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1
00:00:05,043 --> 00:00:08,162
(RHYTHMICAL MUSIC)
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00:00:17,443 --> 00:00:21,723
The 1992 season kind of felt like
Nigel's last chance
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00:00:21,763 --> 00:00:24,043
to win that elusive
world championship.
4
00:00:24,083 --> 00:00:27,603
At 39, it was now or
never for Mansell.
5
00:00:27,643 --> 00:00:29,123
The '92 car, wow.
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00:00:29,163 --> 00:00:31,123
You look at it and you
just immediately think
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that car has to be quick.
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00:00:33,483 --> 00:00:35,163
Nigel was finally gonna do it.
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Red 5 ran through the first five
Grand Prixs of the season,
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00:00:38,243 --> 00:00:41,923
won every single one,
dominated every single one.
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00:00:41,963 --> 00:00:45,843
Came to Monaco where pole
position is absolutely essential
12
00:00:45,883 --> 00:00:49,083
and nailed it by
an historic margin.
13
00:00:50,603 --> 00:00:52,443
Track position is
everything in Monaco.
14
00:00:52,483 --> 00:00:54,123
Normally if you get on pole
and get in the lead,
15
00:00:54,163 --> 00:00:55,883
nothing goes wrong,
you should win.
16
00:00:55,923 --> 00:00:58,203
The noise was incredible,
the excitement.
17
00:00:59,763 --> 00:01:02,523
Disappeared into the distance,
built a 30-second lead.
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00:01:02,563 --> 00:01:05,282
He was way out of front,
leading the race,
19
00:01:05,323 --> 00:01:06,843
looking dominant.
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00:01:08,123 --> 00:01:11,963
Then he started to hear a vibration
from a rear wheel.
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Was it a puncture?
Was it a bearing?
22
00:01:13,563 --> 00:01:15,723
I had to come and make
an unscheduled stop.
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00:01:15,763 --> 00:01:18,443
OK, we put new boots on,
which gave me grip.
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00:01:18,483 --> 00:01:21,003
To be honest with you, I dunno
whether he had a puncture or not
25
00:01:21,043 --> 00:01:22,683
or whether it was
a loose wheel nut.
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00:01:22,723 --> 00:01:26,403
But when he went back out, he was
in second behind Ayrton Senna.
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The closeness of the finish
became an epic.
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To overtake at Monaco,
you need some luck.
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To overtake in Monaco with
Ayrton Senna in front of you,
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00:01:42,043 --> 00:01:43,963
you need a miracle.
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He was so quick there, the way he
was just darting behind Senna.
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00:01:48,043 --> 00:01:49,963
Defence from Ayrton Senna,
33
00:01:50,003 --> 00:01:52,723
amazing weaving attack
from Nigel Mansell.
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00:01:52,763 --> 00:01:54,123
We never touched,
we never hit.
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With the current rules today,
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Ayrton would've got stop-go
penalties for blocking.
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It should have been a Nigel victory.
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He was way faster than Ayrton.
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00:02:05,363 --> 00:02:08,682
On the last few laps, he tried
everything to get past Ayrton
40
00:02:08,723 --> 00:02:10,443
but there was just no way.
41
00:02:14,763 --> 00:02:16,843
He never won the Monaco
Grand Prix. It's crazy.
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00:02:16,883 --> 00:02:20,683
And the winning streak came to an
end, but what a fantastic duel.
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00:02:20,723 --> 00:02:22,363
It wasn't to be.
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00:02:22,403 --> 00:02:24,963
He'll look back and that
was the one that got away.
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00:02:25,003 --> 00:02:27,643
If you had to sum up
Mansell and Williams
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00:02:27,683 --> 00:02:30,443
between '86 and '91,
47
00:02:30,483 --> 00:02:33,803
the '92 Monaco Grand Prix
actually does that.
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00:02:33,843 --> 00:02:37,163
He was nearly there once again
and then snatched defeat
49
00:02:37,203 --> 00:02:38,843
from the jaws of victory.
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00:02:42,443 --> 00:02:45,483
You started to think, "Right, he's
won the first five of the season,
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00:02:45,523 --> 00:02:48,603
but now Ayrton Senna is on
the top step of the podium.
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00:02:48,643 --> 00:02:51,603
Is it all gonna unravel once
again for poor old Nige?"
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00:02:53,443 --> 00:02:54,563
(RHYTHMICAL MUSIC)
54
00:03:02,163 --> 00:03:04,003
(CAR ZOOMS)
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00:03:07,283 --> 00:03:09,963
(CLICKING)
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00:03:14,603 --> 00:03:16,203
This is fantastic.
57
00:03:16,243 --> 00:03:18,323
This is the reboot,
isn't it, of Williams?
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00:03:18,363 --> 00:03:21,122
It's a very young-looking
Frank Williams in his suit.
59
00:03:21,163 --> 00:03:24,803
You know, Frank had lost his team
to the Canadian oil baron
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00:03:24,843 --> 00:03:28,883
billionaire Walter Wolf,
and he's had to restart again.
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00:03:28,923 --> 00:03:32,043
And this is really the beginning of
Williams' Grand Prix engineering
62
00:03:32,083 --> 00:03:33,763
as we know it now.
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00:03:33,803 --> 00:03:35,763
Motor racing was his life.
He loved it.
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00:03:35,803 --> 00:03:38,163
I mean, and I'm sure all
the members of the family
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00:03:38,203 --> 00:03:42,043
would agree, motor racing
first, everything else second.
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00:03:42,083 --> 00:03:43,843
He was so determined.
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00:03:43,883 --> 00:03:47,563
We were on the steps
to the Sao Paulo Hilton
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00:03:47,603 --> 00:03:51,003
before the Brazilian Grand
Prix in '77 and he said,
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00:03:51,043 --> 00:03:53,443
"I've had enough, Peter, I've had
enough. I can't do this anymore."
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00:03:53,483 --> 00:03:56,323
And what he meant was
working for Walter Wolf
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00:03:56,363 --> 00:03:58,483
and he said, "Oh, I'm gonna start
again. I'm gonna start again.
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00:03:58,523 --> 00:04:01,723
And I'm gonna have engineering in
the title of my next race team.
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00:04:01,763 --> 00:04:04,483
'Cause Formula One's future
is about engineering."
74
00:04:04,523 --> 00:04:06,243
I always remember
him saying that.
75
00:04:06,283 --> 00:04:09,283
And then very soon afterwards
he contacted Patrick Head.
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00:04:09,323 --> 00:04:12,283
He'd seen in Patrick
this gem of a brain.
77
00:04:12,323 --> 00:04:15,403
Patrick Head is one of the
great figures in Formula One
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00:04:15,443 --> 00:04:17,603
technical history.
Came from a military background,
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00:04:17,643 --> 00:04:19,963
which is what gave him
a very stiff spine.
80
00:04:20,002 --> 00:04:22,122
But he had a very, very
clear understanding
81
00:04:22,163 --> 00:04:24,323
of the whole of a
Formula One car.
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00:04:24,363 --> 00:04:26,803
And I think Patrick loved Frank's
83
00:04:26,843 --> 00:04:29,603
just burning fire of enthusiasm,
84
00:04:29,643 --> 00:04:31,403
and very quickly he got it together.
85
00:04:31,443 --> 00:04:34,923
He did a deal with the Didcot local
council who, at that stage,
86
00:04:34,963 --> 00:04:38,443
they had a very large train
terminus, if you like.
87
00:04:38,483 --> 00:04:40,563
That was a mainline
thing to London.
88
00:04:40,603 --> 00:04:43,443
But nobody wanted to live
in Didcot or work in Didcot.
89
00:04:43,483 --> 00:04:46,083
And so they gave Frank
an amazing deal to set up
90
00:04:46,123 --> 00:04:48,323
a little race shop
under the arches
91
00:04:48,363 --> 00:04:50,083
of the railway line, actually.
92
00:04:50,123 --> 00:04:53,083
You always had the sense of
Frank Williams being this figure
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00:04:53,123 --> 00:04:55,323
in the background,
just looking for opportunities,
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00:04:55,363 --> 00:04:58,683
commercial opportunities,
sporting opportunities.
95
00:04:58,723 --> 00:05:01,523
The famous, you know, wearing out
a pair of shoes every month
96
00:05:01,563 --> 00:05:04,763
because he was just walking
everywhere and would never stop.
97
00:05:04,803 --> 00:05:07,563
(SPEAKING IN ITALIAN)
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00:05:07,603 --> 00:05:09,203
Then, of course, on top of that,
99
00:05:09,243 --> 00:05:12,563
he had this amazing ability
to pick up languages.
100
00:05:12,603 --> 00:05:14,163
(SPEAKING IN ITALIAN)
101
00:05:14,203 --> 00:05:16,083
And very quickly became
multilingual.
102
00:05:16,123 --> 00:05:19,923
We were all aware that Frank
was in the Middle East a lot.
103
00:05:19,963 --> 00:05:23,963
You know, "I'm gonna show
the Middle Eastern community
104
00:05:24,003 --> 00:05:27,003
that they can be the best in the
west if they race with me."
105
00:05:27,043 --> 00:05:28,843
So Frank being Frank,
106
00:05:28,883 --> 00:05:32,363
had the brand-new
Williams '06 liveried up
107
00:05:32,403 --> 00:05:35,603
in Saudi Arabian Airlines colours
108
00:05:35,643 --> 00:05:38,403
and had it towed to
the Dorchester Hotel
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00:05:38,443 --> 00:05:41,723
where he knew where the key
Saudi prince was staying that week.
