Mansell, Nigel (GB)

b 08/08/1954 (Upton-on-Severn)





1963 - Started karting
1976 - Gave up job at Lucas for racing. FF1600, 6 wins
1977 - May: broke neck in two places. FF1600 champion, 33 wins
       4th in only Vandervell F3 race at Silverstone (Lola T570)
1978 - F3 (March 783)
       Mar 19   Silverstone             2nd/Pole
       Mar 27   Thruxton                7th
       Apr 16   Brands Hatch            7th
       Apr 22   Oulton Park             7th
       Apr 30   Donington Park          4th
       British F2 (Chevron)
       Jun 24   Donington Park          DNQ
       BMW County Championship (BMW 320i)
       Apr 16   Silverstone             2nd
       Jun 3    Donington Park          1st
       Jun 30   Oulton Park             ret
       Aug 26   Mallory Park            3rd
1979 - First Lotus test at Paul Ricard. Joined Unipart F3 team (March 783 
       and 793)
       Mar 4    Silverstone             11th
       Mar 11   Thruxton                2nd
       Mar 25   Silverstone             1st
       Apr 1    Snetterton              8th
       Apr 8    Donington Park          7th
       May 7    Brands Hatch            6th
       May 20   Donington Park          ret/accident
       May 27   Monte Carlo             11th
       Jun 10   Brands Hatch            4th
       Jun 17   Cadwell Park            ret/suspension
       Jul 1    Silverstone             8th
       Jul 14   Silverstone             6th
       Aug 27   Silverstone             6th
       Sep 9    Donington Park          2nd
       Sep 15   Oulton Park             ret/accident/broke back
1980 - F3, 9th. F2 (Ralt RH6/80-Honda), 12th, 8 pts
       Jun 8    Silverstone             11th
       Jun 22   Zolder                  ret/accident
       Jul 20   Zandvoort               5th
       Sep 28   Hockenheim              2nd


Formula One Results:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE   GP   CIRCUIT             CAR                      Q  R
--------------------------------------------------------------------

1 9 8 0
 
17/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Lotus Cosworth DFV 81B  24  Engine
31/08  NL   Zandvoort           Lotus Cosworth DFV 81B  16  Brakes
14/09  I    Imola               Lotus Cosworth DFV 81  DNQ

1 9 8 1

29/03  BR   Jacarepagua         Lotus Cosworth DFV 81   13  11 -1 Lap
21/04  RA   Buenos Aires        Lotus Cosworth DFV 81   15  Engine
17/05  B    Zolder              Lotus Cosworth DFV 81   10  3
31/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Lotus Cosworth DFV 87    3  Suspension
21/06  ESP  Jarama              Lotus Cosworth DFV 87   11  6
05/07  F    Dijon               Lotus Cosworth DFV 87   13  7 -1 Lap
02/08  D    Hockenheim          Lotus Cosworth DFV 87   15  Fuel Leak
16/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Lotus Cosworth DFV 87   11  Engine
30/08  NL   Zandvoort           Lotus Cosworth DFV 87   16  Electrical
13/09  I    Monza               Lotus Cosworth DFV 87   12  Handling
27/09  CAN  Montreal            Lotus Cosworth DFV 87    5  Accident
17/10  USA  Las Vegas           Lotus Cosworth DFV 87    9  4

1 9 8 2

23/01  ZA   Kyalami             Lotus Cosworth DFV 87B  18  Electrical
21/03  BR   Jacarepagua         Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   14  3
04/04  USA  Long Beach          Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   17  7 -2 Laps
09/05  B    Zolder              Lotus Cosworth DFV 91    7  Gearbox
23/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   11  4 -1 Lap
06/06  USA  Detroit             Lotus Cosworth DFV 91    7  Engine
13/06  CAN  Montreal            Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   14  Accident
18/07  GBR  Brands Hatch        Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   23  Handling
08/08  D    Hockenheim          Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   18  9 -2 Laps
15/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   12  Engine
29/08  CH   Dijon               Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   25  8 -1 Lap
12/09  I    Monza               Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   23  7 -1 Lap
25/09  USA  Las Vegas           Lotus Cosworth DFV 91   19  Accident

