Nigel Ernest James Mansell was born on August 8, 1953, in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire in the region. Mansell started in karting, and then to achieve impressive results, he sold everything he had (displeasing his family) and was competing in Formula Ford in 1976. He won six of nine races in which he participated that year in 1977 and was champion of the category, with 33 victories in 42 races. The same year he received an invitation to participate in a Formula 3 race at Silverstone. Driving a Lola, finished fourth. The determination of Nigel Mansell won him later nicknamed "il leone" ("lion"), given by Ferrari fans.
The premiere took place in the F1 Grand Prix of Austria in 1980. The beginning of the class career was turbulent: a fuel leak caused the first test burns of first and second degrees at the hips and legs of the pilot; Still, despite the unpopularity of Mansell with some leaders of the Lotus, Chapman Mansell confirmed as the first pilot team in 1981, when Mario Andretti left the team for Alfa Romeo.
The four years of Nigel Mansell in the Lotus would be difficult. He completed only 24 of 59 races in which he and his best result was third place - which won five times. The new team director, Peter Warr did not like Mansell and even wanted to keep the contract for the British in 1984 - which happened only by pressure from donors, the tobacco company John Player Special. Halfway through the season, Ayrton Senna Lotus hired for the following year, and after considering offers from Arrows and Williams, Mansell chose the latter.
1985 was a positive year for Mansell - he had a good relationship with team-mate Finn Keke Rosberg, and managed a second place in Belgium, Spa, followed by two wins at Brands Hatch and Kyalami. But in 1986, Brazilian Nelson Piquet went to Williams, and began an internal war for the team: Piquet openly criticized Mansell, referring to his companion as "imbecile" and insulting the wife of Nigel, Rosanne. Still, Mansell had five victories and runner-up that year, which earned him the title of Sports Personality of the Year, given by the BBC.
In 1987, the rivalry would remain. Piquet won the championship, but Mansell had six victories this season, including a historic British Grand Prix at Silverstone when the British overtook Brazilian recovering 30 seconds in 30 laps, during a victory lap after crossing the finish line, Mansell got off the car and kissed the spot where he had overtaken its rival.
The 1988 season was a disaster. The team lost the turbine engines and Honda Mansell finished only two races - still came second in the British Grand Prix, nailing the fastest lap of the race in the rain. It was the end of the partnership Williams / Mansell: the following year, the Briton running for the first season for the legendary Ferrari.
1989 was a year of change in Formula 1: turbo engines were banned and the electronic exchange established. Nigel won the debut race. The season, however, would not be easy - the team struggled with problems of exchange, and Mansell took a black flag in Portugal, it backs up in the pitlane, which also cost him the Spanish Grand Prix. He ended the year in fourth place.
In 1990, another internal war nearly destroyed the career of Leon: Frenchman Alain Prost, who held the title last year, moved to Ferrari and took over as first pilot. The difference in treatment between the two was visible - British Grand Prix, Mansell realized that the car was behaving oddly, quite different conditions of the previous GP. The pilot pressed the mechanics, who confessed that they had exchanged the car without warning Mansell, Prost after they complained about the superiority of equipment in English. Furious, after leaving the race, Mansell said it would abandon the racing at the end of the year.
But Frank Williams changed the history of F1, Mansell to rehire after agreeing to the conditions imposed by the pilot: a salary of almost five million pounds - a record for British athletes at the time - and the assurance of being the first rider of the team. Williams would not regret. Mansell won five races in 1991, including a historical dispute with Ayrton Senna in Spain, where the difference between the two was centimeters. The title would be Senna, Mansell getting the runner-up.
1992 was the year of glory for Nigel Mansell. He won the first five races of the season, and nine GPs in all, nailing 14 pole positions and securing the title in advance, at the Hungarian Grand Prix where he finished second. The BBC again conferred the title of Sports Personality of the Year, and finally he inscribed his name in the history of the great champions of motorsports.
The following year Mansell surprised everyone by moving to the Indy Racing League (then called the CART Series). Williams had hired Alain Prost for the 1993 season, which displeased Nigel, in addition, the team and world champion did not reach a satisfactory wage agreement. Mansell was the team Newman / Haas. In the opening race at Surfers Paradise, Australia, Mansell won the pole and his first victory. In the Indianapolis 500, was to his first victory on oval circuits - and other top three will confer the title of the category.
He returned to F1 in 1994, replacing David Coulthard at Williams at the French Grand Prix and the last three races of the season. He won the last race, and signed with McLaren for 1995, the car, however, was too small for him, and frustrated, Mansell was withdrawn after just two races.
Today, Nigel devotes his time to the Chair of UK Youth, an NGO that promotes education and youth development.
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