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00:05:41,763 --> 00:05:44,163
Had to bribe a traffic warden
111
00:05:44,202 --> 00:05:46,243
to be able to park there
on Park Lane.
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00:05:46,283 --> 00:05:50,883
Rushed into the lobby and rang
the prince's room and said,
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00:05:50,923 --> 00:05:52,363
"Have a look out the window."
114
00:05:52,403 --> 00:05:54,843
Looked down, saw Frank
waving next to the car
115
00:05:54,883 --> 00:05:58,083
and the guy sort of gave the thumbs
up and that was the deal done.
116
00:05:58,123 --> 00:06:01,403
We're in the Middle East now.
Big time in Formula One,
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00:06:01,443 --> 00:06:03,563
but Frank was the
first guy to go there.
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00:06:10,643 --> 00:06:12,683
(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER))
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00:06:12,723 --> 00:06:15,883
I thought I was gonna be a fighter
pilot, an astronaut,
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00:06:15,923 --> 00:06:17,563
various things.
121
00:06:20,123 --> 00:06:23,403
But then police officer
brought me back to my home.
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00:06:23,443 --> 00:06:27,363
I was driving a one-wheeled
JLO faster car
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00:06:27,403 --> 00:06:30,683
down the pavement.
Not what you did.
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00:06:30,723 --> 00:06:33,003
I thought, "Oh, I'm gonna
be a race car driver."
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00:06:33,043 --> 00:06:34,363
(LIGHT MELODIC MUSIC)
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00:06:34,403 --> 00:06:36,003
(CLICKING)
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00:06:42,043 --> 00:06:45,363
Maybe you're born with a
silver spoon in your mouth
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00:06:45,403 --> 00:06:46,963
where you never have to worry.
129
00:06:47,003 --> 00:06:49,643
I'm afraid I was right
at the other scale
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00:06:49,683 --> 00:06:54,283
where we didn't really have no...
anything to rub together.
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00:06:54,323 --> 00:06:58,163
So we worked really hard to actually
achieve whatever we did.
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00:06:59,202 --> 00:07:01,923
Birmingham, England in
the 1960s and '70s
133
00:07:01,963 --> 00:07:04,803
where Nigel grew up was very
much an industrial town.
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00:07:04,843 --> 00:07:08,603
Britain's second city automotive
kind of capital, really.
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00:07:08,643 --> 00:07:10,563
A bit like Detroit in the US.
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00:07:10,603 --> 00:07:13,163
His father was a professional.
He was an engineer with Lucas.
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00:07:13,203 --> 00:07:15,003
His mother ran a tea shop.
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00:07:15,043 --> 00:07:17,243
Not terribly glamorous and
not really the sort of place
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00:07:17,283 --> 00:07:19,243
you'd expect a Grand Prix star
to come from.
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00:07:19,283 --> 00:07:21,603
ANNOUNCER: If you've never driven
a go-kart, have a go.
141
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It's great fun and there are
many tracks open to the public.
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00:07:24,403 --> 00:07:26,603
In fact, it's becoming
increasingly popular
143
00:07:26,643 --> 00:07:28,123
as a competitive sport.
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00:07:28,163 --> 00:07:31,523
I really persuaded my father
when I was six-and-a-half,
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00:07:31,563 --> 00:07:33,003
seven to take me.
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00:07:33,043 --> 00:07:36,003
It was to Shenington, a kart track,
147
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and I thought,
"I know I've got this."
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It was terrifying.
149
00:07:40,483 --> 00:07:42,883
And then I had a terrible
rude awakening
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00:07:42,923 --> 00:07:45,403
because every time I did one lap
and I thought I was really quick,
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00:07:45,443 --> 00:07:47,043
everyone else had done two laps.
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00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:49,163
In the next practise, I went out
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00:07:49,202 --> 00:07:51,403
and I went down the straight
and everything went quiet.
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00:07:51,443 --> 00:07:53,883
And obviously I came to a standstill
and had the marshals
155
00:07:53,923 --> 00:07:56,163
running over to me, said,
"You're OK, you're OK."
156
00:07:56,202 --> 00:07:58,563
I said, "Yeah, the chain's
fallen off."
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00:07:58,603 --> 00:08:00,963
And he looked at me, he said,
"You got a bit more of a problem
158
00:08:01,003 --> 00:08:03,843
than the chain falling off.
The whole engine fell off."
159
00:08:03,883 --> 00:08:07,043
And so my engine
and chain was down the road.
160
00:08:07,083 --> 00:08:08,323
(CHUCKLES)
161
00:08:08,363 --> 00:08:11,323
I remember having a tear in my eye
then and my dad saying,
162
00:08:11,363 --> 00:08:13,363
"Well, we'll try and
get a better engine
163
00:08:13,403 --> 00:08:15,003
and a better kart for you."
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00:08:18,003 --> 00:08:19,843
I think it was about my third event
165
00:08:19,883 --> 00:08:22,243
was the British Championships.
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00:08:22,283 --> 00:08:24,923
The British team manager
was there watching
167
00:08:24,963 --> 00:08:27,643
to pick a team to go and race
in Holland and Sweden
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and go to the world
championships.
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(ENGINE ROARING)
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And I went from the
back of the grid,
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which was about 33 karts,
up to third in one race.
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00:08:40,003 --> 00:08:43,283
He picked me as one of the
drivers to actually do that.
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We were obviously very thrilled
but incredibly disappointed
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00:08:46,763 --> 00:08:49,723
because we didn't have the finances
to go and get another engine.
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00:08:49,763 --> 00:08:53,043
It was my grandparents,
when they heard that I'd been picked
176
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for the British team,
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00:08:54,683 --> 00:08:56,763
they brought me a complete
new engine -
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I'll never forget
'cause it's 34 pounds,
179
00:08:59,243 --> 00:09:01,283
which was about $50 back then -
180
00:09:01,323 --> 00:09:04,363
to allow me to go racing
and represent myself
181
00:09:04,403 --> 00:09:07,043
and the British team,
which was truly fantastic.
182
00:09:08,323 --> 00:09:09,323
(CLICKING)
183
00:09:12,083 --> 00:09:14,043
I was training as an engineer
at Lucas Aerospace
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00:09:14,083 --> 00:09:15,763
and I wanted to go racing.
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00:09:15,803 --> 00:09:17,803
I didn't want to go karting anymore.
186
00:09:20,243 --> 00:09:23,163
He raced karts. But if you really
wanted to show your talent,
187
00:09:23,203 --> 00:09:25,323
you got into Formula Ford 1600.
188
00:09:25,363 --> 00:09:27,443
35 car grids,
189
00:09:27,483 --> 00:09:30,003
incredibly competitive,
wide track cars,
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00:09:30,043 --> 00:09:33,723
narrow tyres, no wings,
just sliding all over the place.
191
00:09:33,763 --> 00:09:36,043
It was the category, really.
192
00:09:36,083 --> 00:09:39,083
'Cause it's mostly down to what
the driver can do in the car,
193
00:09:39,123 --> 00:09:40,763
not the package he's driving.
194
00:09:40,803 --> 00:09:43,483
If you could win the British
Championship in Formula Ford,
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00:09:43,523 --> 00:09:45,923
you know, you had a future
in front of you
196
00:09:45,963 --> 00:09:47,963
if you could find the funding.
197
00:09:48,003 --> 00:09:50,843
And my father, Eric Mansell
did a deal with me and said,
198
00:09:50,883 --> 00:09:54,603
"Look, finish your qualifications.
It takes three or four years.
199
00:09:54,643 --> 00:09:57,443
Once you get your degree
and you're an engineer,
200
00:09:57,483 --> 00:10:00,483
fully fledged and you got an
engineering job at Lucas Aerospace,"
201
00:10:00,523 --> 00:10:02,323
he says, "Then we'll go racing."
202
00:10:02,363 --> 00:10:05,603
19-and-a-half, 20, I got my
results and I was elated.
203
00:10:05,643 --> 00:10:06,763
I passed.
204
00:10:06,803 --> 00:10:10,243
I didn't get a first class pass,
but I got a pass.
205
00:10:10,283 --> 00:10:13,403
Right, let's go racing, you know?
Really, really good. Really happy.
206
00:10:13,443 --> 00:10:15,963
And then my dad laughed at me
207
00:10:16,003 --> 00:10:18,883
and I didn't appreciate him
laughing at me
208
00:10:18,923 --> 00:10:21,923
and I didn't understand it and I
said, "Why are you laughing, Dad?"
209
00:10:21,963 --> 00:10:24,483
He said, "Well, where do you think
we're gonna get money from
210
00:10:24,523 --> 00:10:26,203
to go racing? We can't go racing."
211
00:10:26,243 --> 00:10:28,403
I said, "You promised me."
He said, "Yes."
212
00:10:28,443 --> 00:10:30,083
He said, "I did that for you.
213
00:10:30,123 --> 00:10:32,083
So you made sure you get
your qualifications.
214
00:10:32,123 --> 00:10:34,443
I had to give you a goal
to achieve."
215
00:10:34,483 --> 00:10:35,923
And we fell out.
