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1992 Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell believes that the F1 drivers of today will never experience a "proper" Grand Prix car.
Although the current cars are displaying some of the highest cornering speeds in the sport's history, drivers say that physically, the cars are not as demanding as they could be.
“Formula 1 will never get back to that,” Mansell told the FIA's Auto magazine, talking about the cars of the 80s.
“Driving those turbo cars was the most exhilarating, frightening thing that you could do in your life.
"The Williams FW11B, nothing comes close to that car, nothing in the world. And Formula 1 will never get back to that. Really, today’s drivers will never know what a proper F1 car feels like.
"In qualifying you literally had up to 1,500 horsepower. it’s reputed that BMW had more. And to have wheelspin in sixth gear down the straight, at 175 or 180, you cannot put that into words as a driver. At every single corner you came to, the car was literally trying to kill you.”
Mansell added that the circuits that were used in his racing days were much more terrifying than the ones that are currently raced at.
“You know, at that time, if we were racing at the old Silverstone, for example, you’re going down Hangar Straight with qualifying boost, well in excess of 200mph.
"You’re turning into Stowe corner flat, without a lift, and this is on the old circuit with six-inch-wide poles and wire across them on the outside of the corner as catch-fencing, and you’re running wide and almost hitting these poles.
"Then you’re into Club corner flat again and you don’t lift. You’d come out of the corner and literally breathe a sigh of relief: one, because you could breathe after the extraordinary the G-forces pulling you around; and secondly, and most importantly, because when you came out of the corner, you’d think ‘I made it’.”
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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Pistonhead
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He has a point - today it's not just about the driver in the car - there a k'billion people looking at laptops and half the racing is done remote from the car - in this respect F1 is not pure anymore. No-one had the heart of Nigel Mansell - anyone who knows F1 will say the same. Of course thi... [Read more]