Nigel Mansell = The Greatest Driver Ever?

[AU_NSX]

Nigel Mansell is back at it... What he does best! Dominating yet another form of open wheel racing...

This time in the GP Masters series where he has dominated the inaugural race in Qatar, taking pole position and then went on to win the race.

He is the only driver to ever win back-to-back Indy and F1 world championships and now after been retired for nearly a decade he is back and immediately on the podium.

Drivers in the same make series consist of some of the greatest F1 and Indy drivers of the last few decades:

Emerson Fittipaldi
Alain Prost
Ricardo Patrese
Christian Danner
Eddie Cheever
Andrea De Cesaris
Rene Arnoux
Stefan Johansson
Pierluigi Martini
Eric van de Poele
Eliseo Salazar
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Jan Lammers
Patrick Tambay
Derek Warwick
Nigel Mansell

Next event is at Silverstone 13th August.

 

[Soichiro]

No, not really

"Our Nige" was the greatest whiner ever. He was a mediocre F1 driver, lots of courage but no brains. He won his world championship in a car that was very different and much more advanced (active suspension) than the competition.

Against equal competition (like when he drove for Lotus) he was very average, known more for crashing out of races than anything else.

And don't forget his 'comeback' to F1, where he was too fat to get into the car and too unmotivated to go to the gym.

 

[92 white 0650]

"Our Nige" was the greatest whiner ever. He was a mediocre F1 driver, lots of courage but no brains.

Well, he was before my time but if what you say is even 1/2 true, I think he and Paul Tracy could really tear up some equipment and entice some WWF fans to watch some fantastic schamozels. :wink:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73857

Throw in old Eddie Und-A-Cheever and it should really be fun. :tongue:

 

[DutchBlackNsx]

Re: No, not really

"Our Nige" was the greatest whiner ever. He was a mediocre F1 driver, lots of courage but no brains. He won his world championship in a car that was very different and much more advanced (active suspension) than the competition.

Against equal competition (like when he drove for Lotus) he was very average, known more for crashing out of races than anything else.

And don't forget his 'comeback' to F1, where he was too fat to get into the car and too unmotivated to go to the gym.

Spot on.
I remember being a huge fan of him during the early 90's season, when he finally won the F1 title i think in 1992 (mainly by the exceptional Renault). Didn't mis a single race, and especially the competition with Senna at the time was something i have not seen in F1 racing since, but then, i dont follow it these days.
Mansell was always complaining, but with a lot of pasion, which prolly drawed my attention, i dunno.... Maybe the 'britisch character' did it.
Loosing a wheel at Estoril, loosing the championship at Monaco with some very odd pitstop made him sometimes look a bit ..... clumsy.

Definately not greatest racer all time, but definetely one to remember.
When he went out of F1, schummi got up front, and thats where i lost my interest in F1......:biggrin:

 

[Senninha]

The Greatest Driver Ever?, no, I dont think so but he offers entertainment, excitement and something for the fans that today is sadly missing, Yes!

If it could go wrong then it would for Nigel. Even when he's tried his hand at touring cars he has had monumental crashes which serve only to strengthen the support of his fans.

His return in GP Masters has been entertaining and true Mansell style entertainment.

Above all, Nigel has never IMO forgotten his fan base and at times has played to them and it is this that keeps him as a crowd pleaser.

Long may he continue to entertain us!

 

[AU_NSX]

Wow...

So the consensus is that he is not the greatest driver because he won the F1 Championship because had the best car.... Hmmm... People could say the same about Michael Schumacher...

What about the years when he wasn't in the "best" car and was robbed of the championship through sheer bad luck?

What about never driven an Indy car before and gets in one and wins the championship even though the car and each track he raced on was new to him?

What about the fact that currently on Top Gear he holds the fastest time around the "stig's" circuit in the ford festiva or whatever it is against previous and current F1 drivers...?

What about the fact that he usually posts the fastest time in any car he is put in?

In this GP Masters series he is also up against old nemesis Alain Prost who is regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time... But who was always in a better car than Nigel... Now they are finally in the same machinery and it's Nigel on the podium...

Does he whinge a lot?... Definetly... He is British you know! :smile:

 

[Senninha]

In this GP Masters series he is also up against old nemesis Alain Prost

We're still waiting for this re-union as Prost's ice racing commitments have kept him away from the series .... or is he hiding?