1 9 8 3
 
13/03  BR   Jacarepagua         Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   22  12 -2 Laps
27/03  USA  Long Beach          Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   13  12 -3 Laps
17/04  F    Paul Ricard         Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   18  Driver
01/05  RSM  Imola               Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   15  12 -6 Laps
15/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   14  Accident
22/05  B    Spa Francorhamps    Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   19  Gearbox
05/06  USA  Detroit             Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   14  6 -1 Lap
12/06  CAN  Montreal            Lotus Cosworth DFV 92   18  Handling
16/07  GBR  Silverstone         Lotus Renault 94T       18  4
17/08  D    Hockenheim          Lotus Renault 94T       17  Engine
14/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Lotus Renault 94T        3  5 -1 Lap
28/08  NL   Zandvoort           Lotus Renault 94T        5  Spun
11/09  I    Monza               Lotus Renault 94T       11  8
25/09  EUR  Brands Hatch        Lotus Renault 94T        3  3
15/10  ZA   Kyalami             Lotus Renault 94T        7  13 -9 Laps

1 9 8 4

25/03  BR   Jacarepagua         Lotus Renault 95T        5  Accident
07/04  ZA   Kyalami             Lotus Renault 95T        3  Turbo
29/04  B    Zolder              Lotus Renault 95T       10  Clutch
06/05  RSM  Imola               Lotus Renault 95T       18  Spun
20/05  F    Dijon               Lotus Renault 95T        6  3
03/06  MC   Monte Carlo         Lotus Renault 95T        2  Accident
19/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Lotus Renault 95T        7  6 -2 Laps
24/06  USA  Detroit             Lotus Renault 95T        3  Gearbox
08/07  USA  Dallas              Lotus Renault 95T        1  6 -3 Laps
22/07  GB   Brands Hatch        Lotus Renault 95T        8  Gearbox
05/08  D    Hockenheim          Lotus Renault 95T       16  4
19/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Lotus Renault 95T        8  Engine
26/08  NL   Zandvoort           Lotus Renault 95T       12  3
09/09  I    Monza               Lotus Renault 95T        7  Spun
07/10  EUR  Nurburgring         Lotus Renault 95T        8  Engine
21/10  P    Estoril             Lotus Renault 95T        6  Spun

1 9 8 5
 
07/04  BR   Jacarepagua         Williams Honda FW10      5  Exhaust
21/04  P    Estoril             Williams Honda FW10      9  5 -2 Laps
05/05  RSM  Imola               Williams Honda FW10      7  5 -2 Laps
19/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Williams Honda FW10      2  7 -1 Lap
16/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Williams Honda FW10     16  6
23/06  USA  Detroit             Williams Honda FW10      2  Accident
21/07  GB   Silverstone         Williams Honda FW10      5  Clutch
04/08  D    Nurburgring         Williams Honda FW10     10  6
18/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Williams Honda FW10      2  Engine
25/08  NL   Zandvoort           Williams Honda FW10      7  6 -1 Lap
08/09  I    Monza               Williams Honda FW10      3  11 -4 Laps
15/09  B    Spa Francorchamps   Williams Honda FW10      7  2
06/10  EUR  Brands Hatch        Williams Honda FW10      3  1
19/10  ZA   Kyalami             Williams Honda FW10      1  1
03/11  AUS  Adelaide            Williams Honda FW10      2  Transmission

1 9 8 6

23/03  BR   Jacarepagua         Williams Honda FW11      3  Accident
13/04  ESP  Jerez               Williams Honda FW11      3  2
27/04  RSM  Imola               Williams Honda FW11      3  Engine
11/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Williams Honda FW11      2  4
25/05  B    Spa Francorchamps   Williams Honda FW11      5  1
15/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Williams Honda FW11      1  1
22/06  USA  Detroit             Williams Honda FW11      2  5 -1 Lap
06/07  F    Paul Ricard         Williams Honda FW11      2  1
13/07  GB   Brands Hatch        Williams Honda FW11      2  1
27/07  D    Hockenheim          Williams Honda FW11      6  3
10/08  H    Hungaroring         Williams Honda FW11      4  3 -1 Lap
17/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Williams Honda FW11      6  CV Joint
07/09  I    Monza               Williams Honda FW11      3  2
21/09  P    Estoril             Williams Honda FW11      2  1
12/10  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Williams Honda FW11      3  5 -1 Lap
26/10  AUS  Adelaide            Williams Honda FW11      1  Tyre

