at the start & dropped down the pack.
Nigel "Il Leone" Mansell was all about pure passion and emotion. He's a man who wears his heart on a sleeve and that's why Tifosi love him so much. Tifosi always love a driver who gives his best effort on the race track, even if he doesn't win. What a driver and what a character.
You summed up the old Lion perfectly 👍
We loved him in Italy. And to this day, most Ferrari supporters are puzzled by the team's choice to hire Prost as his teammate and Ferrari leading driver. We didn't like that at all! Leone Mansell was always true to his inner self, on top of the game when he had a good day, a mess of a driver when he had a bad day, but always a great fighter and a spectacle to watch on the track. We liked his human qualities, and I wish he would have been given more respect at Ferrari and could have lead the team for a few more years back in the '90s.
I think his style suited Ferrari because Mansell drove with his heart. His bravery was astonishing and I think Enzo Ferrari liked his cars to be driven with passion and bravery.
Ferrari's decision to ditch Sainz as Leclerc's partner for LH also has that im-mistakable. mad-Italian flourish.
Nige was one of the few English driver that Italians could truly love because he doesn't do the normal English "Stiff upper lip" thing. He actually has a personality. At the end of the day, the Tifosi want you to return with your shield or on it. That's pretty much how Nigel drove and they loved him for it.
Saw him balls out at Imola 1990. Had just finished crewing Angelli's yacht Extrabeat. Let's tack!
I'm glad Italians liked him and came up with the perfect name for him with Leone ! (he sure had the heart of a Lion & was so commited & Passionate which is very similar to Italian motorcycle racers i watch, Andrea Iannone is one of my favourites) you summed him up very well my friend.
Ps. Grazie mile for all the beautiful cars you guys have made...Alfa Romeo, Lancia etc 🇬🇧❤🇮🇹
Nige was fuming at that last clip, for whatever reason. Little known fact, Nigel has a black belt in Karate.
IIRC when interviewed by Jodie Kidd, he was saying how he socked Gerhard Berger in the gut, or something. Not that you need a black belt for that, but yeah, he sounded like the sort.
Nigel had a black belt in facial hair growth.
He’s rolling around on the fucking tarmac. I’m pissing it
But apparently not in running.
Yeah, he tripped over it
I mean, it's not often that Italian Ferrari mechanics get schooled in hot-blooded competitive passion by a bloke from Birmingham!
Quintessential Englishman.
Boring it seemed on the outside but unbreakable spirit and bottle.
Legend of formula one
@@kingsrd1 Ice cool in sketchy situations
I was a boy in the crowd at Silverstone when Nige dummied Piquet into Stowe, we were on the straight between Stowe and Club having pitched up at 6am raceday. Never heard such a roar in my life, vibrated through my chest! Lucky enough to shake hands at an autosport and get an autograph years later. Look up Jodie Kidd's interview video of more recent years, it is very emotional, escpecially how Colin Chapman helped Nigel early on in his career. Childhood hero.
Here in France when I am asked how to spell my name they ask "Like Mansell?"
"Oui" I say... the first truly great Nigel since Spinal Tap! 🇬🇧
In popular culture, Tufnel is more well known than Mansell, at least here in the US. "I've been working on combining an F1 car and an aeroplane. It's beautiful, really. It's sort of a 'carp'."
Say 'like Farage'
I’m Sean
Like Connery ..
@@JD-wn3cc 🤣👍 They probably love him because his name at least sounds French… like Sclerosis or Cigarette!
@@bornwildshootingchairs2499 🤣 On a serious note, I have my own theories as to the original intended function of Stonehenge. It’s a well known fact, no two Nigel’s can agree on this!! 🇬🇧🤔🇺🇸
Those racing shoes are slippery, me thinks.
Me think so too
That last clip is basically what happens when us Brummies lose our shit 🤣
He reminds me of the man being arrested after eating a Succulent Chinese Meal🤣!
Democracy in action!
@@davidmccormick4735 Get your hand off my...
Ah I see you know your judo well.
