All 3 Mansells to test new Champ Car

luke · 25 Jan 2007, 21:18 (Ref:1825980)

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/34999/

Quote:

Three of the more celebrated drivers to take in today’s test session were named Mansell . . . as in ’92 World Champion/’93 Champ Car champion Nigel Mansell and sons Greg and Leo. Mansell, of course, maintains a house on the Gulf Coast and made it his business to drop by Sebring to see some old friends at Newman/Haas Racing, and perhaps scope out the new look Champ Car World Series with an eye towards the futures of his sons, who raced Formula BMW last year and are slated to do the British F3 series this year.

“It’s been more than a dozen years since I raced here but it only takes an instant for all the old feelings to come back,” said Mansell. “It was so good to see the boys at Newman/Haas again and talk with Paul (Newman).”

And extract a promise from his former boss.

“I talked with Paul and he’s promised to let us have a go with one of the cars after the season,” said Mansell.

“All three of you?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” he replied. “I have to give these two something to shoot for!”

One word. Fantastic.

Kieran20 · 26 Jan 2007, 17:31 (Ref:1826668)

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/34999/

One word. Fantastic.

Cool to see, but i really think mansell is rushing his boys up the ladder. leo was finsihing last at silverstone the last round, i think another year in FBMW would have done no harm. surely testing a champ car is a bit much too soon?

f1manoz · 26 Jan 2007, 20:14 (Ref:1826781)

Problem that Greg and Leo have is that they will be trying to emulate their father, and no doubt he'll be egging them on to progess as fast as possible...

Mansell back at the wheel of a ChampCar again? Great news!

Knowlesy · 26 Jan 2007, 21:11 (Ref:1826805)

More excited about Nigel at the wheel to be honest!

His boys seem to be getting rather fast tracked here, but if they show some talent that is no real problem. There has been no indication of massive promise, although the F3 debut for one of them (can't remember which!) was quite decent.

strider · 26 Jan 2007, 21:45 (Ref:1826820)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

There has been no indication of massive promise, although the F3 debut for one of them (can't remember which!) was quite decent.

Greg, the one who looks like Nigel.

blueflagger · 26 Jan 2007, 22:59 (Ref:1826872)

The whole article was full of interesting info. Thanks for posting!

Kieran20 · 26 Jan 2007, 23:01 (Ref:1826873)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Greg, the one who looks like Nigel.

Yes, he looks like his old man and is also the best of the two brothers.

leo, i dunno, needs some more practice

definately cool to nige back in a champ car!

**GTRMagic** · 26 Jan 2007, 23:28 (Ref:1826895)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

More excited about Nigel at the wheel to be honest!

I wonder how quick he would be... I mean Nige has been very strong in the GP Masters series, despite some serious car problems on occassion!

Dutch chap · 27 Jan 2007, 00:18 (Ref:1826922)

I'm sure Nige is still the fastest Mansell around.

Jimmy Magnusson · 27 Jan 2007, 00:51 (Ref:1826930)

Imagine if he (Nige) is quickest overall, that would be something

Kieran20 · 27 Jan 2007, 08:55 (Ref:1827014)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Imagine if he (Nige) is quickest overall, that would be something

would it be? mansell has had the experiance of driving the fastest machines around, F1, indy cars, both in their peak years.

i think greg and leo are being rushed. they have only done FBMW for one year and an F3 race, although i was impressed by their showing in F3! suprising.

still i wouldnt be suprised to see Nige quicker than his boys, he knows how to handle these fast cars, greg and leo dont yet.

i think knowing Nige as a person he will want to be the fastest out of the 3 as well

NWFF 37 · 27 Jan 2007, 10:46 (Ref:1827061)

I think Nige will still be quickest after the boys have done a full F3 season

luke · 27 Jan 2007, 11:03 (Ref:1827068)

He has had GP Masters to keep him fresh all be it quite some less hp.

Yes Greg and Leo have been rushed, in only their first year of ever racing they did f bmw uk and a British F3 round! Just testing karts in 2005. 2007 they are doing British F3.
Greg has some potential mid field runner last year but leo from what I saw finished at the back more then he didn't. He also lacks skill IMHO. We looked at his car at Silverstone and the wing angles were litrally a right angle, yet Greg's and the other front runners were quite flat...

mountainstar · 28 Jan 2007, 03:02 (Ref:1827580)

I'd like to see Mansell back full time for next year.

Alex Toropov · 28 Jan 2007, 10:19 (Ref:1827670)

Bruno Senna proved, that you can spend your first full season in car racing in British F3 and be on the pace of championship winner by the end of the year, if you are talented enough... (not to mention certain finnish driver, which jumped from F-Renault straight into F1).