216
00:10:35,963 --> 00:10:39,083
I fell out with my parents
and my dad at that point,
217
00:10:39,123 --> 00:10:41,843
which is a bit sad for me to
even share that with you now
218
00:10:41,883 --> 00:10:45,403
because I didn't speak to him
for a fair bit of time.
219
00:10:46,803 --> 00:10:48,883
He really didn't have
any money, you know,
220
00:10:48,923 --> 00:10:50,923
and he had to work really hard
and...
221
00:10:50,963 --> 00:10:52,883
to make ends meet
and get out there.
222
00:10:52,923 --> 00:10:55,923
And he was determined
but, but underprivileged,
223
00:10:55,963 --> 00:10:58,083
I think you should say.
224
00:10:58,123 --> 00:11:01,443
Nigel's wife, Roseanne,
is one of the great figures,
225
00:11:01,483 --> 00:11:03,723
actually, in the story.
226
00:11:03,763 --> 00:11:05,403
They'd met when they were young.
227
00:11:05,443 --> 00:11:07,523
I mean they would sleep
in the back of a van
228
00:11:07,563 --> 00:11:11,163
at the racetrack rather than spend
the money on a B&B or a hotel.
229
00:11:11,203 --> 00:11:14,203
She basically gave
all of her salary
230
00:11:14,243 --> 00:11:16,963
as a British gas demonstrator
to him to go racing.
231
00:11:17,003 --> 00:11:19,803
I mean, few wives would
just believe in this crazy
232
00:11:19,843 --> 00:11:22,323
pipe dream that Nigel
seemed to have at the time,
233
00:11:22,363 --> 00:11:24,803
but she stuck with him
through thick and thin.
234
00:11:24,843 --> 00:11:25,843
(BRIGHT MUSIC)
235
00:11:25,883 --> 00:11:27,363
(CLICKING)
236
00:11:28,643 --> 00:11:32,443
Well, my first Formula Ford car
was dug out of a garden.
237
00:11:32,483 --> 00:11:34,203
It was a Javelin JL5
238
00:11:34,243 --> 00:11:37,083
and it had flowers and weeds
growing out of it.
239
00:11:37,123 --> 00:11:40,003
My car was going down
the straight about 140.
240
00:11:40,043 --> 00:11:42,123
The back end just
dropped down a little bit
241
00:11:42,163 --> 00:11:44,003
and I saw this wheel
go flying past
242
00:11:44,043 --> 00:11:46,203
and realised it was my wheel
that had come off,
243
00:11:46,243 --> 00:11:48,443
and so I didn't race
that car anymore.
244
00:11:48,483 --> 00:11:51,443
I borrowed, then, a Crosley 25
245
00:11:51,483 --> 00:11:53,683
and I went and won
straight away, first time out.
246
00:11:53,723 --> 00:11:55,643
Even then he had
this inner belief
247
00:11:55,683 --> 00:11:58,003
that he was the fastest
guy on the racetrack.
248
00:11:58,043 --> 00:11:59,603
Really, really quick.
249
00:11:59,643 --> 00:12:01,643
So you could see him on the
track with other drivers
250
00:12:01,683 --> 00:12:03,323
and they'd be going
into the chicane
251
00:12:03,363 --> 00:12:05,603
and Nigel would be the one
coming in a little bit earlier,
252
00:12:05,643 --> 00:12:07,963
a little bit softer
with his transitions.
253
00:12:08,003 --> 00:12:11,443
Nigel had an incredible year
in '77 in Formula Ford.
254
00:12:11,483 --> 00:12:15,043
He entered 42 races
and won 33 of them.
255
00:12:15,083 --> 00:12:16,763
It's an incredible record.
256
00:12:16,803 --> 00:12:19,003
We won, ended up
winning the championship,
257
00:12:19,043 --> 00:12:22,083
which was wonderful,
but it sort of took off from then.
258
00:12:22,123 --> 00:12:25,083
But what I didn't realise, once you
became champion in one series,
259
00:12:25,123 --> 00:12:28,283
you step up to another series,
you start all over again.
260
00:12:29,723 --> 00:12:30,723
(CLICKING)
261
00:12:33,123 --> 00:12:35,843
'78 was a bit of a nightmare
for Nigel.
262
00:12:35,883 --> 00:12:38,683
I mean, it was the worst
time of my life, really.
263
00:12:38,723 --> 00:12:42,083
The step from Formula Ford
to Formula Three is huge.
264
00:12:42,123 --> 00:12:43,963
You know, we had a home
then, our first home
265
00:12:44,003 --> 00:12:46,003
and it cost just over £4,000
266
00:12:46,043 --> 00:12:48,203
and we sold everything we own -
267
00:12:48,243 --> 00:12:51,723
books, pictures,
furniture and the home -
268
00:12:51,763 --> 00:12:54,043
and went into a rented accommodation
269
00:12:54,083 --> 00:12:57,123
to be able to buy a works drive,
270
00:12:57,163 --> 00:12:59,163
which was March Engineering.
271
00:12:59,203 --> 00:13:02,483
The works team at Formula Three is
essentially one that's backed by
272
00:13:02,523 --> 00:13:06,003
one of the factory engine suppliers
or chassis manufacturers.
273
00:13:06,043 --> 00:13:09,163
So they typically end up
being the best teams
274
00:13:09,203 --> 00:13:12,003
with the best engines,
the best setups,
275
00:13:12,043 --> 00:13:14,323
and in the end the best drivers.
276
00:13:14,363 --> 00:13:16,523
And they said, "Look, if we
give them all this money,
277
00:13:16,563 --> 00:13:19,203
we feel sure that after a few
races I'd get some results
278
00:13:19,243 --> 00:13:22,363
and they'd guarantee they'd be bring
a sponsor for us on board."
279
00:13:22,403 --> 00:13:25,163
In six weeks, they took
all the money and fired me.
280
00:13:25,203 --> 00:13:27,923
He only did five races that year
and the money ran out.
281
00:13:27,963 --> 00:13:31,243
A guy that good,
what a crying shame.
282
00:13:31,283 --> 00:13:34,363
You know, she was working,
I was doing a window cleaning job.
283
00:13:34,403 --> 00:13:37,803
I'd live away from home,
sometimes six weeks at a time.
284
00:13:37,843 --> 00:13:40,483
He had a belief in his own ability,
285
00:13:40,523 --> 00:13:44,203
and him and his wife were
happy to put everything
286
00:13:44,243 --> 00:13:45,443
on the line for that.
287
00:13:45,483 --> 00:13:50,603
But then I managed then to get
the Unipart Drive in 1979
288
00:13:50,643 --> 00:13:52,923
and that's when my career
took off again.
289
00:13:54,163 --> 00:13:55,843
ANNOUNCER: No change in the order.
290
00:13:55,883 --> 00:13:59,283
Andretti, Peterson, Scheckter,
Alan Jones, the Australian.
291
00:13:59,323 --> 00:14:02,723
Williams had an incredible
start to their time in F1.
292
00:14:02,763 --> 00:14:04,043
(CLICKING)
293
00:14:07,723 --> 00:14:10,243
Yeah, the 07 was a quick car
294
00:14:10,283 --> 00:14:12,123
from the minute it turned the wheel
295
00:14:12,163 --> 00:14:14,523
and the grip of the car
was just in another world.
296
00:14:14,563 --> 00:14:17,683
With these ground effect cars, we
have very much more cornering force,
297
00:14:17,723 --> 00:14:19,643
but they're just as
quick down the straight.
298
00:14:19,683 --> 00:14:21,923
It's one of those things. We all
dream about something for nothing.
299
00:14:21,963 --> 00:14:24,083
Ground effect was a strange idea
300
00:14:24,123 --> 00:14:27,443
where you had skirts that pretty
much touch the ground around the car
301
00:14:27,483 --> 00:14:29,403
but then sucked it down
to the ground,
302
00:14:29,443 --> 00:14:31,803
which meant you could go around
the corners more quickly.
303
00:14:31,843 --> 00:14:34,803
And certainly going into
the 1979 British Grand Prix,
304
00:14:34,843 --> 00:14:36,763
Williams were really good at this.
305
00:14:39,283 --> 00:14:41,243
When they turned up at Silverstone,
306
00:14:41,283 --> 00:14:43,563
they were a second faster
than anything else.
307
00:14:43,603 --> 00:14:45,483
They'd done a few tweaks
to the aerodynamics
308
00:14:45,523 --> 00:14:48,083
and wow, they had hit
the magic spot...
309
00:14:49,603 --> 00:14:51,683
..and they were up and running.
310
00:14:51,723 --> 00:14:53,443
'79 British Grand Prix.
311
00:14:53,483 --> 00:14:56,483
Frank got his first win
and it was at Silverstone,
312
00:14:56,523 --> 00:14:59,483
not that by Monday, Frank was
thinking much about Sunday.
313
00:14:59,523 --> 00:15:02,083
He was already thinking of the
next race, typically Frank.
314
00:15:02,123 --> 00:15:04,283
But that was an
interesting crossover
315
00:15:04,323 --> 00:15:07,123
of Nigel and Williams that day
316
00:15:07,163 --> 00:15:10,443
because he was in the Formula Three
race in the Unipart car.
317
00:15:10,483 --> 00:15:13,403
I was very close friends
with Carlos Reutemann,
318
00:15:13,443 --> 00:15:16,523
who at that point was at
Lotus and Colin Chapman.