😂
He was a poor struggling F1 driver...
Some say clutches would literally shiver when big Nige was in the vicinity of the circuit!
Mansell was exactly the type of driver Ferrari and the Tifosi loved. He took cars by the scruff of the neck, left his fear at home and drove with passion and aggression.
You summed him up perfectly👍🇬🇧
Exactly the right words!! Loved to watch him race.
Nigel easily my favourite driver. But what the hell was that last clip! Proper shenanigans 😂
The guy in blue stole his cap, Nigel was pissed about it and chased him down. Crew got to the guy before Nige did.
What a legend, always exciting, always dramatic and one of the best overtakers the sport has ever seen.
I remember back in the 70s Senna admitting that the only driver on the grid who made him nervous was Mansell because he knew Mansell wouldn't back down. If they were neck and neck into a corner it was a case of who's going to come out of the wreckage in the best state.
I don't think you do. In 1980 Senna was still driving karts.
@@ilikethisnamebetter Sorry, I meant 1980s.
An absolute gent, seen him at a pro am golf tournament, he had time for everybody, very nice man
Whatever he may have been lacking in other areas, Mansell often made up for in shed loads out on the track. Unless you watched all of the Mexican GPs from the 1980s, you can never fully appreciate just how jaw-dropping it was to watch Mansell's pass on Berger on the outside of the Peraltada in the 1990 race. I don't think any other driver in the history of the sport would have attempted it, never mind pulling it off!
and then to think he did that on knackered tires!
A sublime talent and when given the support and equipment to perform was totally committed and unstoppable. I'm sure a few of us would agree that if we don't feel we have the credit and support we believe we deserve we can become disillusioned.
He was overly hot tempered in collisions and blamed whoever was involved and took no blame. Very fragile!
Fragile is the last word you can use to describe a world champion of that era.
You'd soon find out how "fragile" he was if you called him that to his face - don't fuck with Our Nige!
Overly aggressive assholes like Mansell are like that to deflect attention away from the fact that they are indeed emotionally fragile and easily get their feelings hurt.
So, a proper racing driver then. 😂
In a sport where every point matters you ain't taking any blame
My mate asked for a picture of him and Mansell, the pic he got has Mansell looking the other way at a fit bird 😂😂
He knows that the Mercedes 190 has the finest chassis of the era.
he just wanted to go fast
Mansell skills and heart were massive… he could have been easily a triple world champion with a little luck …
I see Mansell's police training came into full effect in the last clip, falling flat on his arse on camera.
Been watching since 1978, every single race. Nigel is the fastest/bravest I have seen of them all on his best days, sadly Nigel had too many bad days. Was weird, like he would fall into a depression and just not perform, LeClerc is like that, without Nigel's aggression though.
Balls of steel, Mansell.
Magnum mustache. Short shorts. 1980s.
Mansell and Montoya are very similar, differences being only their nationalities. 😁
Both fast-but flawed, aggressive and firey. 🔥
They both got fat too!
And slightly on the tubby side
@@rondog540 Haha yeah! 😆
And both took no stick off Schumi or Senna, there most feared rivals.
As a fan of Indycar, those two were fun.
One of my favorite drivers. I never understood why British "experts" downrated him almost systematically. BTW, I am not British.
I understand italians' relationship with him, he was passionate, relatable as human being, not a marketing drone or a sport machine. He was creative at the wheel, brave, very brave and genial in his days. I always remember that banner in Monza: " Lion Mansell, win for us." Perfect.
I read his book about F1 tracks and found it clever and full of (un)common sense. Not exactly like some motor journalists kudging circuits in an arbitrary way (for example , evaluating them according to their installations for journalists).
The British media are good at that, pulling their own down, never changes.
What was that last inchident about? Nige seems SERIOUSLY annoyed about that guy, for a reason!
It would be interesting to find out. Looks like it's at Hungary 1989 or 90.
