Nigel Mansell Reflects on His Most Loved and Loathed F1 Cars
Nigel Mansell shares his thoughts on the best and worst cars he drove during his F1 career. His favorites include the powerful Williams FW11B, while he has less fond memories of the Lotus 81B and Lotus 92.
Nigel Mansell, the celebrated F1 driver, has had his share of highs and lows when it comes to the machinery he piloted during his career. In a recent feature for F1.com, he shared insights into the cars that left a lasting impression, for better or worse.
The car Mansell loved: Williams FW11B
For Mansell, the Williams FW11B is the car that stands out as his favorite. Describing it as both exhilarating and terrifying, he notes, "The car I really loved more than anything was the FW11B. It was the fastest car, I think, ever, or the most powerful car ever to be developed in F1, with 1,500 horsepower using a Qualifying tyre. That blew your mind." He went on to say, "Martin Brundle was absolutely spot on: it was a car that wanted to kill you on every corner. So that car… I loved it. I hated it at the same time, because it was trying to kill you! But when you drove that, it was a monster – a _monster_. You knew when you got out and you were in one piece that you’d done half a decent job.”
F1 technical expert Mark Hughes adds that the FW11B was a refined version of its predecessor, the FW11, modified to comply with new fuel regulations and equipped with Honda's powerful RA167E engine.
The cars Mansell loathed: Lotus 81B and Lotus 92
On the other end of the spectrum, Mansell had less favorable memories of the Lotus 81B and 92. He recalls, "I think the car I really didn’t enjoy at all for a period of time, and loathed, was the first active Lotus car, [the 92], when we were developing that. It was throwing you off the circuit and causing you to have accidents when you were going in a straight line. That was a terrible experience to go through." He also mentioned his struggles with the Lotus 81B, "The other car, I think, was the first Lotus that I drove, [the 81B], to try and qualify in a Grand Prix. It was seven inches longer than the normal Lotus car that we were developing, and it wouldn’t turn quickly, because it was too long. It was something that we were trying, but I didn’t enjoy that one either!”
Mark Hughes explains that the Lotus 92 was a stop-gap model with initial active suspension, which proved unreliable, prompting its abandonment. The 81B, a longer wheelbase version of the 81, was intended to improve aerodynamics but instead hindered performance, making it harder to handle and less competitive.
Through these reflections, Mansell offers a candid glimpse into the highs and lows of his F1 journey, highlighting how the cars he drove shaped his racing career.