1994 NIGEL MANSELL`S FAREWELL TO INDYCAR RACING

1994 NIGEL MANSELL`S FAREWELL TO INDYCAR RACING....There is a saying in the F1 paddock that those who adored Nigel Mansell were the people who had never met him. That harsh exaggeration highlighted the feelings of some insiders towards a man bullish with self-confidence yet at the same time racked with wearying self-doubt.

Mansell would stand on the gas and wring every ounce of speed from a car, racing wheel-to-wheel with the fiercest rival and exhibiting the tenacity that prompted the selective Italian fans, 'the tifosi', to bestow upon him the sobriquet Il Leone (The Lion) during his days with Ferrari. Yet take him from the cockpit, and while he might be ebullient with good humor, equally he might complain about perceives slights and see plots against him at every turn.

Mansell came up the hard way in racing, investing all his own money as he attempted to climb the greasy pole from the lower ranks. From karting he worked into Formula Ford, where he enjoyed great success. But his F3 outings were dogged by poor engines and lack of cash. It was not until Colin Chapman was persuaded by his team manager Peter Collins to give Mansell a chance as test driver for Lotus that things took off, and he parlayed that opportunity into a regular race driver by 1981. Few rated him initially despite sporadic promise, and it was not until 1985, on the 72nd attempt, that he succeeded in winning his first Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. Yet from that moment onwards he blossomed into arguably the most competitive Englishman ever to sit in a Formula One car, certainly the most aggressive. His 31 Grand Prix successes placed him behind only arch rivals Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna in the all-time rankings when he finally quit F1, and even today only Michael Schumacher has overtaken him.

It was as easy to see why the fans loved him, with his bristling mustache, his down-home manner and his never-say-die approach, as it was to see why those who had to work with him sometimes found his persecution complex hard going. He fudged his career in F1 at the very hour of his World Championship triumph in 1992, falling out with Williams in a row about money and kudos, but had his revenge when he won the 1993 CART PPG Indycar Championship at the first attempt.

A curious ragbag of contradictory emotions, Nigel Mansell was a determined driver whose character shortcomings sometimes obscured his achievements. It says everything about him as a driver that he was the one man Senna knew he could not intimidate.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 1994
• NIGEL
• MANSELL`S
• FAREWELL
• TO
• INDYCAR
• RACING

[RICKD790]

" It says everything about him as a driver that he was the one man Senna knew he could not intimidate."

I like that bit.

[Suprahampton]

Last comment was awesome... As an F1 fan, it would've been good to see "our Nige" in a Penske...

[azapro911]

What they're really thinking: "OH THANK GOD!!!! NO MORE WHINING, MOUSTACHE-BASED DULLNESS! THIS IS A WONDERFUL DAY FOR INDYCARS!" Nah, Mansell is of course a legend. But why in the bluest of blue Hells would you complain that much when you have this lifestyle?!

[jbracer86]

00:23 Emerson couldnt have said it any better. F1 needed charisma and a world champion. back during 93"-94', indycar was booming. Bernie Ecclestone was shaking in his boots bcuz indycar was getting worldwide attention. and the depth of the fields were making f1start to worry.

[dojOdRiFTeR]

true but lol lets hope the weather is really bad and screws the gd teams up lol ( fingers cross)

[racer111259]

i wish it was so but unless you're driving an audi or peugoet the last 10 years not much has been possible. i'd give anything to see nige in the car with an hour left and a real shot. THAT would be epic!

[dojOdRiFTeR]

you never lol le mans has surpirises you never say never art le mans any thing is possible there

[racer111259]

anmd just announce today that he'll be going to le mans with his two kids in 2010

Of course he won't be competitive against the factories for an overall win and he's definitely past his prime but still great to see him out there.

[dojOdRiFTeR]

nigel won it all except le mans

[hoplite1766]

One of the best ever, Nigel the king!