It was Brazil 1990
@@weallfollowmanutd You might be right actually
Apparently the bloke had just given Nigel’s Mrs pole position and Nigel claimed he had an illegal big-end🤷♂️
Not sure but given there's a Lada in the background I'd say it's the Hungarian GP and I'm guessing some guy has tried to pinch his cap.
He was the last people’s champion. Hamilton has never garnered the undying and unconditional love of the British fans like Mansell did, and to some extent still does. He was the king of England for a long time. 😍
Because Hamilton turned into a racist......before that he was well loved by many, including me.
@@PhantomMarkhuh? You mean Piquet?
@@PhantomMark spot on
Ahhhhh the old days were pit lane speed limits were nonexistent. and a Halo was on an angel..... Sweet.
Mansell = GENIUS. It's that simple folks.
He might not have been the most naturally gifted but his bravery was second to none. He really did have a 'do or die' attitude to racing. Blisteringly fast as well.
being 180cm tall and running against 160-170cm enemies is a significant handicap. people always forget about this.
He was always my hero growing up. I used to pretend I was Mansell when I was in my little go kart in the 80s
That moustache was legendary
And I always thought Mansell was boring.
I stand corrected!
Far from boring on the track.
@@nedseagoon5101 I don’t remember. I was just a kid.
He sounds a bit boring with his monotone but mild brummie accented voice. Very much the opposite of mild on the track though...
Funny he is always very chilled and reserved in TV shows
those shorts are so awesome! 😂
I think Mansell was the master of not fearing pressure that the normal man would crack under. I think all racing drivers have to have this, but their success is based on how much they master that., He just had it mastered best.
Good old Nigel , what a LEGEND !!!
Red 5 is STILL #1!
Go on Nigel you legend
Mansell got beaten five years in a row at Lotus by Elio de Angelis. Got beaten by Keke Rosberg in 1985 at Williams. Got beaten by Prost at Ferrari. And even self-destructed in 1987 against injured Piquet. Nigel had the speed but he was very erratic driver. That's why he needed a superior car in 1992 to win the title.
Don't get me wrong I loved him as he was a spectacular and entertaining driver. But I think the UK F1 media way overhyped his abilities.
Losing 6 years in a row against his teammate and still got the position in the best car in 1986. That wouldn't have happened if he were some other nationality. He got also beaten by Hill and Hakkinen but to he was already in his 40's so the comparison wouldn't be fair.
Sebastian Vettel also has the same mould.
But won the Indy series in his rooky year, which apparently had never been done before! The strangest thing I thought about Nige, was the way he always looked exhausted on the podium after a race. Was he less fit than the other F1 drivers of the time?
Just to provide a counterpoint - I agree that he was more 'erratic' than Prost or Senna but he was still an amazing driver - one of the absolute best. In my opinion you can't just judge an F1 career just with stats because it isn't always black and white. Yes he was beaten by Elio, as a CLEAR number two. His car was clearly compromised and he was battling with Peter Warr who actively disliked him - his confidence was at rock bottom and as someone who was around at the time - it's pretty clear he was a 'confidence' driver and at that stage of his career he was nothing like he was later. Even so, there were glimpses of what he was to become - if you chose to see them. Not many did.
Yes, he was beaten by Keke for much of the season in 85 - again, you could see that he spent much of the time building confidence in himself and the team after the Lotus experience. Something clicked by about Monza and from then on it was back and forth until the final 3 races of the year when Nigel got that first race win and finished with another win and 2 poles. It was pretty clear that from then on he was a very different driver.
Piquet came to the team with a reputation as one of the absolute best in 86 and Mansell was more than a match for him. Just to prove that things can be complex - Elio was thoroughly beaten by Patrese in the first 4 races of 86. The same Patrese who was thoroughly beaten by Mansell in 88 and 92 (and overall in 91). Yes Mansell was beaten by Prost but he still could have gotten a couple more victories - San Marino and the British Grand Prix come to mind.
Everyone the world over loved him - it didn't need the UK press for that. The Italians adored him, here in Australia we loved him. As good as Prost and Senna? No - but that's why they are at the absolute upper echelon but personally I put the 86-92 Mansell right up there. F1 would have been MUCH less spectacular without Nigel Mansell.