1 9 8 7

12/04  BR   Jacarepagua         Williams Honda FW11B     1  6 -1 Lap
03/05  RSM  Imola               Williams Honda FW11B     2  1
17/05  B    Spa Francorchamps   Williams Honda FW11B     1  Underbody
31/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Williams Honda FW11B     1  Exhaust
21/06  USA  Detroit             Williams Honda FW11B     1  5 -1 Lap
05/07  F    Paul Ricard         Williams Honda FW11B     1  1
12/07  GB   Silverstone         Williams Honda FW11B     2  1
26/07  D    Hockenheim          Williams Honda FW11B     1  Engine
09/08  H    Hungaroring         Williams Honda FW11B     1  Wheel
16/08  AUT  Osterreichring      Williams Honda FW11B     2  1
06/09  I    Monza               Williams Honda FW11B     2  3
20/09  P    Estoril             Williams Honda FW11B     2  Electrical
27/09  ESP  Jerez               Williams Honda FW11B     2  1
18/10  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Williams Honda FW11B     1  1

1 9 8 8

03/04  BR   Jacarepagua         Williams Judd FW12       2  Overheating
01/05  RSM  Imola               Williams Judd FW12      11  Electrical
15/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Williams Judd FW12       5  Accident
29/05  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Williams Judd FW12      14  Engine
12/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Williams Judd FW12       9  Engine
19/06  USA  Detroit             Williams Judd FW12       6  Electrical
03/07  F    Paul Ricard         Williams Judd FW12       9  Suspension
10/07  GB   Silverstone         Williams Judd FW12      11  2
24/07  D    Hockenheim          Williams Judd FW12      11  Accident
07/08  H    Hungaroring         Williams Judd FW12       2  Driver
25/09  P    Estoril             Williams Judd FW12       6  Accident
02/10  ESP  Jerez               Williams Judd FW12       3  2
30/10  J    Suzuka              Williams Judd FW12       8  Accident
13/10  AUS  Adelaide            Williams Judd FW12       3  Accident
 
1 9 8 9

26/03  BR   Jacarepagua         Ferrari 640              6  1
23/04  RSM  Imola               Ferrari 640              3  Gearbox
07/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Ferrari 640              5  Gearbox
28/05  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Ferrari 640              3  Gearbox
04/06  USA  Phoenix             Ferrari 640              4  Gearbox
18/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Ferrari 640              5  DISQ
09/07  F    Paul Ricard         Ferrari 640              3  2
16/07  GB   Silverstone         Ferrari 640              3  2
30/07  D    Hockenheim          Ferrari 640              3  3
13/08  H    Hungaroring         Ferrari 640             12  1
27/08  B    Spa Francorchamps   Ferrari 640              6  3
10/09  I    Monza               Ferrari 640              3  Gearbox
24/09  P    Estoril             Ferrari 640              3  Accident
22/10  J    Suzuka              Ferrari 640              4  Engine
05/11  AUS  Adelaide            Ferrari 640              7  Accident

1 9 9 0

11/03  USA  Phoenix             Ferrari 641/2          17  Clutch
25/03  BR   Interlagos          Ferrari 641/2           5  4
13/05  RSM  Imola               Ferrari 641/2           5  Engine
27/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Ferrari 641/2           7  Battery
10/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Ferrari 641/2           7  3
24/06  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Ferrari 641/2           4  2
08/07  F    Paul Ricard         Ferrari 641/2           1  Engine
15/07  GB   Silverstone         Ferrari 641/2           1  Gearbox
27/07  D    Hockenheim          Ferrari 641/2           4  Undertray
12/08  H    Hungaroring         Ferrari 641/2           5  Accident
26/08  B    Spa Francorchamps   Ferrari 641/2           5  Handling
09/09  I    Monza               Ferrari 641/2           4  4
23/09  P    Estoril             Ferrari 641/2           1  1 
30/09  ESP  Jerez               Ferrari 641/2           3  2
21/10  J    Suzuka              Ferrari 641/2           3  Drive-Shaft
04/10  AUS  Adelaide            Ferrari 641/2           3  2

