How good are the Mansells?

PK Kart · 10 Oct 2007, 11:54 (Ref:2036796)

Was wondering what you guys thought of Leo and Greg.

Greg has impressed me in BMW and F3 this year. Gaining a couple of podiums and finishing 10th in championship is brilliant considering it's only his second season in cars and only ever did a handful of kart races.

Was just reading on Autosport.com that they are both testing atlantics in the states, surely a second year of F3 would be better?

Jackman · 10 Oct 2007, 12:24 (Ref:2036813)

They're good enough to get the backing of a former world champion behind them...

JamesRamone · 10 Oct 2007, 13:48 (Ref:2036878)

Im going to be blunt here.

Greg has got potential but i can't see him making the big league.

Leo should give up, i don't think hes good enough

El_Gibleto · 10 Oct 2007, 16:35 (Ref:2037004)

Whilst they are well funded, the way they have acted off the track this season has made them even less attractive to teams than they were before. Despite having mush less testing Seb Hohenthal was significantly faster than the Mansell's on most occasions, finished well ahead of them in the championship.

It was very obvious which part of Fortec F3 was a happier enviroment.
I very much doubt that any british F3 team would want to be involved with them again for reasons other than money, and I can't really see any of the top 4 teams wanting to endure the disruption and bad feelings they bring to an organisation.

kipper · 10 Oct 2007, 17:18 (Ref:2037033)

I feel that Greg Mansell does have the potential to reach a high level in motorsport. However, I don't think that the same can be applied to Leo Mansell for he hasn't seemed to progress over the last two years.

As for which category to race in, a second season in British F3 probably makes the most sense in order to capitalise on their experience from this year, although I suspect that the ideal place for them to be would be either Carlin or Double R, who are not likely to be short of potential drivers.

El_Gibleto · 10 Oct 2007, 17:25 (Ref:2037040)

I believe that both Double R and Carlin declined to take the Mansells for this season, I'd of thought it was very unlikely that they would change that decision for next year having seen the negative effect they had on their team this season.

**bella** · 10 Oct 2007, 17:47 (Ref:2037051)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesRamone

Greg has got potential but i can't see him making the big league.

i'll switch that around a bit.

greg hasn't got potential but i can see him making the big league...

btcckid · 10 Oct 2007, 18:04 (Ref:2037065)

i have only seen a few f3 races with them in this year but i haven't been inpressed with them as i haven't seen them high up the grid but i can't say there good or bad as i have only seen thoses few races

Alex K · 10 Oct 2007, 19:07 (Ref:2037146)

Leo's results would be good enough for private or lower rank team, not for Fortec M'sport, that is my view on that case. He should give up, unless he wants to be remembered as unfullfilled son of former World Grand Prix Champion, or the second Tahincioglu.

Mekola · 10 Oct 2007, 19:17 (Ref:2037150)

For both young Mansells, only see Greg with some potential to continue moving up to higher categories. Maybe a 2nd year of BF3 to consolidate the best of his skills could be better.

Graz · 10 Oct 2007, 19:53 (Ref:2037177)

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Gibleto

Whilst they are well funded, the way they have acted off the track this season has made them even less attractive to teams than they were before. Despite having mush less testing Seb Hohenthal was significantly faster than the Mansell's on most occasions, finished well ahead of them in the championship.

It was very obvious which part of Fortec F3 was a happier enviroment.
I very much doubt that any british F3 team would want to be involved with them again for reasons other than money, and I can't really see any of the top 4 teams wanting to endure the disruption and bad feelings they bring to an organisation.

Interesting - like father like sons it seems. Patrick Head and Mario Andretti have been scathing of Nigel in his racing days about how he lowered the good mood within teams.

Neither driver has impressed really and if it were not for the backing, they would have disappeared long ago.

nycuk · 11 Oct 2007, 16:41 (Ref:2037846)

Leo is basically wasting his time and should think about doing something else. Greg seems to have a bit of talent but he isn't destined for the big league.
Dad seems very keen to push them both - a case of too much too soon I feel. They should be looking at at least another year of F3, not looking to progress further up the formulae.
I'm less than impressed with the attitude that comes across. In Autosport today, talking about the Walker Atlantic team for which they tested, the two of them were full of thinly veiled snipes at Fortec ("Walker Racing was fantastic to work with. It was definitely refreshing to work with such a professional team that works so well together...").

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63183

Same old Nigel-esque bridge burning.

Incidentally, I recall a TV interview with Nigel during his F1 days, when Leo & Greg were still small boys. The interviewer asked 'what would you say if your boys decided to be racing drivers when they grew up?' Nigel's response: 'Absolutely NO WAY!'

**bella** · 11 Oct 2007, 18:20 (Ref:2037911)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycuk

Incidentally, I recall a TV interview with Nigel during his F1 days, when Leo & Greg were still small boys. The interviewer asked 'what would you say if your boys decided to be racing drivers when they grew up?' Nigel's response: 'Absolutely NO WAY!'

it's a good job that at this rate they never will be racing drivers, isn't it

i find it interesting that they've all of a sudden scuttled over the atlantic to play with toys over there. no-one interested in taking their money over here then? how odd.

strider · 11 Oct 2007, 18:36 (Ref:2037920)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

i find it interesting that they've all of a sudden scuttled over the atlantic to play with toys over there. no-one interested in taking their money over here then? how odd.