Clearly you're someone devoid of facts. Ridiculous post
@@turboslagHe was spectacular for sure, no fear at all. Probably helped him a lot in Indycars, impressive, although i didnt really follow it at the time. I really enjoyed his Ferrari stint. He really deserved his Il Leone nickname.
That noise though… ❤
What happened in the first clip? He stalled?
In interviews after he retired, he said that the problem with Ferrari was too many bosses. Too many departments bumping chests making development one by committee rather than solely by F1 side of the business. Made it excruciatingly difficult to get anything done and very frustrating.
typical of corporate in italy in particular.. nigel is right
Well, his team mate, Prost didn't seem to have an issue at Ferrari, Perhaps it was Nigel's temper and aggressive demeanor that didn't help either. Besides look at Michael Schumacher the greatest driver in F1 success at Ferrari, as well as others...no excuses.
@@davids_d3246 were you designing or building engines over at Ferrari at the time that you would know this?
@@clattereffect Nigel left of his own volition. Prost was thrown out. I'd say he had a few issues at Ferrari.
@clattereffect Prost didn't seem to have an issue? Er did you watch F1 back then? Ferrari fired Prost because he was so critical of the team and car and he said he was glad to leave
What a great video.
Pit crew in shorts and t shirt is madness.
Nigel Mansell = Absolute Legend
If a man wears red and has a stash hes a fucking legend.# mansel ian rush
Nigel Mansell Made in Britain 🇬🇧 (when it was still Great)
I need context on that last clip
He mistook that guy for Nelson Piquet
The guy stole his ice cream
The guy in the light blue shirt evidently nicked NM's cap off his head.
The good old days of F1. Tough, wheel -to-wheel racers! Plus the glorious sound of that 3.5L V12 Ferrari.😎😎😎
"Nigel Mansel beeing Nigel Mansel" should be the tag.
legend 😎😎
More of a man than most of the current grid combined.
Todays drivers are really like boys, talented for sure, but boys. F1 used to be populated by fearless men who faced death every race.
@@AmericasChoice Indeed. Mansell was an engineer and mortgaged his house to buy an F3 car. Berger broke back before his first F1 race after crashing his BMW. These guys were all men, not little boys like today, as you quite rightly point out!
@@lukemallory7832 Yup. I saw my first race in 1968, and enjoyed the 70's and 80's F1. It will never be like that again, today's F1 is packaged and controlled by the Corporation $$$
@@AmericasChoice A microcosm for the whole world now, sadly..!
@@lukemallory7832 Exactly. I say that all the time. But it only resonates with people over 55 years old. And not everyone in that age group. the Great Reset wants to eliminate anyone who remembers how things were when people had a modicum of freedom. I am afraid that things are on the brink of a total reset of humanity. Sad...
I still love that in the same era that the mechanics wore shorts, Mansell got DSQ for reversing in the pit lane because of safety 😂
He raced in the timeframe as Nascar’s Earnhardt, would have been a great show between the two.
Nigel was told it was last drinks in the driver's wet mess...😂
he was a gentleman ( not in the sense of gentleman driver with the money bag.. ), he took, he took, he took for years and years from assholes like Senna and Piquet and he become an hammer in the end of career, in 1992, he didn't leave an inch to the enemy, he lapped them all even at the cost of blowing up the car. lol.
This man has no regards for human life.😂
Yeah he was a madman...he loved italy aswell i think he still lives between italy and isle of man
Always a gent on the golf course
I love the guy
Top guy my favourite F1 driver legend 😊
Mansell was a Lionheart
Why is the audio only on the right channel?
Rare footage of that V12 ferrari not broken down..
still lives in jersey Mansell Motors lol met him once at the cinema where I worked he shaved his tache off and I said hello Mr Mansell any problems let me know heres your seats .... no autograph hunters lukily but hey man was with his family and I didnt say a lot to him as per the job
Gotta love how the pit crews were in shirts and shorts…
Who cares how many championships he could have won, he was great, he was memorable and is still a legend in his own time. Ferrari could use another Nigel Mansell..