1 9 9 1

10/03  USA  Phoenix             Williams Renault FW14   4  Gearbox
24/03  BR   Interlagos          Williams Renault FW14   3  Gearbox
28/04  RSM  Imola               Williams Renault FW14   3  Accident
12/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Williams Renault FW14   5  2
02/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Williams Renault FW14   2  6 -1 Lap
16/06  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Williams Renault FW14   2  2
07/07  F    Magny Cours         Williams Renault FW14   4  1
14/07  GB   Silverstone         Williams Renault FW14   1  1
28/07  D    Hockenheim          Williams Renault FW14   1  1
11/08  H    Hungaroring         Williams Renault FW14   3  2
25/08  B    Spa Francorchamps   Williams Renault FW14   3  Electrical
08/09  I    Monza               Williams Renault FW14   2  1
22/09  P    Estoril             Williams Renault FW14   4  DISQ
29/09  ESP  Barcelona           Williams Renault FW14   2  1
20/10  J    Suzuka              Williams Renault FW14   3  Accident
03/11  AUS  Adelaide            Williams Renault FW14   3  2

1 9 9 2

01/03  ZA   Kyalami             Williams Renault FW15   1  1
22/03  MEX  Hermanos Rodriguez  Williams Renault FW15   1  1
05/04  BR   Interlagos          Williams Renault FW15   1  1
03/05  ESP  Barcelona           Williams Renault FW15   1  1
17/05  RSM  Imola               Williams Renault FW15   1  1
31/05  MC   Monte Carlo         Williams Renault FW15   1  2
14/06  CDN  Gilles Villeneuve   Williams Renault FW15   3  Accident
05/07  F    Magny Cours         Williams Renault FW15   1  1
12/07  GB   Silverstone         Williams Renault FW15   1  1
26/07  D    Hockenheim          Williams Renault FW15   1  1
16/08  H    Hungaroring         Williams Renault FW15   2  2  
30/08  B    Spa Francorchamps   Williams Renault FW15   1  2
13/09  I    Monza               Williams Renault FW15   1  Hydraulics
27/09  P    Estoril             Williams Renault FW15   1  1
25/10  J    Suzuka              Williams Renault FW15   1  Engine
08/11  AUS  Adelaide            Williams Renault FW15   1  Accident


1 9 9 3

Indycars (Newman Haas - Lola-Ford Cosworth), CHAMPION, 191 pts
Mar 21  Surfers Paradise        9th/Pole
Apr 4   Phoenix                 practice accident
Apr 18  Long Beach              3rd/Pole
May 30  Indianapolis            3rd
Jun 6   Milwaukee               1st
Jun 13  Detroit                 15th/Pole
Jun 27  Portland                2nd/Pole
Jul 11  Cleveland               3rd
Jul 18  Toronto                 retired/wastegate
Aug 1   Michigan                1st
Aug 8   New Hampshire           1st/Pole
Aug 22  Elkhart Lake            2nd
Aug 29  Vancouver               6th
Sep 12  Mid-Ohio                12th/Pole
Sep 19  Nazareth                1st/Pole
Oct 3   Laguna Seca             retired/accident

Toca Shootout (Ford Mondeo)
Oct 31  Donington Park          retired/accident



1 9 9 4

Indycars (Newman Haas - Lola-Ford Cosworth), 8th, 88 pts
Mar 20  Surfers Paradise        9th/Pole
Apr 10  Phoenix                 3rd
Apr 17  Long Beach              2nd
May 29  Indianapolis            ret/accident
Jun 5   Milwaukee               4th
Jun 12  Detroit                 ret/throttle/Pole
Jun 26  Portland                5th
Jul 10  Cleveland               2nd
Jul 17  Toronto                 ret/handling
Jul 31  Michigan                ret/throttle
Aug 14  Mid-Ohio                7th
Aug 21  New Hampshire           ret/accident
Sep 4   Vancouver               9th
Sep 11  Elkhart Lake            13th
Sep 18  Nazareth                ret/handling
Oct 10  Laguna Seca             8th


F1                                                      Q  R
03/07  F    Magny Cours         Williams Renault FW16   2  Transmission
16/10  EUR  Jerez               Williams Renault FW16   3  Spin
06/11  J    Suzuka              Williams Renault FW16   4  4
13/11  AUS  Adelaide            Williams Renault FW16   1  1


1 9 9 5

       RSM  Imola               McLaren Mercedes MP4/10B  9  10
       E    Barcelona           McLaren Mercedes MP4/10B 10 Retired - handling