319
00:15:16,563 --> 00:15:19,803
ANNOUNCER: It seems a pity that
with a British car like this,
320
00:15:19,843 --> 00:15:23,003
there apparently isn't a British
driver good enough for it.
321
00:15:23,043 --> 00:15:27,003
We would be the first team to
consider new talent coming along
322
00:15:27,043 --> 00:15:29,843
and we are always constantly
on the lookout.
323
00:15:29,883 --> 00:15:32,843
So I drag Carlos and Colin
to watch Nigel.
324
00:15:34,123 --> 00:15:36,443
Carlos took one look at him
and turned to me and said,
325
00:15:36,483 --> 00:15:38,163
"Yeah, yeah, he's got it for sure."
326
00:15:38,203 --> 00:15:41,843
And he was saying to Colin,
"Look, this guy is really good."
327
00:15:41,883 --> 00:15:43,763
We did an interview
with Colin Chapman.
328
00:15:43,803 --> 00:15:47,083
He was already world champion
with Mario Andretti and so on.
329
00:15:47,123 --> 00:15:49,763
Where is the next British
world champion coming from?
330
00:15:49,803 --> 00:15:52,163
And he said,
"I've heard a lot of good things
331
00:15:52,203 --> 00:15:55,323
about a young lad
called Nigel Mansell."
332
00:15:55,363 --> 00:15:57,363
It'd always stuck with me that
he got the pronunciation
333
00:15:57,403 --> 00:15:59,323
of the surname wrong,
Nigel Man-sell.
334
00:15:59,363 --> 00:16:01,843
He kept referring to him
as Nigel Man-sell.
335
00:16:03,203 --> 00:16:07,083
The pivotal time in 1979 was when
we were at Alton Park Racing,
336
00:16:07,123 --> 00:16:08,923
doing about 160 miles an hour.
337
00:16:08,963 --> 00:16:12,163
And Andrea de Cesaris put
a wheel into my back wheel,
338
00:16:12,203 --> 00:16:15,483
flipped me and I somersaulted
in the air about three times
339
00:16:15,523 --> 00:16:17,443
and landed upside down.
340
00:16:17,483 --> 00:16:19,803
Bingo, and that broke my back
for the first time.
341
00:16:19,843 --> 00:16:22,003
And I ended up in hospital
with a broken back
342
00:16:22,043 --> 00:16:23,803
and crushed vertebrae on the spine.
343
00:16:23,843 --> 00:16:26,363
And I had an extraordinary phone
call from Colin Chapman
344
00:16:26,403 --> 00:16:28,483
and I said,
"Oh, hello Mr Chapman, how are you?"
345
00:16:28,523 --> 00:16:32,163
He said, "Oh, Nigel." He said,
"I'm running a test in Paul Ricard
346
00:16:32,203 --> 00:16:35,283
and I got six drivers
I'm evaluating down there
347
00:16:35,323 --> 00:16:37,083
and I'd like to give you
the opportunity
348
00:16:37,123 --> 00:16:38,603
to drive a Formula One car."
349
00:16:38,643 --> 00:16:40,363
He said, "Can you be there
in a week's time?"
350
00:16:40,403 --> 00:16:43,643
I put the phone down, and picked
the phone up to my specialist
straight away.
351
00:16:43,683 --> 00:16:45,963
And I said, "I'm going to
drive a Formula One car
352
00:16:46,003 --> 00:16:48,483
in a week's time down at Paul
Ricard. What can you do to help?"
353
00:16:48,523 --> 00:16:51,563
And he tried to talk me
out of being insane.
354
00:16:51,603 --> 00:16:53,883
And I said, "Well, I'm doing it
with or without you."
355
00:16:53,923 --> 00:16:55,643
I had a corset made up.
356
00:16:55,683 --> 00:16:58,643
I got the strongest painkillers,
which make you go a bit doo-lally
357
00:16:58,683 --> 00:17:01,483
but I've never driven a
Formula One car before.
358
00:17:01,523 --> 00:17:03,723
I had no idea, no knowledge.
359
00:17:03,763 --> 00:17:06,003
Formula One racing,
360
00:17:06,043 --> 00:17:08,843
one of the most challenging
and dangerous sports on Earth.
361
00:17:10,243 --> 00:17:12,923
It's a big jump to go from
Formula Three to Formula One.
362
00:17:12,963 --> 00:17:16,162
You're getting something like
four or 5G of braking force,
363
00:17:16,203 --> 00:17:19,122
which means your head is four times
its normal weight on your neck.
364
00:17:19,162 --> 00:17:21,763
You have to prepare for that.
You can't just throw someone in.
365
00:17:21,803 --> 00:17:23,723
Formula One was
unbelievably dangerous.
366
00:17:23,763 --> 00:17:27,283
It was just happening so often
that you kind of expected it.
367
00:17:27,323 --> 00:17:29,403
ANNOUNCER: Ronnie Peterson's
Lotus collided
368
00:17:29,443 --> 00:17:31,283
in a horrific traffic jam,
369
00:17:31,323 --> 00:17:34,523
a crash from which the popular
Swede was never to recover.
370
00:17:34,563 --> 00:17:37,883
It was the most dangerous era
of all.
371
00:17:37,923 --> 00:17:41,563
I mean, they were losing one or two
Grand Prix drivers every year.
372
00:17:41,603 --> 00:17:44,683
You make a mistake back then,
you were dead.
373
00:17:45,603 --> 00:17:49,163
If you were lucky, you smashed
your legs and never drove again.
374
00:17:49,203 --> 00:17:51,123
You broke your back,
you never drove again.
375
00:17:51,163 --> 00:17:53,523
You were quadriplegic,
never drove again.
376
00:17:53,563 --> 00:17:54,843
(ENGINE ROARS)
377
00:17:55,843 --> 00:17:58,243
I was going down the straight
and everything going
378
00:17:58,283 --> 00:18:01,443
(WHOOSHING SOUNDS)
as it does at 215 miles an hour.
379
00:18:01,483 --> 00:18:04,243
Had no time to brake,
no time to see the corner.
380
00:18:04,283 --> 00:18:05,883
Everything happened so fast.
381
00:18:05,923 --> 00:18:09,083
And I was so excited because
Giles Villeneuve in the Ferrari
382
00:18:09,123 --> 00:18:11,963
came past me and I tucked in
behind him down the straight,
383
00:18:12,003 --> 00:18:13,403
and I was going the same speed.
384
00:18:13,443 --> 00:18:15,723
And I stayed with him and I
thought, "Oh, this is great.
385
00:18:15,763 --> 00:18:18,123
Oh, how quick was that last lap?
Was it any good? Was it any good?"
386
00:18:18,163 --> 00:18:20,923
All excited.
I was six seconds a lap,
387
00:18:20,963 --> 00:18:23,763
six seconds a lap off the pace.
388
00:18:23,803 --> 00:18:26,923
I was so dejected
I couldn't find six seconds.
389
00:18:26,963 --> 00:18:29,083
It was ridiculous, you know?
390
00:18:29,123 --> 00:18:31,363
And I remember calling
Roseanne and saying,
391
00:18:31,403 --> 00:18:34,083
"I think I've made the most
terrible mistake of my life."
392
00:18:34,123 --> 00:18:36,643
Basically I'm outta my depth.
393
00:18:36,683 --> 00:18:38,723
I did actually speak to Nigel
actually on that night.
394
00:18:38,763 --> 00:18:41,483
I remember him saying,
"Oh, you know, it's all
happening really quickly."
395
00:18:41,523 --> 00:18:44,123
And he wasn't really dancing
with the music
396
00:18:44,163 --> 00:18:46,123
and I was a bit nervous.
397
00:18:47,003 --> 00:18:50,603
And then I went out in
the car and to this very day
398
00:18:50,643 --> 00:18:53,163
it felt like a big rocket
hit me in the head.
399
00:18:53,203 --> 00:18:57,123
Instantaneously,
everything slowed down.
400
00:18:57,163 --> 00:18:59,443
I could see the trees,
I could see the barrier,
401
00:18:59,483 --> 00:19:02,363
I could see the corner.
I had enough time to brake,
402
00:19:02,403 --> 00:19:04,163
had enough time to change gear.
403
00:19:04,203 --> 00:19:08,003
The next lap, I was six
seconds a lap faster.
404
00:19:08,043 --> 00:19:11,763
They were very impressed to
the point that Colin signed me
405
00:19:11,803 --> 00:19:14,043
as a test driver.
Of course, what did I say?
406
00:19:14,083 --> 00:19:16,523
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'll have it. I'll have it."
407
00:19:16,563 --> 00:19:19,003
You know, "Do we get any money
with it?" (CHUCKLES)
408
00:19:20,243 --> 00:19:21,243
(CLICKING)
409
00:19:25,723 --> 00:19:28,283
This is the ultimate chance now
410
00:19:28,323 --> 00:19:30,403
because after Formula One
there isn't anything else.
411
00:19:30,443 --> 00:19:33,523
Formula One is the tops. And this
is what I've been aiming for
412
00:19:33,563 --> 00:19:35,643
for the past three
or four years now.
413
00:19:35,683 --> 00:19:39,883
And to get a chance with a team
such as with Lotus is phenomenal.
