Written by:
Kevin Krefting
04/01/2007
Oulton Park, England
Nigel Mansell remains eager to give it a go. (LAT photo)
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EDITOR: Recent years have seen second-generation Brabhams, Hills, Villeneuves, Rosbergs and Piquets, in addition to a third-generation Andretti testing for Honda this winter.
They may soon be joined by the two sons of 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell, as 21-year-old Leo and 19-year-old Greg attempt to create the latest father-and-son success story, while simultaneously attempting to become the first brothers to race in F1 in the past 20 years whose names are not Schumacher.
READ FORMULA 1 FAMILY HERE
Nigel Mansell talks with SPEED about coaching his sons in racing.
SPEED: So, what's your role in all this then?
Nigel: Just to be here as a supporting role for the boys, and give them encouragement and sometimes a helping hand. Basically, looking after some of our sponsors – we're very blessed with having Duo and Sunseeker and Tarmac-R. It's an interesting scenario.
SPEED: Did you find yourself calling some of your contacts from your old days to help you finance the project?
Nigel|: Yeah absolutely, but the nice thing is that we've got a nice lot of new blood as well. Not just in the team but also the sponsors, there's no question that the boys have demonstrated a lot of flair, and interest.
SPEED: How much fun is it to be involved at a national level instead of an international level – is it good to be involved at a grass roots level of motorsport again?
Nigel: Well, I think Formula 3…I'd call it an international level, not a national level. We've got 4 races abroad, with Spa obviously a Grand Prix circuit, Monza a Grand Prix circuit, we're going to Zolder, an old Grand Prix circuit, and also Bucharest. It has a bit of an international flavour….
SPEED: Is it more fun though compared to F1? Maybe a bit less political?
Nigel: I think for me, F1 was utopia, it's the pinnacle of motorsport. I love it, I miss it, and Formula 1 is fantastic - it's what everybody aspires to do.
SPEED: You won major championships (F1 in 1992, IndyCar in 1993), but you didn't win the F3 title did you?
Nigel: I only did F3 for one year (1980 – the same year he graduated to Formula 1 with Lotus), but I won one race and I was pleased because we certainly didn't have the most powerful engines, but it was a great stepping stone. Mike Conway (the 2006 champion who has stepped up to GP2 this year) has demonstrated that admirably.
SPEED: Do you feel there's a gap in the trophy cabinet because you didn't win the F3 title?
Nigel: Well, single seaters are a stepping stone and you've got the BMW series which I'm an ambassador for, then there's Formula Ford, Formula 3, Formula 2 – now GP2, but the basic stepping stones are the same.
SPEED: Can you find yourself sometimes wanting to say "get out the way boys, I'll sort this out" when things go wrong?
Nigel: No, it's a learning curve for them, and that happens all the time. If anybody wants to go motor racing the first thing you've got to explain to them is that there's gonna be…. probably 90%+ of down times, and then if you're lucky, 5-10% of good times. That's motorsport, and that's why it's such a challenge.
SPEED: Well that lays into our next question – when the boys told you that they wanted to go motor racing, was that a good or a bad day in your household?
Nigel: For me, I don't think it was a good day at all. I think it was a shock and a surprise. On saying that, I respect their wishes and that's why we support them, but I'd be the first to be delighted if they said they didn't want to do it. I don't think there's any fear of that though!
SPEED: As a Dad, what's been your proudest moment in their racing careers?
Nigel: People don't realize they've only got one year of motorsport experience, so for them to be so accomplished now, and be straight into a very serious formula such as this, in one year they acquitted themselves, they've got the International B license, which means…. You have to get a load of signatures to get an International C, then another six signatures to get an International B… and when you've got people who have been in single seater racing sometimes for four or five years – and I call them "pot hunters", staying in the lower formulae, rather than going into more serious business. People will jump down my throat saying "oh, they haven't got the sponsorship". Well, some of them have, for sure.
For me, the proudest thing my boys have done is demonstrate just how quick you can come through the formulas and get an International B, which you have to do through your own accomplishment. Here they are now racing, and good luck to them.
SPEED: Does that explain why you chose to go to F3 this year, rather than another season of Formula BMW?
Nigel: Yeah, because you see, unless you refuse a signature, and you don't upgrade your licence, it prohibits you from doing (Formula) BMW. With their licence now, they cannot do BMW, but that's the point I made. There are lots of drivers who are doing other formulas, who, if you like, are way over qualified for that formula.
SPEED: Do you ever have to sort out any disputes between them as teammates?
Nigel: No, I mean that's the delight, they're very professional….. (Nigel is interrupted by team radio traffic on his headset). Errr, no, they're great teammates, great friends and great brothers. All credit to them.
SPEED: If it came down to it, would you be willing to just support one of them, if matters came to it?
Nigell: Well, the way I'll say it to you is this – if you have ten kids, you support all ten of them equally, so that doesn't even enter my mind.
SPEED: What's Chloe Mansell (Nigel's daughter) doing?
Nigel: She's a very special young lady, having a great life, doing her degree at the moment in art and design….
SPEED: So, no aspirations to go racing then?
Nigel: Oh, I hope not!
SPEED: Where do you think you've been the biggest help to the boys?
Nigel: I don't think I have been a help. If anything, it's more of a hindrance than a help because obviously the magnifying glass is on them because they're my sons, but they've acquitted themselves very well, they handle the media extremely well. The pressures that are put onto them, they do very well with….and again, it's all credit to them, nothing to do with us…..
SPEED: Well we wanted to ask about that, and this interview is a classic example. The fact that their last name is Mansell almost overshadows what they're doing on the track. Do you wish sometimes that their names were Leo and Greg Smith when they're on the racetrack, so when they make mistakes, they're not under such scrutiny?
Nigel: No, I don't believe that. I mean, the thing is, they're doing something they love and are very passionate about. You know, this sport is a very individual sport once you get out there on the track, and it's not a sport for the light-hearted. It's one of the few sports that's super dangerous, it's not to be sniffed at or played at, and if you wanna do it, there's only one way, and that's be a true professional.
SPEED: Are you going to be at all the races this year?
Nigel: I certainly hope to be, yeah.mily, we're the same as anyone else.
READ PART 2 HERE.
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FORMULA 1 PHOTOGRAPHY HERE.
FORMULA 1 FEATURES VIDEO HERE.