Nige is a loveable loony and as brave as they get. IMO his win at Hungary in 89 gets nowhere near the recognition it deserves. Started `12th and won and not just by inheriting from others misfortunes but involved actual overtaking and no DRS nonsense.
What was the deal with the last clip?
he said to him that he was slow, and Mansel wanted him to take it back 😂
@@Skafiskafnjak51 🤣
I was invited to Brands Hatch by my brother in law who was having a race day for his staff. Mansell, who I think owned the race school at the time, had flown in by helicopter with his neighbour and was wandering around the paddock as we were trying our luck out on the track. My sister, who is a good looking woman was casually standing around chatting to the staff was approached by him and he started to give it the big one which was supposed to impress her, when he realised it wasn't cutting any ice he actually came out with 'do you know who I am', 😂 my sister replied I have no idea ? And he proceeds to tell her that he was once an F1 champion, she said, that must be very nice for you, apparently he turned around very red faced and stormed off. I spoke to her later and she innocently asked me if I knew who he was...I replied, yeah, a nob.
Nice fairy tale.
@@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx actual story: his sister instantly got wet and pulled Nigel into the bathroom.
@@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx I know right. Also,.how much does this guy fancy his own sister?
Wow you bad arse! Probably never met him.
Better on wheels than heels apparently!
They say that Nigel was an arse
He was. I worked as a supervisor for a group of ushers at the Adelaide Grand Prix one year. I accidentally dropped my hat as he was walking towards me. As i picked it up he told me to get out of the f___ing way when there was plenty of room to go around me. An absolute tool back then.
Love Mansel as a driver
0:05 safety mini shorts
I have met Nigel Snowdon’s Wife in 2019 (both F1 photographers) and she said when people would give their book for Nigel to sign, he would sign “Go fuck yourself!”
She said he really hated losing.
I didn’t know Dr. Phil raced!
Ill never forget Adelaide
He also choked Tiff Needell for running into him as he went screaming across the circuit sideways LOL
Nigel Mansell, the best driver of his generation, apart from Senna, Prost, and Piquet.
Piquet? Ha ha you said a funny joke. Oh by the way Prost won two of his championships because of Mansell, the blowout in '86 and the gifted Renault (sorry Williams) drive in '93. There I've corrected you. Thank me later.
@@paulwoodhall1748 The second that one world tile is better than three, I'll thank you lots, but in the meanwhile, I'll probably just think Mansell is easily as lucky in '92 to have the car he had as Prost was in '93.
Piquet, frequently shown the way home by Nigel in ‘86 & ‘87. I was at Hungary ‘87 when Nigel had a wheel come loose when leading by 30 secs and had to retire. I once asked Patrick Head of his views on Nigel and he said, “ blindingly fast in the car but bit of a pain out of it…On balance just about the fastest driver we ever had.”
@@rolandcherry5615 And who won that race in Hungary in '87? ... I kid, I kid, I don't mind when people respectfully disagree with me. It's an Englishman's prerogative to think they are the best at everything all the time!
As you probably know, Piquet back into it, as the Americans would say. Nigel was heading at a canter until he found himself driving a tricycle.
As per the God-given right to win, that is a rather lazy cliche, but Nigel usually got the worst of the luck.
I miss The old School F1....
Back when your pit crew were dressed like a high school gym teacher.
I played football v his sons team
their home ground was at Mansells place. he would ride up to the pitch in his golf cart and act like a right knob
Loved Nigel he was appreciated to late and done dirty several times.
Gotta love the pit crew wearing shorts, WTF.
Our Nige 🏴
Jeez…never knew he was such a spaz! Calm the F down.
X So this is what Lewis Hamilton will be like at Ferrari
Lewis at Ferrari will be a disaster. Like oil and water
@@psk5746 gonna be cringe
there were no pitlane speed limits and that was normal then
Nigel, nooo 😂