414
00:19:41,363 --> 00:19:44,163
He took full advantage
of his testing role,
415
00:19:44,203 --> 00:19:47,203
set some great lap times
and that gave Colin Chapman
416
00:19:47,243 --> 00:19:50,563
the confidence to throw him in for
his Grand Prix debut in Austria.
417
00:19:50,603 --> 00:19:54,203
A year before he was cleaning
offices in Cirencester.
418
00:19:54,243 --> 00:19:57,763
And now he finds himself on the grid
of a Formula One Grand Prix.
419
00:19:57,803 --> 00:19:59,923
The press coverage at the time,
420
00:19:59,963 --> 00:20:01,843
a lot of people were
writing, you know,
421
00:20:01,883 --> 00:20:04,923
why is this guy being fast-tracked
into Formula One?
422
00:20:04,963 --> 00:20:07,523
There are so many more
deserving drivers out there.
423
00:20:07,563 --> 00:20:10,443
Nigel, I think only had a
couple of wins in Formula Three
424
00:20:10,483 --> 00:20:12,003
and not done much more.
425
00:20:12,043 --> 00:20:14,323
The thought was,
he'd sort of lucked in.
426
00:20:14,363 --> 00:20:17,323
You just don't have the experience,
you don't have the name.
427
00:20:17,363 --> 00:20:19,123
People were saying with
a name like mine
428
00:20:19,163 --> 00:20:20,803
I'd never make it in Formula One.
429
00:20:20,843 --> 00:20:23,083
The name was terrible.
I was terrible.
430
00:20:23,123 --> 00:20:26,563
You know, they even commented
on my accent that was,
431
00:20:26,603 --> 00:20:29,283
you know, shocking and I
shouldn't be in Formula One.
432
00:20:29,323 --> 00:20:31,443
You know, he should
come from Argentina
433
00:20:31,483 --> 00:20:33,363
and be called Juan Manuel Fangio.
434
00:20:33,403 --> 00:20:35,683
He should be called Alberto
Ascari or something,
435
00:20:35,723 --> 00:20:38,363
you know, Enzo Ferrari,
anything, you know,
436
00:20:38,403 --> 00:20:40,803
but Nigel Mansell
from Birmingham?
437
00:20:40,843 --> 00:20:43,403
It didn't seem to
fit well with our,
438
00:20:43,443 --> 00:20:45,643
I think with our idea of what
439
00:20:45,683 --> 00:20:48,803
a glamorous Formula One
racing driver should be.
440
00:20:48,843 --> 00:20:51,683
The Formula One world is everything
that people think it is
441
00:20:51,723 --> 00:20:55,603
from the outside. It's stylish,
it's glamorous, it's exclusive,
442
00:20:55,643 --> 00:20:58,563
and it's always sort of marketed
itself on that kind of cachet.
443
00:20:58,603 --> 00:21:00,883
And that makes it a big
challenge for outsiders
444
00:21:00,923 --> 00:21:02,403
to find their way in.
445
00:21:02,443 --> 00:21:04,963
They were slight snobby about him
if I'm honest, you know.
446
00:21:05,003 --> 00:21:07,883
Colin was his own person,
his own man.
447
00:21:07,923 --> 00:21:11,043
He could have had probably
a choice of 20 other drivers
448
00:21:11,083 --> 00:21:13,683
with all sorts of
Formula One experience.
449
00:21:13,723 --> 00:21:16,883
I was always pushing the limits
of trying to be part of something
450
00:21:16,923 --> 00:21:18,283
that I wasn't part of.
451
00:21:19,363 --> 00:21:22,403
A lot of the press was
waiting for Nigel to fail.
452
00:21:22,443 --> 00:21:24,923
And sure enough, in Austria,
453
00:21:24,963 --> 00:21:26,843
I mean, you've got a
sense of the future
454
00:21:26,883 --> 00:21:28,963
because there was
drama attached to it.
455
00:21:29,003 --> 00:21:31,843
There is always drama attached
to whatever Nigel Mansell does.
456
00:21:31,883 --> 00:21:34,203
I go on the grid for
my first ever race.
457
00:21:34,243 --> 00:21:36,883
The guy comes with a bucket of water
and pours a bucket of water
458
00:21:36,923 --> 00:21:38,963
in the cockpit.
I'm getting my arse burnt,
459
00:21:39,003 --> 00:21:40,523
got a leak in the fuel tank.
460
00:21:40,563 --> 00:21:43,243
Can you imagine the drivers
of today sitting on the grid,
461
00:21:43,283 --> 00:21:45,883
getting their arse burnt and their
goolies and everything else
462
00:21:45,923 --> 00:21:46,963
down there?
463
00:21:47,003 --> 00:21:50,483
I suffered first degree burns
of the lower buttocks,
464
00:21:50,523 --> 00:21:54,123
so it was quite an
uncomfortable race for me.
465
00:21:54,163 --> 00:21:57,403
Oh, I got burnt to buggery.
I got second and third degree burns.
466
00:21:57,443 --> 00:22:00,643
And he was sort of lifted
out of the car with burns
467
00:22:00,683 --> 00:22:02,803
and everything else, spent
the night in hospital.
468
00:22:02,843 --> 00:22:04,563
INTERVIEWER: Can you sit down
OK now?
469
00:22:04,603 --> 00:22:07,323
Well, as you notice, I've probably
been standing up a lot today.
470
00:22:07,363 --> 00:22:08,643
(CHUCKLES)
471
00:22:08,683 --> 00:22:11,283
We went to Zandvoort
for another race.
472
00:22:11,323 --> 00:22:13,283
With only ten minutes to go,
he said,
473
00:22:13,323 --> 00:22:16,203
"Right, I'm giving you a Elio's car.
Go on, qualify."
474
00:22:16,243 --> 00:22:18,683
They didn't do a seat adjustment,
seatbelt adjustment,
475
00:22:18,723 --> 00:22:21,283
didn't do a pedal adjustment.
Just straight into the car.
476
00:22:21,323 --> 00:22:23,203
The pressure.
477
00:22:23,243 --> 00:22:25,883
I think I qualified 14th or 15th,
478
00:22:25,923 --> 00:22:28,683
but more importantly, I was
only one or two tenths slower
479
00:22:28,723 --> 00:22:30,803
than Elio with one go.
480
00:22:30,843 --> 00:22:33,083
And I think at that moment
Colin thought,
481
00:22:33,123 --> 00:22:36,323
"Yeah, Nigel Mansell is
a serious racing driver."
482
00:22:36,363 --> 00:22:40,243
At the same time, Frank had
this beautiful operation.
483
00:22:40,283 --> 00:22:42,963
The car was, you know,
just wonderful.
484
00:22:43,003 --> 00:22:45,163
To this day, you've gotta say
Alan Jones
485
00:22:45,203 --> 00:22:48,523
in that 07 Williams,
particularly 1980,
486
00:22:48,563 --> 00:22:50,603
that's as solid a car driver
combination
487
00:22:50,643 --> 00:22:52,363
as you'll ever see in Formula One.
488
00:22:52,403 --> 00:22:54,683
It's one thing to win Grand Prix,
it's quite another
489
00:22:54,723 --> 00:22:56,283
to win World Championships.
490
00:22:56,323 --> 00:22:59,963
1980 was a huge year in the history
of the Williams Grand Prix team
491
00:23:00,003 --> 00:23:02,363
because that was when
Alan Jones clinched
492
00:23:02,403 --> 00:23:04,763
their first world
championship title.
493
00:23:04,803 --> 00:23:07,203
It was extraordinary
when you reflect now
494
00:23:07,243 --> 00:23:09,763
on how long it takes a team
to build itself,
495
00:23:09,803 --> 00:23:12,403
establish yourself, let alone
win a world championship
496
00:23:12,443 --> 00:23:15,083
and they did it in the space
of effectively three years.
497
00:23:15,123 --> 00:23:17,363
It is one of Formula One's
great stories.
498
00:23:22,488 --> 00:23:23,603
(RHYTHMICAL MUSIC)
499
00:23:23,643 --> 00:23:24,643
(CLICKING)
500
00:23:28,523 --> 00:23:30,803
Elio and, of course,
Nigel Mansell,
501
00:23:30,843 --> 00:23:33,403
two young up and coming drivers.
502
00:23:33,443 --> 00:23:36,283
Elio has more experience than Nigel.
503
00:23:36,323 --> 00:23:39,923
Nigel is the best British driver
we've had come along in years.
504
00:23:39,963 --> 00:23:42,003
The thing that I was really
getting a sense of
505
00:23:42,043 --> 00:23:43,763
at the Lotus base
in the early '80s
506
00:23:43,803 --> 00:23:45,763
was this bond that
had been formed
507
00:23:45,803 --> 00:23:48,403
between Nigel Mansell
and Colin Chapman.
508
00:23:48,443 --> 00:23:52,603
I think he saw in me someone who had
a tremendous appetite to learn.
509
00:23:52,643 --> 00:23:54,723
And being a qualified
engineer at that time,
510
00:23:54,763 --> 00:23:57,403
I had a far greater
understanding than somebody
511
00:23:57,443 --> 00:23:59,083
who just was a driver.
512
00:23:59,123 --> 00:24:01,923
What he did for me was
just like a father figure.
513
00:24:01,963 --> 00:24:04,123
If he said do something
and jump out the window,
514
00:24:04,163 --> 00:24:05,683
I'd jump out the window.