Please don't get me wrong, I have great admoration for Nigel and what he's achieved, my father is a huge fan for whom I obtained NIgels autograpgh (in person at a Brands F1 test session), but IMO, he's not the greatest ever driver, though he probably is the most entertaining ever.

I think he will also continue to draw the biggest crowds whenever he pulls on a set of racing overalls as shown at the recent Goodwood FOS and I'm sure at next weeks UK round of the GP Masters at Silverstone.

regards

 

[Rallywrc]

Who had more F1 Victories Nigel Mansell Or Ayrton Senna??

 

[AU_NSX]

Who had more F1 Victories Nigel Mansell Or Ayrton Senna??

The title of the thread is "Greatest Driver ?" not "Greatest F1 Driver ?"

 

[Rallywrc]

The title of the thread is "Greatest Driver ?" not "Greatest F1 Driver ?"

Yes I understand however, the question remains. To say I am a Mansell fan would be quite the understatement. I was and will always be a Senna fan as well. I remember watching Ayrtons last movements in his car live on tv to this day. Italy was it??

 

[AU_NSX]

Sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic... Obviously, Senna won more F1 races (41 vs 31 for Mansell)

However, Mansell's ability to transcend the different categories of the highest level of motor racing and win in whatever vehicle he is put in is more what I was getting at...

The title of the post has a question mark at the end meaning that quite simply I think it is an un-quantifiable statement and I would like peoples opinion...

 

[Rallywrc]

Sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic... Obviously, Senna won more F1 races (41 vs 31 for Mansell)

However, Mansell's ability to transcend the different categories of the highest level of motor racing and win in whatever vehicle he is put in is more what I was getting at...

The title of the post has a question mark at the end meaning that quite simply I think it is an un-quantifiable statement and I would like peoples opinion...

I honestly did not know who had won more. Somewhere around the house I have a signed print of the pic where Nigel gave Ayerton a ride back to the paddock on his sidepod or vice versa, can't remember.

Nigel is or was at one time minted on the currency in his old place of residence The Isle of Man.

Tharan Mansell
.

 

[BD]

In my book, the top five greatest F1 drivers in the past 20 years were:

Senna
Prost
Schumacher
Piquet
Lauda
Mansell
Hakanen
G Villenuve

Alonso may be the top three in five years.

All right, I listed more than five...

 

[AU_NSX]

In my book, the top five greatest F1 drivers in the past 20 years were:

Senna
Prost
Schumacher
Piquet
Lauda
Mansell
Hakanen
G Villenuve

Alonso may be the top three in five years.

All right, I listed more than five...

What about Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi? Those guys are F1 Drivers as well who switched to Indy cars successfully...

Top 4 in my book... (Not in any particular order!)

Mansell
Senna
Prost
Schumacher

Now the 5th place I would need to think about a bit more. I can remember watching these 4 battle!

Considerations for 5th place would include: Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger... No, probably not Gerhard... Niki Lauda, Emerson and Mario all raced F1 more than 20 years ago so I have discounted them.

Never thought much of Hakinen, average driver in a great car! (Big girl is the first thought that comes to mind)...

 

[Papalazarou]

If we're talking about the best driver ever, what about some of the guys who drove the group B rally cars back in the 80's. Some of those guys were exceptional in skill and in courage.
Also, I think some of the post regarding this subject have been biased against Mansell for reasons of personality.
So what are we talking about here? the best track driver? the best allround package i.e; ability/personality/style etc?

Here is an section I took from a webpage on group B cars;

"Toivonen drove an S4 around Estoril, the Portuguese Grand Prix circuit, so quickly that he would have qualified sixth for the 1986 Portuguese Grand Prix. Nigel Mansell sampled a Peugeot 205 T16 and said it could out-accelerate his F1 car. And, perhaps most impressive (frightening?), the driver's reaction times were cut in half compared with previous rally cars. The Group B rally cars and their pilots were the stuff of which legends are made."

Cheers,


James.

 

[BD]

What about Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi? Those guys are F1 Drivers as well who switched to Indy cars successfully...

Top 4 in my book... (Not in any particular order!)

Mansell
Senna
Prost
Schumacher

Now the 5th place I would need to think about a bit more. I can remember watching these 4 battle!

Considerations for 5th place would include: Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger... No, probably not Gerhard... Niki Lauda, Emerson and Mario all raced F1 more than 20 years ago so I have discounted them.

