Mansell rolls back the years in F1 car at Silverstone

Three-times British Grand Prix winner, Nigel Mansell rolled back the years on Friday at Silverstone Circuit when he put on a dramatic display within the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park in the BMW Sauber F1 Team car.

Doughnuts and a sea of tyre smoke were the order of the day as Mansell was let loose to thrill the crowds, rekindling memories of his 1992 FIA Formula One World Championship triumph and three Silverstone victories.

‘Absolutely awesome!’ was Mansell’s verdict following his 700bhp thrill-ride. ‘That took me back. The BMW drives in a similar way to the F1 cars of my era, but the technology advances that have been made since are phenomenal.’

Asked how many doughnuts he had completed, he joked: ‘I lost count, but I had a fantastic time. It’s the first time I have driven a Formula One car and not had any problems with it!’

Mansell’s drive was staged within the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park, a touring theme park designed to allow fans to get close to the stars and cars of Formula One. Over the weekend the BMW Sauber F1 Team car was also driven by 1995 British Grand Prix winner, Johnny Herbert, and BMW Sauber F1 Team driver, Sebastian Vettel.

The Mansell demonstration was part of an ‘Introduction to Formula One’ masterclass that the Formula BMW UK Championship ambassador was putting on for this year’s young chargers.

The afternoon’s instruction also included a tour of the many interactive attractions housed with Pit Lane Park’s garages, including a timed Pit Stop Challenge, an F1 Training Centre and an F1 Insider quiz.