515
00:24:05,723 --> 00:24:09,203
He was also very much appreciating
his attitude to racing,
516
00:24:09,243 --> 00:24:10,643
which is go for it.
517
00:24:12,763 --> 00:24:16,643
ANNOUNCER: So Mansell third,
number 12 in the new Lotus 87.
518
00:24:16,683 --> 00:24:18,763
Only his eighth Grand Prix.
519
00:24:18,803 --> 00:24:20,723
Nigel was doing a great job.
520
00:24:20,763 --> 00:24:23,243
He managed to get a couple
of podium finishes -
521
00:24:23,283 --> 00:24:25,203
one in '81, one in '82 -
522
00:24:25,243 --> 00:24:28,363
and he was starting to establish
himself in Formula One.
523
00:24:28,403 --> 00:24:30,723
Nigel was happy.
He was in a really good place.
524
00:24:30,763 --> 00:24:32,883
After all the struggles
to get to this point,
525
00:24:32,923 --> 00:24:34,323
he was a Grand Prix star.
526
00:24:34,363 --> 00:24:36,323
He was established,
he was making some decent money.
527
00:24:36,363 --> 00:24:40,243
ANNOUNCER: The gold lettering on
the £21,000 sports car says it all.
528
00:24:40,283 --> 00:24:42,003
Nigel Mansell has arrived.
529
00:24:42,883 --> 00:24:46,243
Williams were absolutely flying
in the public consciousness
530
00:24:46,283 --> 00:24:49,963
and a lot of the support that had
been very much behind Lotus
531
00:24:50,003 --> 00:24:53,763
at the end of the '70s was suddenly
behind this little team at Didcot.
532
00:24:53,803 --> 00:24:56,403
The FW07 and the FW08,
533
00:24:56,443 --> 00:24:58,923
conceptualised by Patrick Head
and Frank Dernie,
534
00:24:58,963 --> 00:25:02,723
took ground effects and raised
the bar to a whole new level.
535
00:25:02,763 --> 00:25:05,443
By 1982, Rosberg had
delivered the team
536
00:25:05,483 --> 00:25:07,563
its second World Championship.
537
00:25:07,603 --> 00:25:11,163
Williams were now well established
as a top team in Formula One.
538
00:25:17,723 --> 00:25:21,043
Colin Chapman, the man who
made Lotus cars famous
539
00:25:21,083 --> 00:25:22,803
around the world, has died.
540
00:25:22,843 --> 00:25:24,203
He was 54.
541
00:25:24,243 --> 00:25:27,083
A spokesman for Lotus says
he died of a heart attack.
542
00:25:29,243 --> 00:25:31,203
I was absolutely devastated.
543
00:25:31,243 --> 00:25:34,563
I mean, there's no words
even after all these years
544
00:25:34,603 --> 00:25:36,683
to describe the feelings.
545
00:25:36,723 --> 00:25:40,523
Whatever motivation I had
just evaporated in thin air.
546
00:25:40,563 --> 00:25:43,363
The direction in life was lost.
547
00:25:44,723 --> 00:25:48,003
It was the most
shocking time in my life
548
00:25:48,043 --> 00:25:50,483
'cause it wasn't just the
fact that we lost Colin,
549
00:25:50,523 --> 00:25:53,043
I felt like I lost my father.
550
00:25:53,083 --> 00:25:56,043
So the regime changed at Lotus,
551
00:25:56,083 --> 00:25:58,883
and Colin Chapman was replaced
by Peter Warr,
552
00:25:58,923 --> 00:26:01,283
who had been Colin Chapman's
number two,
553
00:26:01,323 --> 00:26:03,723
who wasn't as appreciative
of Nigel's talents
554
00:26:03,763 --> 00:26:05,843
as Colin had been,
555
00:26:05,883 --> 00:26:08,843
and they locked horns very early on.
556
00:26:08,883 --> 00:26:13,483
Communications and dynamics
and leadership just disappeared.
557
00:26:13,523 --> 00:26:16,163
You did get the impression
that Peter Warr
558
00:26:16,203 --> 00:26:19,003
was not only very negative
within the team towards Nigel,
559
00:26:19,043 --> 00:26:20,763
but also outside the team.
560
00:26:20,803 --> 00:26:23,443
And Nigel had a very
difficult time in making sure
561
00:26:23,483 --> 00:26:26,483
that his reputation
remained intact.
562
00:26:26,523 --> 00:26:29,603
I suppose a low point
was Monaco 1984,
563
00:26:29,643 --> 00:26:31,443
which was a very wet race.
564
00:26:31,483 --> 00:26:33,523
He qualified second
on the grid behind Prost
565
00:26:33,563 --> 00:26:35,883
and he was over a second faster
566
00:26:35,923 --> 00:26:38,763
than his Lotus teammate,
Elio De Angelis.
567
00:26:38,803 --> 00:26:41,243
And the whole of
that Monaco Grand Prix,
568
00:26:41,283 --> 00:26:43,803
he was just out there to
show he, Nigel Mansell,
569
00:26:43,843 --> 00:26:46,203
was the quickest guy on the planet.
570
00:26:46,243 --> 00:26:48,323
He passed Prost on lap nine
571
00:26:48,363 --> 00:26:51,043
and really started disappearing
off into the distance.
572
00:26:51,083 --> 00:26:52,723
The race was under control,
573
00:26:52,763 --> 00:26:54,843
obviously in very
treacherous conditions.
574
00:26:54,883 --> 00:26:57,323
And then he went and dropped
it into the barriers.
575
00:26:59,763 --> 00:27:02,163
And I think where
Nigel went wrong,
576
00:27:02,203 --> 00:27:05,323
his immediate quote at
the end of the race was,
577
00:27:05,363 --> 00:27:07,563
"I went on the white lines
and the painted white lines
578
00:27:07,603 --> 00:27:10,483
are very slippery", and, of course,
the press had a field day.
579
00:27:10,523 --> 00:27:14,563
A lot of excellent drivers
made mistakes and fell off
580
00:27:14,603 --> 00:27:17,283
and, you know, I feel through
no real reason of their own.
581
00:27:17,323 --> 00:27:20,323
An habitual whinger in terms
of what the press thought.
582
00:27:20,363 --> 00:27:23,243
You know, it was always
someone else's fault.
It wasn't ever his fault.
583
00:27:23,283 --> 00:27:25,803
And leading that chorus of criticism
584
00:27:25,843 --> 00:27:27,523
was Peter Warr himself.
585
00:27:27,563 --> 00:27:29,683
I'll never forget because
I just couldn't believe
586
00:27:29,723 --> 00:27:32,203
he said it publicly.
He said, "Well, while I have a hole
587
00:27:32,243 --> 00:27:34,723
in my arse,
he will never win a race."
588
00:27:34,763 --> 00:27:37,203
And what's that supposed to
mean for crying out loud?
589
00:27:37,243 --> 00:27:39,643
Well, as I said, he must
be very constipated now.
590
00:27:39,683 --> 00:27:41,043
(CHUCKLES)
591
00:27:41,083 --> 00:27:44,483
By the end of '84, Nigel really
needed a way out of Lotus
592
00:27:44,523 --> 00:27:46,603
and particularly that
toxic relationship
593
00:27:46,643 --> 00:27:48,723
he was facing with Peter Warr.
594
00:27:48,763 --> 00:27:51,123
It wasn't working out and he
was really, really looking
595
00:27:51,163 --> 00:27:54,723
for another home for the
next chapter of his career.
596
00:27:54,763 --> 00:27:56,563
Around the British
Grand Prix time,
597
00:27:56,603 --> 00:27:59,283
I started to inundate
Frank with lots of,
598
00:27:59,323 --> 00:28:01,483
"You've gotta sign Nigel"
conversations
599
00:28:01,523 --> 00:28:04,563
and started to back it up
with lots of stats.
600
00:28:04,603 --> 00:28:07,243
First lap out of the pits,
laps on cold tyres, hot tyres,
601
00:28:07,283 --> 00:28:10,083
qualifying, comparing it with all
the other drivers on the grid.
602
00:28:10,123 --> 00:28:12,443
And he was pretty
enthusiastic about it.
603
00:28:12,483 --> 00:28:14,683
And, of course, next week would
come and nothing would happen
604
00:28:14,723 --> 00:28:16,603
and Nigel will ring and say,
"What's going on? What's going?"
605
00:28:16,643 --> 00:28:18,883
"No news. No news."
And so it dragged on and on.
606
00:28:18,923 --> 00:28:20,723
We got to the Dutch Grand Prix
607
00:28:20,763 --> 00:28:23,043
and I remember saying to Nigel,
608
00:28:23,083 --> 00:28:25,083
"Frank's gonna give us an answer."
609
00:28:25,123 --> 00:28:27,643
And I actually got a
little bit frustrated
610
00:28:27,683 --> 00:28:30,043
with the conversation.
611
00:28:30,083 --> 00:28:32,923
You either want someone to
drive for you or you don't.
612
00:28:32,963 --> 00:28:36,323
Nigel just went ballistic and said,
"Right, tell Frank the deal is off
613
00:28:36,363 --> 00:28:38,723
'cause I don't wanna drive for
anybody that doesn't want me
614
00:28:38,763 --> 00:28:41,163
and can't make up their mind.
Just go tell him that now."
615
00:28:41,203 --> 00:28:42,403
So I did.
