They robbed me of Indy glory, says Mansell, but Alonso can do it for F1
NOBODY understands the unique challenge facing Fernando Alonso today better than Nigel Mansell. The 1992 Formula One world champion was the last man to compete in F1 and the Indianapolis 500 in the same season, doing so in 1994.
It was Mansell’s second shot at glory around the Brickyard’s legendary oval, having first competed 12 months earlier.
In 1993, Mansell’s stateside excursion caused as much of a stir as Alonso’s has this year. Fresh from winning his sole world title, a fall-out with his Williams team left him seeking pastures new.
He took America by storm, winning five of the 16 races for Newman/Haas Racing that season to briefly hold the F1 and IndyCar titles simultaneously — the only driver to have achieved the feat.
‘Not being able to defend my F1 title was hard to take,’ says Mansell. ‘But it spurred me on. I enjoyed it over there and the 1993 championship win helped convert a lot of the Americans who didn’t particularly rate Grand Prix drivers.
‘The cars were heavier and had much less downforce than I was used to. There was no active suspension. The ovals made me dizzy and sick so it was a shock to the system. I wasn’t where I wanted to be and it was tough to adapt but I’m proud I did.’
In stark contrast, tonight’s race provides welcome respite for Alonso. His McLaren team are propping up the F1 constructors’ standings as the only team yet to score a point.
Temporarily free of those stresses, Mansell is backing the Spaniard to shine.
‘It’s a freak set of circumstances,’ said the 63-year-old. ‘But making the crossover now is easier.
‘In this technological age the cars are set up by computers, and engineers have a far greater opportunity to test new things. That’s why youngsters find it easier to come in and drive F1 cars now because you don’t have to go testing, you can do it in a simulator. Indy is like a double race weekend. It’s like an endurance race. You’re in the car for three to three and a half hours.
‘But Alonso is a seasoned veteran and a fabulous champion so he will do F1 great justice.
‘It’s brilliant for the sport and a very brave decision. Some of his interviews have been amazing. He’s admitted that trying to go round turn one flat out at 230mph requires a different psyche to F1.
‘It was a super effort for him to qualify in the top five and I expect nothing other than a tremendous race from him. If he and the team don’t make mistakes he has a big chance of winning and that would be great for motorsport.’
Victory eluded Mansell on both of his visits to Indianapolis. He crashed midway through the 1994 race after coming agonisingly close to winning the year before. Leading comfortably with 16 laps to go, waved yellow flags allowed the chasing pack to close up.
Competing in his first race on an oval circuit, Mansell’s inexperience cost him as a tentative restart allowed Emerson Fittipaldi to pass him for the win.
Mansell finished third and 24 years later the disappointment is still strong. ‘It was politics,’ he said of the 1993 race. ‘They didn’t want me to win. I still don’t know why they threw the yellow flags when I was in the lead because there was no accident on the circuit.
‘That allowed everyone to close up when I was going to win by five seconds but it wasn’t my destiny.’
Mansell had similarly painful misses here in Monaco, where his best effort was runner-up in 1991 and 1992. The latter was his best chance. Leading with seven laps remaining, Mansell was forced to pit with a suspected puncture. The time lost allowed his great rival Ayrton Senna to take the lead. Mansell gave chase and closed in but couldn’t pass the Brazilian, who won by less than a quarter of a second. ‘Incredible excitement turned to crushing disappointment,’ is how Mansell described it 25 years on. ‘Monaco is an exciting place to be at any time of the year. It’s always a great venue to go and have fun, but I wasn’t smiling that year.’
His other big chance had come five years earlier. Starting the 1987 race from pole position, Mansell retired from the lead on lap 29.
‘I had a turbocharger come loose,’ Mansell said. ‘It was a nearperfect weekend to then. It was very disappointing to be on pole, lead most of the race and retire with a mechanical issue. But there you go, not my destiny again. To race the beasts around Monaco was very exciting.’
Senna was the benefactor that day too, claiming the first of his record six Monaco victories.
Thirty years on, talk of Senna still provokes a passionate response from Mansell.
‘We were born to fight each other on track,’ he said. ‘We didn’t intimidate each other. We went for it, that’s why it was so close. Ayrton had the lot.’