I think there may be one or two, who must be particularly desperate. Those quotes by Nigel in Autosport can be read as a direct attack on Fortec, who haven't actually done a bad job.

littleman · 11 Oct 2007, 19:08 (Ref:2037947)

One's average, the other one's crap. Can't remember which way round and don't care either.

Alex K · 11 Oct 2007, 20:32 (Ref:2038036)

Well, if they leave BF3 for Champ Car Atlantic... good luck, hope Champ Car will stay alive for sometime and they can fill them with money series desperately needs. Just another pay drivers. So said, and was to be so happy. BF3, FR3.5 and then father's team in GP2 Series.

Boro · 11 Oct 2007, 22:03 (Ref:2038083)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

I think there may be one or two, who must be particularly desperate. Those quotes by Nigel in Autosport can be read as a direct attack on Fortec, who haven't actually done a bad job.

the problem with racing over here is: there are too many cars to go around, and not enough drivers. So even a mild hack with enough cash can get a seat no problem. Add a name like Mansell to the equation and it really shouldn't be a problem.

I dont think that's the norm in Europe; tho I could be wrong.

foreversideways · 14 Oct 2007, 14:32 (Ref:2039898)

Both of them are just messing with it really. No consistent plan, both promoted to rapidly considering their lack of racing experience. Really Leo should give it up as he just doesn't show any promise and Gregg needs to come back for a second year in F3 to capitalise on his first year, then you could make a realistic judgement. Scuttling off to the US is just more of the same. Still if they are doing it as a family for a bit of fun then i am sure no one would begrudge them spending their money but i don't see another Mansell World Champion from this generation.

Gaz · 17 Oct 2007, 13:58 (Ref:2042703)

I'd agree with a lot of what has been written about them in this thread. I think its been pretty clear over the past two years that if either one of them is going to do anything in this sport then it will be Greg. He has been massively inconsistent this year but you have to say anyone as inexperienced as him that can appear on the podium in British F3 (particular this year when there have been so many 2-3rd year drivers) has to have some talent. I think he's still too raw to be able to decifer his ultimate potential, much in the same way as Bruno Senna had he has so little experience to draw on compared to some of the guys he's racing. However his behaviour off track has not adheared him to anyone and this could and seems to be already proving a problem. I see after his Atlantic test he criticised Fortec as not being as professional as he'd have liked - well thats just downright daft considering the record of the team over recent times in all junior formulae. A year in Atlantics might be the best for Greg as I think he has the talent to be a frontrunner over there more so than he would have racing in GP2 or World Series over here at this stage in his career.

As for Leo I think maybe he should stick to golf! He hasn't shown any real progress to me from the outside over the past two seasons - whereas Greg has shone on occasion Leo has always been found towards the rear of both FBMW and F3 grids and played his part in some people's rather large damage bils!

Russfeld · 17 Oct 2007, 15:08 (Ref:2042738)

What I would love to see is two random blokes off the street given a basically unlimited budget and Nigel Mansell as a driving coach, and how well they'd do.

foreversideways · 17 Oct 2007, 15:27 (Ref:2042752)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russfeld

What I would love to see is two random blokes off the street given a basically unlimited budget and Nigel Mansell as a driving coach, and how well they'd do.

I would love to see a TV show along those lines. Including coaching from Rob Wilson. The results might surprise people.

nycuk · 17 Oct 2007, 16:01 (Ref:2042787)

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreversideways

I would love to see a TV show along those lines. Including coaching from Rob Wilson. The results might surprise people.

Now that's a great idea. Reality TV that might actually be worth watching...

Thinking on, the US is probably the only place the Mansells can go to further their careers. They've probably burned all their bridges in F3 and the UK scene. Few (if any) GP2 teams would want to get involved and a Team Mansell GP2 entry application probably wouldn't get accepted.

foreversideways · 17 Oct 2007, 16:20 (Ref:2042803)

If i remember correctly Nigel was once involved in an F3000 team years (Mansell Madgewick Motorsport). It didn't work out for similar reasons.

Boro · 23 Oct 2007, 04:03 (Ref:2048624)

I don't think he'll even be a contender in Atlantics. Look at Perera's progress this year and it should give you some hints. Granted, the team he drove for wasn't the best in terms of engineering, which means the Mansells will have to sign for a front runner like Sierra, which isn't likely to happen.

A season in Mazda won't hurt; I'm sure they'd think it's a cakewalk, but then again he can ask Chilton how "slow" the Mazda guys are ;-) That kid sure made a hard charge to the rear in Laguna.

ensign14 · 23 Oct 2007, 08:47 (Ref:2048751)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz

Interesting - like father like sons it seems. Patrick Head and Mario Andretti have been scathing of Nigel in his racing days about how he lowered the good mood within teams.

Yet Williams employed Mansell twice...they'll forgive a racer. Mario seems to be getting more and more moany as he grows older.

Maybe they should have a Masters Jr series for the younger generation drivers who aren't really good enough. Mansells, Mathias Lauda, any number of Unsers and Andrettis, Michael Waltrip...

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