616
00:28:42,443 --> 00:28:45,083
I went back to Frank's little motor
home. I said, "Look, Frank,
617
00:28:45,123 --> 00:28:47,323
you're not gonna like this.
This is what Nigel's just said."
618
00:28:47,363 --> 00:28:49,523
He said, "All right,
tell him he's got the deal."
619
00:28:49,563 --> 00:28:51,763
Just like that. It was incredible.
620
00:28:51,803 --> 00:28:54,723
And I ended up driving for
Williams in '85 with Keke,
621
00:28:54,763 --> 00:28:56,523
which was marvellous.
622
00:28:56,563 --> 00:28:57,883
(RHYTHMICAL MUSIC)
623
00:29:00,123 --> 00:29:01,123
(CLICKING)
624
00:29:03,203 --> 00:29:04,643
(ENGINE ROARS)
625
00:29:06,363 --> 00:29:10,083
Start of '85, there's no doubt
Nigel was the number two
626
00:29:10,123 --> 00:29:12,043
in every dimension,
627
00:29:12,083 --> 00:29:16,123
purely because Keke Rosberg
was a Grand Prix winner.
628
00:29:16,163 --> 00:29:20,243
He was known as Rocky. He was
really quick. Great car control.
629
00:29:20,283 --> 00:29:23,523
I had a very uncomfortable
pressure initially with Williams.
630
00:29:23,563 --> 00:29:26,603
The bad blood was told to Keke
631
00:29:26,643 --> 00:29:29,923
and other people within
the Williams team about me.
632
00:29:29,963 --> 00:29:32,563
Nigel was this English guy
633
00:29:32,603 --> 00:29:36,203
prone to errors of the,
you know, the Monaco '84.
634
00:29:36,243 --> 00:29:38,643
And there was this sort of aura
about Nigel as, you know,
635
00:29:38,683 --> 00:29:41,283
why have William signed him, really.
And I'm sure Keke,
636
00:29:41,323 --> 00:29:43,563
he didn't feel Nigel was
a threat, I don't think.
637
00:29:43,603 --> 00:29:47,123
Without a win, and you're
alongside a world champion,
638
00:29:47,163 --> 00:29:51,083
there is an expectation that one is
gonna be better than the other.
639
00:29:51,123 --> 00:29:53,163
My first race was in Rio
640
00:29:53,203 --> 00:29:55,363
and I got planted off
at the first corner.
641
00:29:55,403 --> 00:29:57,643
It wasn't too good.
642
00:29:57,683 --> 00:30:00,003
Second race was in Estoril,
643
00:30:00,043 --> 00:30:03,603
and going to the grid, it was
raining and we had turbo engines,
644
00:30:03,643 --> 00:30:05,323
which were like an on-off switch.
645
00:30:05,363 --> 00:30:08,563
So I get halfway around the
corner, then the power surges.
646
00:30:08,603 --> 00:30:11,203
Anyway, I spun off,
hit the barriers on the warm up lap
647
00:30:11,243 --> 00:30:13,803
to the grid and smashed
the front suspension
648
00:30:13,843 --> 00:30:16,883
on the left-hand side
and had to limp back to the pits.
649
00:30:16,923 --> 00:30:19,403
I'll never forget the number
Patrick Head did on me.
650
00:30:19,443 --> 00:30:22,043
Oh, my goodness me,
he was so upset.
651
00:30:22,083 --> 00:30:24,323
Peter Collins was the
team manager and he said,
652
00:30:24,363 --> 00:30:26,883
"Look, just go and clear your head.
Just focus on being ready
653
00:30:26,923 --> 00:30:28,923
to get back in the car
and start from the pit lane."
654
00:30:28,963 --> 00:30:31,643
And then about a third,
halfway through the race,
655
00:30:31,683 --> 00:30:34,843
my teammate Keke Rosberg,
ex-world champion,
656
00:30:34,883 --> 00:30:37,083
in the fast corner coming
onto the main straight,
657
00:30:37,123 --> 00:30:38,963
he had a mighty accident
658
00:30:39,003 --> 00:30:42,723
with the identical symptoms that
happened to me on the warm-up lap.
659
00:30:42,763 --> 00:30:45,243
I drove the whole race tentatively
660
00:30:45,283 --> 00:30:47,483
and making sure I wasn't
gonna fall off,
661
00:30:47,523 --> 00:30:49,803
but I came from last to fifth.
662
00:30:49,843 --> 00:30:51,843
From the pit lane
663
00:30:51,883 --> 00:30:54,363
to P5 in the rain.
664
00:30:54,403 --> 00:30:56,003
Terrible visibility.
665
00:30:56,043 --> 00:30:59,443
He's in traffic the whole race
and he's passing people.
666
00:30:59,483 --> 00:31:01,923
And he said he literally listened
to the engine note
667
00:31:01,963 --> 00:31:03,403
of the car in front.
668
00:31:03,443 --> 00:31:05,363
And when that engine note changed,
669
00:31:05,403 --> 00:31:07,643
that was the moment Nigel,
without seeing anything up,
670
00:31:07,683 --> 00:31:10,803
just a bank of spray, he just moved
to the right or the left.
671
00:31:10,843 --> 00:31:11,923
That's how he did it.
672
00:31:11,963 --> 00:31:14,803
If ever there was a race where
if he was prone to mistakes
673
00:31:14,843 --> 00:31:18,243
and if he was incapable of
winning in the right situation,
674
00:31:18,283 --> 00:31:20,483
it would've been shown up
that day, but he didn't.
675
00:31:20,523 --> 00:31:22,803
He delivered
beautifully on that day.
676
00:31:23,763 --> 00:31:26,963
Just before the British Grand Prix
and Keke came up to me.
677
00:31:27,003 --> 00:31:29,123
He says, "I need to
apologise to you."
678
00:31:29,163 --> 00:31:31,003
He said, "I listened to those idiots
679
00:31:31,043 --> 00:31:32,963
telling me all different
things about you,
680
00:31:33,003 --> 00:31:35,323
which I know now is totally untrue."
681
00:31:35,363 --> 00:31:37,523
And he said, "I'm sorry."
He said, "I had preconceived
682
00:31:37,563 --> 00:31:39,643
judgements,
which are totally wrong."
683
00:31:39,683 --> 00:31:41,643
In Formula One, it's, obviously...
684
00:31:41,683 --> 00:31:43,803
it's down to the driver,
but it's a team sport.
685
00:31:43,843 --> 00:31:45,883
So, you know, the car
is very important,
686
00:31:45,923 --> 00:31:48,843
the team is very important and you
need the full package, really,
687
00:31:48,883 --> 00:31:51,003
to win your first race.
688
00:31:51,043 --> 00:31:52,963
It's a combination
of man and machine.
689
00:31:53,003 --> 00:31:54,923
That's part of why people love it,
I think.
690
00:31:54,963 --> 00:31:57,963
And the real magic is when you
get a combination of a driver
691
00:31:58,003 --> 00:32:01,243
who's on the up,
who's able to make a car faster.
692
00:32:01,283 --> 00:32:04,923
Through my engineering background,
Patrick Head,
693
00:32:04,963 --> 00:32:06,723
we got on really well.
694
00:32:06,763 --> 00:32:08,363
It was a breath of fresh air.
695
00:32:08,403 --> 00:32:11,963
We got half a second,
half a second to maybe six,
696
00:32:12,003 --> 00:32:14,963
seven tenths a lap faster,
just with one test.
697
00:32:15,003 --> 00:32:17,923
Because he'd got so much road
dust on him at that point
698
00:32:17,963 --> 00:32:21,003
that when finally he was
in a very, very good car
699
00:32:21,043 --> 00:32:23,963
with a good balance,
with a very good rear end,
700
00:32:24,003 --> 00:32:26,243
lots of power, Brands Hatch,
701
00:32:26,283 --> 00:32:28,003
great circuit that he loved,
702
00:32:28,043 --> 00:32:29,883
it was right up Nigel's street.
703
00:32:29,923 --> 00:32:32,363
The 1985 European Grand Prix
704
00:32:32,403 --> 00:32:34,083
was held at Brands Hatch
705
00:32:34,123 --> 00:32:36,443
and it was a huge day for Nigel.
706
00:32:36,483 --> 00:32:38,723
He made a great start
from third on the grid.
707
00:32:38,763 --> 00:32:41,683
Got up to second,
but he ran wide early on,
708
00:32:41,723 --> 00:32:46,403
which allowed both Nelson Piquet
and Keke Rosberg to get past.
709
00:32:46,443 --> 00:32:48,603
Rosberg tried to overtake Senna,
710
00:32:48,643 --> 00:32:50,683
who put quite an
aggressive block on him,
711
00:32:50,723 --> 00:32:52,603
causing Rosberg to spin
712
00:32:52,643 --> 00:32:54,923
and it left Piquet
with nowhere to go.
713
00:32:54,963 --> 00:32:57,363
Piquet gets caught up in that,
as well, and that takes him
714
00:32:57,403 --> 00:32:59,723
out of the race. Rosberg's not
happy. He has to go into the pits
715
00:32:59,763 --> 00:33:01,683
to get some service on
his car to repair it.
716
00:33:01,723 --> 00:33:04,883
He comes back out again
and who does he find but Senna.
717
00:33:04,923 --> 00:33:06,723
Holds him up.
