Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2011 | Page 71

MOTORING

I look back over
my career now
and wonder 'how
did I do what I
actually did?

Interview by Martin Potter
Nigel Mansell, the former Formula
One world driving champion, recently
made a ‘pit stop’ on the Island.
During his stay at the Royal Hotel,
Ventnor, Island Life managed to catch
up with Nigel, and ask him about his
successful career behind the wheel, and
his ongoing charity work.
Born on August 8, 1953 in
Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire,
Nigel won the Formula One title in
1992 and the CART Indy Car World
Series the following year. His career in
F1 spanned 15 seasons, and he is still
the most successful British F1 driver of
all time in terms of race wins with 31
victories.
During his career he drove for Lotus,
Williams, Ferrari and McLaren, and
spent much of his life on the Isle
of Man before moving to Jersey in
1995. But he could not resist a visit
to the Island, when one of his sons
represented Jersey at cycling in the
Island Games.
He recalled: “I had a wonderful
childhood, but because we moved

around a lot I had a difficult time at
school. At the age of seven I cycled
eight miles each way to school, so
they were challenging times. Actually
I hated school, but they are different
now to what they were then.”
Nigel left home to start his own
life at 21, and says: “I think I have a
fantastic degree in life. I am worldly
travelled, and don’t see bad in anyone
until proven otherwise. I like to be
totally transparent and fair.”
His fascination for cars began when
he was just seven, even driving down
pavements to the disgust of the local
constabulary. Two years later he began
kart racing even though he was still
too young by a couple of years.
“I look back over my career now and
wonder 'how did I do what I actually
did?' In the present day under the
same circumstances I wouldn’t get a
sniff, because it is impossible without
sufficient finances,” he said. “I spent
many years having three jobs to raise
money.
“I didn’t learn to say ‘no’ until my
early 30s. Whatever was asked of
me I did to the best of my ability.

Sometimes it is best to say no, but I
wasn’t wise enough to do that. But
I had no fear, not even when I was
driving.”
Nigel has always been a fitness
fanatic, and during the halcyon days of
his motor racing career he reckoned:
“I was training 12 hours a day, and
sometimes up to 16 hours a day.
In the year I won the world title I
was crazy, and went 10lbs under my
normal weight, getting up a 6.0 in the
morning and training until 10.0 at
night.”
He claims he enjoyed his driving
experiences with all the teams he
was involved with, each one having
something different to offer. He
continued: “Ferrari were fanatics, and
I was fortunate to win my first race for
them, and had a wonderful couple of
years there.
“But one of the fondest memories
was Colin Chapman giving me the
opportunity at Lotus, although having
just signed a five-year contract with
the great man, he died. But then Sir
Frank Williams and Patrick Head gave
me the opportunity at the Williams
www.visitislandlife.com

71