Never thought much of Hakinen, average driver in a great car! (Big girl is the first thought that comes to mind)...

Andretti and Fitipalti weren't in F1 last 20 years.

I like Berger, in fact, he is one of my favorite driver, but if he cannot be in my top ### is because he has always been the number 2 driver during his Mclaren and second Second round Ferrari. Piquet beat Mansell in my book because they were team mates, and Piquet was the champ.

 

[AU_NSX]

Andretti and Fitipalti weren't in F1 last 20 years.

Did you actually read my post??? Or did you just quote my post to repeat what I said?

I never said that they must have been in F1 in the last 20 years! However, because you put that clarification in your post I also respectfully limited my reply to the last 20 years (if you read all of my post... )

I like Berger, in fact, he is one of my favorite driver, but if he cannot be in my top ### is because he has always been the number 2 driver during his Mclaren and second Second round Ferrari. Piquet beat Mansell in my book because they were team mates, and Piquet was the champ.

I agree, I like Berger as well... A real gentleman and a good driver but your right he was always a No. 2 driver.(That's why I discounted him after I mentioned him in the same post above :wink: )

I think Mansell was treated like a No. 2 driver when he was racing with Piquet, and Mansell definitely matured as a driver after Piquet retired. So in my book, Mansell's achievements after Piquet's retirement make him the better driver overall today.

 

[AU_NSX]

If we're talking about the best driver ever, what about some of the guys who drove the group B rally cars back in the 80's. Some of those guys were exceptional in skill and in courage.
Also, I think some of the post regarding this subject have been biased against Mansell for reasons of personality.
So what are we talking about here? the best track driver? the best allround package i.e; ability/personality/style etc?

That's a very good question...

WRC Rally drivers are the equivalent of F1 for off-road events. Most of the time they have minimal traction and are sliding all over the place which they make look like a graceful ballet. Watching rally racing is as exciting as it is dangerous!

So, are these guys as good as the open wheeler guys?

The problem I see is that they are effectively racing Group A or Touring cars. The comment about their acceleration is correct until the F1 cars aerodynamics kick-in... Then the F1 cars disappear into the distance.

How would you be able compare drivers from 2 completely different forms of motor sport where even the skills required and techniques are completely different?

 

[Senninha]

How would you be able compare drivers from 2 completely different forms of motor sport where even the skills required and techniques are completely different?

http://www.raceofchampions.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_of_Champions#2005

To my knowledge this is the best opportunity for the drivers to demonstrate their extreme skills in different types of vehicles. If you've never seen this event you really need to make a note in your diary.

For me, the best drivers for sheer car control have to be the greats of the WRC, demonstrating their ablility in all weathers, on all surfaces and often without even being able to see where they are going, relying purely on the skill of the co-driver

regards

 

[BD]

I think there is also a physical aspect of the sports. WRC drives don't have to deal with extreme G force such as F1, and there is a totally different approach between the two series. When you travel at a much greater speed, it does take some guts to stay that way for long period of time. WRC on the other hand, is also very scary, and requires a completely different approach.

Here is a interesting questin. Montoya is a pretty good driver in open wheel series, he is heading to NASCAR. There is also a rumor that J. Villenuve is heading that way as well after BMW F1 sacked him.. Do you guys think they can become champion in NASCAR as well?

I personally believe they will have very difficult time, simply because it will be hard for them to adapt the series base on a completely different attitude. Skills can be learned, but attitude is hard to change.

I never car about NASCAR in the past, but in the recent year, the sports has matured and evolved quite a bit, same thing with IRL. In fact, some of the road course races can be more entertaining than F1 races... Godsh, I never thought I will say that....

 

[AU_NSX]

Here is a interesting questin. Montoya is a pretty good driver in open wheel series, he is heading to NASCAR. There is also a rumor that J. Villenuve is heading that way as well after BMW F1 sacked him.. Do you guys think they can become champion in NASCAR as well?

I personally believe they will have very difficult time, simply because it will be hard for them to adapt the series base on a completely different attitude. Skills can be learned, but attitude is hard to change...

Hey Tom Cruise had no problems adapting from open wheelers to tin tops in "Days of Thunder"...

:smile:

Sorry... Useless post! But I didn't really have anything of value to add since I know less than nothing about NASCAR...