Club Arnage

Just picked up on Mansells return at Silverstone!

http://www.planetlemans.com/2009/08/19/nigel-mansell-races-ginetta-zytek-at-silverstone/

Oh dear........

MG Mark

well now I'm actually looking forward to this meeting....Mansell was my childhood hero - one last rendevous with Silverstone is good news in my view - it's also likely to add some exposure to the event and boost the atmosphere..... good stuff!

Hope he fits in the car this time ;)

His ass or his ego?  He'll end up stuffing the car and blaming everyone within eyesight, except himself of course.  He and Senna are probably the two biggest w**k*rs to ever sit in a racing car.
Fax

Oh dear, our clueless american friend has raised his head again.............

Mansell & Senna were the greatest drivers of their era, period!
I'd gladly put the top ten of our drivers up against the top ten americans!!!
Much the same as today, can't wait to see what drivers USGPF1 etc put together!!!
F&ck me, you even think that Patrick women is a driver!!

Mansell in an LMP1, alright by me!!!
Enough to make me go if I wasn't travelling back from holiday!!

Robbo the first rule of exams is to read the question properly!  :)

Fax has never said they weren't both talented drivers. Just that they were "jerkoffs" the way they conducted themselves. Even Fax would concede Nige could properly wheel a Williams. You have to admit he's the architypal whinging Brummy. And I say that as both a Brummy and a Mansell fan. Senna was in a different league though.

Fax has never been one to go on about top US racing talent, except for his beloved Mario, and I think he also stated that Danika was a "talentless bimbo". Not that that has anything to do with the subject of Mansell anyway, heedless of his bad attitude and fat arse, US drivers are otiose to this subject.

Just for the record I happen to totally agree with him about Senna, the man was a first class sh*t. I cheered when he hit that wall. Obviously I never wanted him dead, but I have to say I was pretty emotionless when I found out he'd died. I really hated him and his disgraceful tactics sullied the sport. Thank God he can't make a comeback.

Putting this into perspective a little - I also cheered when Senna hit the wall - no I didn't want him dead, but his ruthlessness bordered on cheating on occassion, and such was the ferocity of the rivalry between him and Senna, and his uncanny ability to get everything right, that every time Senna made a mistake it was cause for celebration.  That said, it cannot be denied that the guy was incredibly talented - the main tragedy of Imola 94 was that it denied us of straight fights for a couple of years between Schumacher and Senna. 

Mansell you don't have to like as a person - but as a driver, the guy NEVER gave in - you can't help but admire that - he might have been a whinger, but I can't help but think he had good reason - Ferrari always have always, and continue to have, their number 1 driver, and the other guy.

As for Dannika being "talentless" - I beg to differ - I see two talents that I wouldn't mind racing round....... :)

Come on Fax tell us what you really think of him ;D ;D
Phil

Dear Robbo,
Hmm, as Andy said, you should keep this in context.  I wasn't refering to Mansell the driver, but Mansell the man.  Or should I say, Mansell's inability to be a man.  The guy obviously had talent, and was utterly fearless in most racing circumstances.  However, he was also cursed with a completely obnoxious, whining, self absorbed with his ego, character.
The guy was completely incapable of admitting fault for anything, but god-forbid the car failed he would shout to the heavans what a sh*tbox he was driving and what a bunch of clods his team was.  I never understood this entire  "Mansell, driver for the British people" concept.  Largely because it was fabricted by that equally obnoxious ex-manager of his Peter Windsor.  This spectacle never reared its ugly head until Windsor, at Mansell's request became team manager at Williams.  Hell, when he was at Lotus, he was largely thought of as the pissing & moaning jerk he actually was.  As for DP, f**k yes she's a talentless bimbo!  I've been preaching this for years.
Regarding the best of yours vs ours?  Its a petty argument for starters, however its pretty simple, for the most part, our best, with a few acceptions have tended to ply their trade here at home (North America), while yours, with a few acceptions, have tended to...Err, ply their trade at home (ie, England and Europe).  With all due respect, I would match Frank Lockhart against Richard Seaman, Jimmy Bryan vs Stirling Moss, Dan Gurney vs Jimmy Clark (read what Clark's father said to Dan Gurney at Clark's funeral), and Jeff Gordon against JB or Lewis anyday.  If you don't recognize any of those names, you've got no business even being in this conversation.
Fax

Pretty well everything Fax said.
Brad, commiserations mate on having a childhood hero who's a complete w**k*r...
I remember many times sitting bemused in the easy chair watching Mansell, Senna and Prost in the post race interview looking like they'd just received news of a bereavement when in fact they'd just climbed down from the winners rostrum of an F1 race. WTF is going on there? Sadly, this seemed to set a trend, and some of the drivers still look pissed off when asked about how they won this one. Blimey, I'd give away my *rsehole and sh1t through my winkle to sit in one of those seats! That time Mansell 'staggered' out of the car at Monaco even embarrassed my dog. (There were many other times that I sat bemused in the easy chair embarrassing my dog mind, sometimes with a chinese running down my shirt, and I'm sure you're all with me on that.)
In Sennas defence, I had a good mate who worked at MacLaren, and who reported that Senna was really quite a nice bloke, although very very shy. He'd almost crap himself when he saw a microphone or camera. I can't believe for a moment that Mansell is anything other than a prat, - just look at the first quote on that link, he wastes no time in mentioning his great wins there. You wouldn't get Bobby Charlton steaming in reminding us about his World Cup medal. Humility, or a touch of modesty doesn't sit well with Our Nige.
I'd rather see Norman Hunter make a comeback in the local Under 11's five a side.
H

Of course at Silverstone we will see the names Mansell Senna and Prost on the racetrack once again at the same time

Now you really are talking, don't forget Reaney and Cooper...

