Nigel Mansell on the Moneysupermarket advert.
Discussion
russ_a said:
I hate Mansell with a passion, just a money grabbing jerk like most of the F1 drivers.
I just wish the Isle of Man would evict him!!
I was at Silverstone one British GP, in the F1 Paddock Club. At the end of the day Mansell rode in on a monkey bike and then spent the next half an hour running kids around on it. No cameras, no pay. Those kids probably eat out on the story.I just wish the Isle of Man would evict him!!
When I was in charge of a shift at my local police station there was a little bit of feeling between the specials and the regulars on my shift. I wrote off to Mansell as he was then a special on the IoM and asked if I could have a photograph of him in his specials uniform that I could put up in my office to show my impartiality.
He had a special (in more ways than one) picture taken, autographed it and hand-wrote a very nice letter on headed notepaper. I framed both. Both were later stolen.
When he was driving the Judd-engined Williams at the British GP he put in the best single lap I have ever seen. I was at Club and the whole hill burst into applause as he went around the corner. He put the car second on the (then) grid, in front of all but one of the turbo-charged cars.
At Silverstone for the GP Masters Mansell was the guest of the TVRCC and he proved to be friendly, accommodating and a pleasant chap. Apparently not at all conceited.
He's not my favourite driver. But that said he was the lead in what was to me the most exciting and memorable GP I've ever seen - the 87 British. What's to hate? If you don't like him talking, don't listen. But he was one hell of an exciting driver.
Mansell almost seems to have a split personality.
I know people in the F1 community who think he is the biggest pain ever to grace the sport; completly charmless, rude and with a massive persecution complex verging on total paranoia.
My father has had dealings with him & says he is a totally charming man and very on the ball when it comes to business.
My own thoughts would be he is one of the bravest drivers I've ever seen & a true Englishman but could have done with a much better PR advisor and/or agent, as some of the stuff he came out with & decisions that he made did not paint him in a good light except with people who couldn't see past the "Our Nige" image.
I know people in the F1 community who think he is the biggest pain ever to grace the sport; completly charmless, rude and with a massive persecution complex verging on total paranoia.
My father has had dealings with him & says he is a totally charming man and very on the ball when it comes to business.
My own thoughts would be he is one of the bravest drivers I've ever seen & a true Englishman but could have done with a much better PR advisor and/or agent, as some of the stuff he came out with & decisions that he made did not paint him in a good light except with people who couldn't see past the "Our Nige" image.
The Hypno-Toad said:
a massive persecution complex verging on total paranoia.
I commented on this to the mrs when he was interviewed before the GP today, talking about his round Britain cycle ride he said "lots of people said we wouldn't do it". Which is all well and good but rather unlikely that anyone would publically express doubts about a charity fundraiser. Almost as if he is motivated by showing his (sometimes imaginary) critics.From my pov he is a god and my favourite driver ever.
Ben
BigBen said:
The Hypno-Toad said:
a massive persecution complex verging on total paranoia.
I commented on this to the mrs when he was interviewed before the GP today, talking about his round Britain cycle ride he said "lots of people said we wouldn't do it". Which is all well and good but rather unlikely that anyone would publically express doubts about a charity fundraiser. Almost as if he is motivated by showing his (sometimes imaginary) critics.From my pov he is a god and my favourite driver ever.
Ben
When Honda confessed to, as they said, setting up the engines to suit the individual driver characteristics - meaning that Mansell's characteristics required a lower top speed or lower downforce - none of his media critics admitted to being wrong.
There was an awful lot of hype, both negative and postive, about Mansell. Yet he was an F1 driver. Did they criticise his driving?
Absolutley one of my childhood heroes, but not without fault. In the 80s/early 90s, no drivers had PR advisors/ tv script writers likt today (no, really!).
So they were very much what you see was what you got. Fine of you had charisma, not good if you had to fight tooth and nail for eveyrthing, and feel the world needs to know just how hard you'd driven, and what you were up against.
But I still get excited when I hear he's racing, and my autosport guide from this years le mans has got the front page signed by him and both his sons. I was more excited then when Vanina Ickx looked in my general direction!
So they were very much what you see was what you got. Fine of you had charisma, not good if you had to fight tooth and nail for eveyrthing, and feel the world needs to know just how hard you'd driven, and what you were up against.
But I still get excited when I hear he's racing, and my autosport guide from this years le mans has got the front page signed by him and both his sons. I was more excited then when Vanina Ickx looked in my general direction!
Derek Smith said:
russ_a said:
I hate Mansell with a passion, just a money grabbing jerk like most of the F1 drivers.
I just wish the Isle of Man would evict him!!
I was at Silverstone one British GP, in the F1 Paddock Club. At the end of the day Mansell rode in on a monkey bike and then spent the next half an hour running kids around on it. No cameras, no pay. Those kids probably eat out on the story.I just wish the Isle of Man would evict him!!
When I was in charge of a shift at my local police station there was a little bit of feeling between the specials and the regulars on my shift. I wrote off to Mansell as he was then a special on the IoM and asked if I could have a photograph of him in his specials uniform that I could put up in my office to show my impartiality.
He had a special (in more ways than one) picture taken, autographed it and hand-wrote a very nice letter on headed notepaper. I framed both. Both were later stolen.
When he was driving the Judd-engined Williams at the British GP he put in the best single lap I have ever seen. I was at Club and the whole hill burst into applause as he went around the corner. He put the car second on the (then) grid, in front of all but one of the turbo-charged cars.
At Silverstone for the GP Masters Mansell was the guest of the TVRCC and he proved to be friendly, accommodating and a pleasant chap. Apparently not at all conceited.
He's not my favourite driver. But that said he was the lead in what was to me the most exciting and memorable GP I've ever seen - the 87 British. What's to hate? If you don't like him talking, don't listen. But he was one hell of an exciting driver.
The Hypno-Toad said:
Mansell almost seems to have a split personality.
I know people in the F1 community who think he is the biggest pain ever to grace the sport; completly charmless, rude and with a massive persecution complex verging on total paranoia.
My father has had dealings with him & says he is a totally charming man and very on the ball when it comes to business.
My own thoughts would be he is one of the bravest drivers I've ever seen & a true Englishman but could have done with a much better PR advisor and/or agent, as some of the stuff he came out with & decisions that he made did not paint him in a good light except with people who couldn't see past the "Our Nige" image.
There are a lot of egos in F1 and many people disliked him exactly because he was a competant businessman as well as a good driver. People want their drivers to just drive not spot when someone is trying to leg them over on a deal.I know people in the F1 community who think he is the biggest pain ever to grace the sport; completly charmless, rude and with a massive persecution complex verging on total paranoia.
My father has had dealings with him & says he is a totally charming man and very on the ball when it comes to business.
My own thoughts would be he is one of the bravest drivers I've ever seen & a true Englishman but could have done with a much better PR advisor and/or agent, as some of the stuff he came out with & decisions that he made did not paint him in a good light except with people who couldn't see past the "Our Nige" image.
If you were to place him in the sport now he would fit in perfectly and look very tame. Back then it was still deemed poor form to concentrate on the money side.
He simply ensured that he got paid for doing what he did and that upset people back then.
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