1 9 9 8
       Chamonix 24 Hrs (Ford Escort BMW), 12th with Ari Vatanen.
       British Touring Cars (West Surrey Racing Ford Mondeo), 18th, 7 pts
       Jun 14  Donington Park          ret/accident
       Jun 14  Donington Park          5th, 54:00.662
       Aug 31  Brands Hatch Indy       ret/accident
       Aug 31  Brands Hatch Indy       ret/accident




C A R E E R   S U M M A R Y

+------+---+------------------+-----+----+----+----+----------+
| YEAR |POS|TEAM              |RACES|WINS|POLE|FLAP|  POINTS  |  
+------+---+------------------+-----+----+----+----+----------+
| 1980 |   | Lotus Cosworth   |   2 |  0 |  0 |  0 |        0 |
| 1981 | 14| Lotus Cosworth   |  12 |  0 |  0 |  0 |        8 |
| 1982 | 14| Lotus Cosworth   |  13 |  0 |  0 |  0 |        7 |
| 1983 |=12| Lotus Renault    |  16 |  0 |  0 |  1 |       10 |
| 1984 | 10| Lotus Renault    |  16 |  0 |  1 |  0 |       13 |
| 1985 | 6 | Williams Honda   |  15 |  2 |  1 |  1 |       31 |
| 1986 | 2 | Williams Honda   |  16 |  5 |  2 |  4 |  (70) 72 |
| 1987 | 2 | Williams Honda   |  14 |  6 |  8 |  3 |       61 |
| 1988 | 9 | Williams Judd    |  14 |  0 |  0 |  1 |       12 |
| 1989 | 4 | Ferrari          |  15 |  2 |  0 |  3 |       38 |
| 1990 | 5 | Ferrari          |  16 |  1 |  3 |  3 |       37 |
| 1991 | 2 | Williams Renault |  16 |  5 |  2 |  0 |       72 |
| 1992 | 1 | Williams Renault |  16 |  9 | 14 |  9 |      108 |
| 1994 | 9 | Williams Renault |   4 |  1 |  1 |  0 |       13 |
| 1995 | - | McLaren Mercedes |   2 |  0 |  0 |  0 |        0 |
+------+---+------------------+-----+----+----+----+----------+
| TOTAL                       | 187 | 31 | 32 | 25 |      510 |      
+-----------------------------+-----+----+----+----+----------+


2005 – GP Masters: Kyalami, 1st, 50m55.154
2006 – GP Masters
       Apr 29	Losail, QR		1st, 52m06.000
       Aug 13	Silverstone		ret/2 laps/differential
2007 – FIA GT (Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT2): with C.Niarchos
       May 6	Silverstone (TT)	21st, 61 laps
2009 – Silverstone 1000 km (Team LNT Ginetta-Zytel GZ09S): 28th, 168 laps, 
       with G.Mansell, L.Tomlinson.
2010 – Le Mans Series (Beachdean Mansell Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S): (with G.Mansell, L.Mansell)
       Apr 11	Paul Ricard		14th, 243 laps
       Le Mans 24 Hrs (Beachdean Mansell Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S): ret/4 laps/accident, with
       G.Mansell, L.Mansell.

MANSELL Nigel (GB), Biography 1995

Nigel Mansell is living proof that, metaphorically, determination and dedication can move mountains. The two qualities have been evident in Mansell since he began racing in Formula Ford in 1977.

Nine years later, they almost brought him his ultimate ambition: the Formula 1 World Championship. Just 18 laps from the end of the 1986 season finale in Adelaide, Mansell's dream exploded along with the left rear tyre of his Williams.

It was to be another six years before he finally gained the crown in a brilliant season, after repeated frustrations had brought him to the point of retirement. Within weeks of becoming World Champion, he had turned his back on Formula One and in 1993 went Indycar racing. Adapting with astonishing speed and fighting back from yet more injuries, he won the Indycar title - the first back-to-back championships ever in the two series.

Now, at a mature but utterly determined 41, he has rejoined Formula One full-time with the Marlboro McLaren Mercedes team, another World Championship definitely in his sights.

In his early days, Mansell was only able to compete by supplementing his income as an engineer with menial, part-time work. In 1977, he won 32 of the 42 Formula Ford 1600 races he contested. He broke his back in a racing accident but returned, against medical advice, to clinch a championship.