>Martini...

Probably worth remembering that through the eyes of a child all I ever saw was a helmeted racing driver, sat in a car - life is simplistic at that age - you don't care about personalities, and whinging and blame and things like that - all you care about is if your man is going to win or not. 

Mansell retired from F1 in 1992 (then made a brief return) - By which point I was 11 years old - still only just starting to appreciate human nature - so for me, my view of Mansell was simply the racer for the people - and that role he performed just right. 

I must admit when I watched Senna (and Johnny Dumfries) Drive the JPS Lotus at Brands in 86 I was a fan straight away.
Somehow I managed to ignore his shortcomings after that.

Could't agree more with your Brad.......
Unless your know any of them personally, or worked directly with them - How can you pass judgement based on one persons view of an individual.

I'm 38 years old - My hero's are of my time. Whilst I appreciate what the historical drivers did, it doesn't have any relevance to me!

So, whilst we are having a conversation about Mansell, a driver of my time, I have every right to pass comment!

As for suggesting Jeff Gordon.............Really???? He'd freak out at the thought of fuel injection!!

Wotcher Brad, - I wasn't have a dig mate!- just observing that it's not an uncommon phenomenon to discover that ones childhood heroes don't always match up to expectations.

Robbo, I'd love to reply, but I'm not really sure what you mean.

Anyway, the whole episode will give the prime time media an opportunity to bless us with ill-informed, badly researched bullsh*t as usual. I'm sure Mansell will post some good times, and he'll be exciting to watch, I'll just have to have my finger hovering above the 'mute' button ready for when they interview him.
H

Freak out at the thought of fuel injection?  Wow, that was a clever one Robbo!  Yeeesh!  Showing just how little you actually know about the sport.  Your right, you are a real Mansell fan then...
This will give give you a chance to dust off your red 5 underpants and your f**k Prost t-shirt.  Ah yes, nothing said xenophobia like Mansell fans.
I know people who have worked with Mansell, and their opinions of him are all the same. And these are people who's opinion's I value highly.
Sorry, I've never been able to cheer for someone who's such a blatant asshole, no matter where they're from or what they've accomplished.
Fax

I know - just pointing out that Mansell was only ever seen by me through the eyes of a child. 

I'm not sure what Robbo means either - Mansell is a driver of my time - my old man took me to my first GP in 1990, I subsequently saw him race at every subsequent BGP until he retired.....

I personally like to seperate people from their personalities and their abilities.  Mansell, Senna, Prost, Piquet, Schumacher, Jenson, Lewis, even on to Ronaldo, Michael Jackson, Paul Gascgoine - all heros in their own way, but I don't think I'd ever want to spend an evening with them!!

Never saw him race or can remember much about his racing history.

But all I do remember is, his scary moustache coupled with his dull Brummie accent. AHHHHHHHH........................................................  ;D

Sorry to any CA memebers who are from Brum Land and have hairy upper lips.

Then obviously Fax, I will bow to your superior knowledge and apologise for anything said out of turn

However, one more car on the LMP1 grid is never a bad thing!

Sorry Robbo, you are totally out of order! You, as is anyone else, are allowed to have an opinion. Ok you may have screwed up about the fuel injection but what the heck. I think you, as I did, appreciated him as a driver even FaxII liked him really, and I quote FaxII "The guy obviously had talent, and was utterly fearless in most racing circumstances."

So do not take it all to heart.

I have been going to LM for years plus the odd trip to Sebring and I still know Jack Sh*t about what goes on, I go for the trip and to watch the odd car racing, we cannot all be anoraks.

>Martini...LB

I don't reckon Fax can stand the c*nt....

Me thinks at some point this all got a bit out of control.  As Martin very well pointed out, everyone's entitled to their opinion.
Simply put, I've always been of the opinion that while Nigel was a fine racing driver, I found him a completely objectionable person.  I thnk part of the problem in this debate may have been the age gap invloved between some of us.  Yes, when we're young it is all about the helmet in the cockpit, the flair on track.  Watching from the banks at Silverstone & Brands I can fully understand what a young boy or a teenager would see appealing about Mansell the driver.  Its only when you become an adult that you watch a TV interview, read a magazine, or even get some firsthand accounts, and are really able to work out what this guy's all about as a person.  For me, Mansell has always been a colossal disappointment as an ambassador for the sport.
Fax

Well done, I completely agree with you now. As for Senna supposedly being a prat out of the car, as well as a little hotheaded in the car, I think he was probably spoilt as a child and always wanted his own way. All said he apparently did a lot for charity and underprivileged children etc in Brazil, and if there is any good that comes from a 'star' dying early the charitable foundation set up in his name does a lot of good.

He was bloody quick though and would, I believe*, have shown the German a clean pair of heels. (*this means the same as 'only my opinion'  ;D)

>Martini...

I always thought Senna was ok out the car, in fact he was a bit of a lad and his antics with berger are legand. I thought his mechanics always thought highly of him as well.

It was only once he got behind the wheel the red mist took over and he lost all control of sportsmanship and became a fool.

In some ways that makes him the complete opposite to Mansell, who was ok in the car but a tosser out of it.

Lifes odd in the cards ones dealt with.

One thing beyond doubt is that they could both drive the nuts of a car. Mansell may have been a slow starter in his career, but once he got to the top he seemed pretty good. i was impressed by his touring car outings (apart from the Needle one!) he was able to mix it with the best dispite thier combined efforts to put him into the bank.

Senna was quick from day one, I always maintain that if he was handled better in the early years his win or die mentallity could have been tempered.

All as martini say all IMHO.