ΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡ
NIGEL MANSELL .PROFILE
ΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡ

Nigel Mansell

Nigel MansellΥs decision to quit Formula 1 was greeted with dismay by his legions of fans hoping to see him repeat his 1992 World Championship triumph, in which his nine victories set a new record for the most wins in one season. 
His success had been hard won. Despite the combination of talent, courage and determination that led to his nickname ΤIl LeoneΥ, bestowed by passionate Italian supporters while he drove for Ferrrari, he had been frustrated by being narrowly beaten into second place in three of the preceeding six seasons. 
Mansell was given his chance in Formula 1 in 1981 when Colin Chapman gave him the second seat at Lotus Π the number one driver at the time being his current IndyCar teammate, Mario Andretti. His dedication and results proved impressive and he was offered a drive with Williams in 1985, scoring his first two Grand Prix victories that year. Only a tyre blow-out in the last race of 1986 and a crushed vertebra sustained in a qualifying accident late in 1987 deprived him of real hopes of the championship. The Williams team was unsuccessful in 1988 and Mansell switched to Ferrari but two disappointing seasons led to an early decision to retire. The lure of the race-track proved too strong, however, and Frank Williams tempted him back in 1991. Yet again he had to be satisfied with second place but he was ready for 1992. He achieved a record 14 pole positions from 16 starts and led six races from start to finish. He set another record by winning the opening five races of the season and clinched the title in August, the earliest it had been won since Jackie Stewart in 1971. 
Mansell believes IndyCar racing offers him a new and exciting challenge. Reflecting perhaps on the disagreements that soured his relationship with Frank Williams last year, he said, ΤThe single most impressive thing IΥve noted is the total cooperation with everybody on the circuit.... ItΥs just so refreshing that everybody appears to be one family who wants to put on a show... Yet itΥs very fierce, very competitive. Everybody in that pit lane wants to win. So you literally have the best of both worlds.Υ


ΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