Two years later Nigel and his wife, Roseanne, sold their house to pay for four Formula 3 drives. His March was not the most competitive car on the grid, but Mansell's efforts attracted the attention of the late, great Lotus boss, Colin Chapman.

Just as he was about to be invited to test for Lotus, Nigel crushed vertebrae in his neck after an F3 collision with Andrea de Cesaris. "Don't worry, I'll be there," Mansell said, in response to Chapman's doubts as to whether he was fit enough to try the Lotus.

Mansell was disappointed when the 1980 seat alongside Mario Andretti went to the late Elio de Angelis, but he was given an opportunity in a third Lotus in the Austrian Grand Prix. He had to draw on all the reserves of his courage to bear the pain of fuel burns, caused by spillage as the tank was being filled.

Mansell was given a full-time drive the following year, becoming close friends with Chapman before the latter's death in December 1982. But he did not get his hands on a truly competitive chassis until he was signed by Frank Williams to partner Keke Rosberg in 1985. He won an emotional first victory at Brands Hatch, in the European Grand Prix that year.

Throughout the next two seasons, when he was joined at Williams by Nelson Piquet, Nigel became the driver to beat. In 1986, he won five Grands Prix and was only pipped to the crown by Prost at that traumatic final race.

The following season saw the Williams-Honda conclusively the quickest combination and Nigel, this time, was first past the chequered flag on six occasions. Despite that, Williams team mate Nelson Piquet took the title with only three wins, after Mansell's hopes had disappeared in a practice accident at Suzuka in which he damaged his neck.

After a fruitless 1988 season with a Judd-powered Williams, Mansell was signed by Ferrari shortly before Enzo Ferrari's death that August. Despite the newness of the teams's V12 engine and automatic gearbox, he scored a memorable win in his first race for the Prancing Horse stable, in Brazil. A tremendous drive, from 12th place on the grid, brought Mansell another win in Hungary, a race he rated as: "Definitely the best drive of my career".

Mansell fully supported Ferrari's signing of World Champion Alain Prost, assessing that the Frenchman's arrival, on equal terms, could only strengthen Ferrari's hand in 1990. "We know we are in good shape for a crack at the World Championship," he said. Nigel quickly formed a rapport with the triple World Champion while they pursued an intensive programme of winter engine development for the Scuderia.

After a disappointing start to the season, Mansell's luck changed in Portugal where he equalled Stirling Moss's record of the most successful English driver with 16 Grands Prix victories. He took second place in three races, scored points in three more, and won three pole positions, finishing the season fifth in the World Championship.

At the British Grand Prix Mansell announced he was to retire from Formula One but public support, and his belief that Williams, which offered him Number One status, could give him a good chance of winning the title, made him change his mind. He returned to the team with which he had won 13 races, his status as Britain's top driver officially confirmed with the award of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Five victories in 1991 started with a new record for the most Grand Prix wins by an English driver. He was the only driver to seriously challenge Ayrton Senna for the Drivers' World Championship and finished the season runner-up for the third time in his career. He re-signed for Williams, but moved his family base from the Isle of Man to Florida.

1992 was Mansell's year, winning the Drivers' Championship at last. Mansell set a record 14 pole positions in the season and won nine races, clinching the title in Hungary, only the 11th of the 16 races. But after failing to agree terms for another season with Williams, he announced at the Italian Grand Prix in that he had signed to drive in the United States for the Newman Haas team in a Lola-Ford in the PPG IndyCar World Series.

He won the opening round in Surfers Paradise, Australia, but crashed heavily in practice at Phoenix - the first oval event of his career. Despite an operation for a back injury, he finished third at Long Beach and in his first Indianapolis 500 - which he came close to winning. Further victories came at on the ovals of Milwaukee, Michigan, New Hampshire and Nazareth where he clinched the Championship in the second last race.

His second Indycar season was disappointing, with Newman Haas outgunned by Penske, and he had a big crash at Indianapolis. Eagerly sought by Formula One, he made four "guest appearances" with Williams, driving sensationally in the rain in Japan and then winning the Australian Grand Prix.

It was those final performances that convinced him that he wanted to return to fight for the World Championship again, this time for a team he has always admired as a rival, Marlboro McLaren.