The main things required are front-running team and decent amount of testing, otherwise any number of years spent in junior categories will be pointless.

As far as I understood, Gerhard Berger helped Bruno to set up his first tests in Europe, bla-bla-bla, so hopefully Nigel's connections in British F3 will allow him to put his guys into decent team in Championship class.

BootsOntheSide · 28 Jan 2007, 10:50 (Ref:1827678)

It's hard to imagine either of them being F3 frontrunners this year, they just don't seem to have inherited Nigel's talent. Nigel doing a test is nice for old time's sake, and he could get within about 107% of the fastest guys. As long as he doesn't do a dumb thing like considering a comeback, it's good.

luke · 28 Jan 2007, 12:15 (Ref:1827735)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Toropov

Bruno Senna proved, that you can spend your first full season in car racing in British F3 and be on the pace of championship winner by the end of the year, if you are talented enough... (not to mention certain finnish driver, which jumped from F-Renault straight into F1).

The main things required are front-running team and decent amount of testing, otherwise any number of years spent in junior categories will be pointless.

As far as I understood, Gerhard Berger helped Bruno to set up his first tests in Europe, bla-bla-bla, so hopefully Nigel's connections in British F3 will allow him to put his guys into decent team in Championship class.

Alex, that already happened in F BMW, they will were the championship winning team or leading driving the championship or something.

Also Formula Renualt? Don't you mean the old World Series Nissan? If heikki kovalainen is who you mean.

Alex Toropov · 28 Jan 2007, 12:38 (Ref:1827758)

no, I meant mister Raikkonen

he went from F-Renault (2 litre) racing in 2000 into F1 with Sauber in 2001.

It seems, both Mansells are already signed to drive for Fortec this year, so good luck to them... not exactly in top-team, but Yelmer Buurman showed last year, that in rainy conditions it's possible to fight for victories (due to Yelmer's driving skills, perhaps) and be in top-5 consistently when it's dry.

luke · 28 Jan 2007, 12:54 (Ref:1827777)

Oh, fair enough.

Even if Greg and Leo ever jump into something big I don't think they are natural drivers who will ever be as good as their dad was. I know there is more to be seen from them, don't mean to be blunt but I don't think there's anything special about them.

Kieran20 · 28 Jan 2007, 13:00 (Ref:1827784)

Fortec motorsport are the top team in Fbmw, which the mansells where in, greg has more potential, but was still only a mid feild runner.

they are being rushed, that is their problem.

marcus · 29 Jan 2007, 05:37 (Ref:1828293)

well with regards to the Champcar test , I dont think its a serious try out but just a bit of fun and something for the young Mansell's to aspire to.

Unless One of them sets the world on fire I dont think we would see one of them lining up in one next year or the year after but certainly a great opportunity just to drive one.

Kieran20 · 29 Jan 2007, 08:36 (Ref:1828341)

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcus

well with regards to the Champcar test , I dont think its a serious try out but just a bit of fun and something for the young Mansell's to aspire to.

Unless One of them sets the world on fire I dont think we would see one of them lining up in one next year or the year after but certainly a great opportunity just to drive one.

agreed. but at the rate Nige is moving hos boys up the series, it wouldnt come as a asuprise if he had them in a team in 2008!

well i suppose he would want to put greg and leo into Gp2? dont know maybe he wants to use champ car as a ladder.

would be good exposure for champ car to have mansell running both his boys in the series though dont you think?

luke · 29 Jan 2007, 21:01 (Ref:1828939)

It would be very good exposure, I never even thought about it because it never crossed my mind. 1 I didn't think they would make it that far and 2 I didn't know Nige still had the passion for the series anymore as some ex drivers we know don't! Especially with the way he couldn't wait to leave the series when he was no longer winning, whining instead

and get back to Formula 1.
I felt like asking him this at Silverstone but kieran as you remember we had to chase the old git through the entire paddock!

Joking aside, Nige was one of my favourite drivers from the '90s also my Dad's favourite.
Its all down to fun and Mansell keeping an eye on the series it seems and obviously likes the new car and at the same time whilst his sons are climbing the ladder they will also have an opportunity to have some fun and also maybe attract some pr of some sort for their careers.
Someone pointed out team Mansell in Champ Car, very nice.

arggg too many winks! LOL

nickyf1 · 30 Jan 2007, 16:42 (Ref:1829541)

A GPM car is really just an old Reynard Champcar so he should adapt to the new one easily. Cool!

luke · 30 Jan 2007, 18:38 (Ref:1829607)

(GPM) Well its a different chassis now and also a lot less hp.

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