Somewhat predictably,
718
00:33:06,763 --> 00:33:08,563
he wasn't in a mood to let him pass
719
00:33:08,603 --> 00:33:11,563
so he put a bit of
a defensive block on him,
720
00:33:11,603 --> 00:33:14,763
which gave Nigel the
opportunity to sneak by
721
00:33:14,803 --> 00:33:16,923
and take the lead in
front of his home crowd.
722
00:33:16,963 --> 00:33:20,003
Great move on Ayrton Senna
that put him in front of the field
723
00:33:20,043 --> 00:33:21,763
and it was a huge breakthrough.
724
00:33:22,843 --> 00:33:25,923
Once in front, Nigel then
set about building a lead
725
00:33:25,963 --> 00:33:29,403
and this was going to be
his big day at home
726
00:33:29,443 --> 00:33:31,283
in front of the British audience.
727
00:33:32,603 --> 00:33:35,923
You're in a car on your own and
you're like in solitary confinement,
728
00:33:35,963 --> 00:33:37,163
sepia,
729
00:33:37,203 --> 00:33:39,803
blasting around the circuit
with your hair on fire.
730
00:33:39,843 --> 00:33:41,923
You have to manage the car,
drive the car.
731
00:33:41,963 --> 00:33:45,763
It's very physical,
but the mental side of it is huge.
732
00:33:45,803 --> 00:33:47,843
Every single corner
I was making sure
733
00:33:47,883 --> 00:33:50,963
I was micromanaging the corners,
making sure I got the apexes,
734
00:33:51,003 --> 00:33:53,603
making sure I was carrying
enough speed, but not too much.
735
00:33:53,643 --> 00:33:55,763
You had to sort of
control your breathing,
736
00:33:55,803 --> 00:33:59,283
you had to control your motion,
counting the laps down,
737
00:33:59,323 --> 00:34:02,563
and then also the extra pressure
of managing the gap
738
00:34:02,603 --> 00:34:04,923
of the car chasing me down
739
00:34:04,963 --> 00:34:06,763
'cause it wasn't a walkover.
740
00:34:06,803 --> 00:34:09,202
It was only about five seconds
or so in front.
741
00:34:09,242 --> 00:34:11,603
So I've never felt that
pressure ever before.
742
00:34:11,643 --> 00:34:13,803
But sheer panic set in,
743
00:34:13,843 --> 00:34:17,323
and with a few laps to go,
I mean, you know,
744
00:34:17,363 --> 00:34:19,923
a tyre could blow out,
suspension could break,
745
00:34:19,963 --> 00:34:22,483
the brakes could fail,
engine could blow up,
746
00:34:22,523 --> 00:34:24,883
you could make a
mistake and spin off.
747
00:34:24,923 --> 00:34:28,363
And all these feelings in
the car you have to manage
748
00:34:28,403 --> 00:34:30,643
because if you don't
749
00:34:30,682 --> 00:34:32,483
you'll crash on every corner.
750
00:34:32,523 --> 00:34:33,883
(UPLIFTING MUSIC)
751
00:34:38,523 --> 00:34:42,403
1985, the Grand Prix of Europe
at Brands Hatch.
752
00:34:42,443 --> 00:34:44,843
And at long last,
the British Motorsport public
753
00:34:44,883 --> 00:34:46,963
could let out a collective
sigh of relief
754
00:34:47,003 --> 00:34:49,163
because after 72 Grand Prix starts,
755
00:34:49,202 --> 00:34:52,843
Nigel Mansell at last crossed
the line in first position.
756
00:34:52,883 --> 00:34:54,163
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
757
00:34:54,202 --> 00:34:56,323
I actually saw Roseanne
long before I saw Nigel
758
00:34:56,363 --> 00:34:57,683
at the end of the race.
759
00:34:57,723 --> 00:35:00,323
And we didn't say much, really.
760
00:35:00,363 --> 00:35:02,603
Just, you know, hugged and...
761
00:35:02,643 --> 00:35:04,763
it's happened and it's OK now.
762
00:35:04,803 --> 00:35:08,603
It'd been such a long,
hard fight to get there.
763
00:35:08,643 --> 00:35:10,283
(UPLIFTING MUSIC CONTINUES)
764
00:35:11,443 --> 00:35:12,843
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
765
00:35:16,363 --> 00:35:18,403
You know, I think Nigel
was one of those guys
766
00:35:18,443 --> 00:35:20,723
that didn't really wanna
show too much emotion.
767
00:35:20,763 --> 00:35:22,883
And then as soon as
he won his first race,
768
00:35:22,923 --> 00:35:25,963
I feel that it all came out
and we saw the true Nigel
769
00:35:26,003 --> 00:35:29,163
and he felt confident in,
you know, expressing himself.
770
00:35:29,203 --> 00:35:31,763
It's the most wonderful
feeling in the world.
771
00:35:33,723 --> 00:35:37,163
Now he didn't need to
prove anything anymore.
772
00:35:37,203 --> 00:35:41,363
I think anybody who's tried
for the number of years he'd tried
773
00:35:41,403 --> 00:35:43,203
and then you suddenly win a race,
774
00:35:43,243 --> 00:35:45,523
you're a foot taller,
then, aren't you?
775
00:35:45,563 --> 00:35:47,203
(UPLIFTING MUSIC CONTINUES)
776
00:35:50,403 --> 00:35:52,643
If anybody's won the race
for me today,
777
00:35:52,683 --> 00:35:55,603
it's the people out there.
They've just been unbelievable.
778
00:35:55,643 --> 00:35:58,363
I mean, on the last few laps
I could just see 'em.
779
00:35:58,403 --> 00:36:00,283
I mean, it was just extraordinary.
780
00:36:00,323 --> 00:36:02,483
The best feeling
I've ever had in my life.
781
00:36:02,523 --> 00:36:05,683
I think more than any other
British driver I've known,
782
00:36:05,723 --> 00:36:09,003
he has a genuine love affair
with the British public.
783
00:36:09,043 --> 00:36:11,923
And once you get over that hurdle,
784
00:36:11,963 --> 00:36:13,443
I was up and gone.
785
00:36:13,483 --> 00:36:15,523
I mean, I was ready
to win everything.
786
00:36:15,563 --> 00:36:17,683
Immediately after came
the second victory -
787
00:36:17,723 --> 00:36:20,283
the very next Grand Prix
in South Africa.
788
00:36:20,323 --> 00:36:23,403
And suddenly we went into
the close season thinking,
789
00:36:23,443 --> 00:36:26,043
"Hey, you know, this guy
could really take it
790
00:36:26,083 --> 00:36:27,403
onto to the next level."
791
00:36:35,523 --> 00:36:37,643
(CLICKING)
792
00:36:37,683 --> 00:36:38,803
(FOREBODING MUSIC)
793
00:36:42,603 --> 00:36:45,323
Keke had had an offer
to go to McLaren.
794
00:36:45,363 --> 00:36:48,003
The thinking was,
Nigel's pretty good,
795
00:36:48,043 --> 00:36:50,083
but is he that good
796
00:36:50,123 --> 00:36:52,283
and is he gonna win us
a world championship?
797
00:36:52,323 --> 00:36:54,963
So Frank was casting
around for the next driver.
798
00:36:55,003 --> 00:36:57,363
We need to get a proven winner.
We need to get Nelson Piquet.
799
00:36:57,403 --> 00:36:59,283
He was a double world champion
at that point
800
00:36:59,323 --> 00:37:01,923
and he was Mr Perfect
in every dimension
801
00:37:01,963 --> 00:37:03,443
from Frank's point of view.
802
00:37:03,483 --> 00:37:05,483
He loved the bikes,
he loved the girls,
803
00:37:05,523 --> 00:37:09,123
he loved everything about Nelson's
cosmopolitan way of life.
804
00:37:09,163 --> 00:37:11,643
He sent me off to
Nelson's hotel room
805
00:37:11,683 --> 00:37:13,763
to get the draft
agreement signed.
806
00:37:13,803 --> 00:37:16,283
Just said Nelson is
the number one driver.
807
00:37:16,323 --> 00:37:19,723
I wasn't exactly thrilled with it
'cause I knew Nelson's reputation.
808
00:37:19,763 --> 00:37:22,883
Hopefully we could work close enough
with Nelson to be,
809
00:37:22,923 --> 00:37:24,763
you know...
810
00:37:24,803 --> 00:37:26,683
be in the top three all the time.
811
00:37:26,723 --> 00:37:29,483
From his point of view, it was just
yet another super quick driver
812
00:37:29,523 --> 00:37:31,203
who'd won world championships.
He always thought,
813
00:37:31,243 --> 00:37:33,403
"Well, you know, and I'll beat him,
I'll look even better, I guess."
814
00:37:33,443 --> 00:37:34,523
You know, that's the way he thought.
815
00:37:34,563 --> 00:37:37,963
The feeling was one of
tremendous optimism.
816
00:37:38,003 --> 00:37:40,563
ANNOUNCER: Part of the contract
allows Mobile to tour
817
00:37:40,603 --> 00:37:42,723
the Williams Oxfordshire-based
race shop
818
00:37:42,763 --> 00:37:45,283
with some of its favoured clients.
819
00:37:45,323 --> 00:37:47,683
And we can monitor the functions
of the engine meanwhile.
820
00:37:47,723 --> 00:37:50,363
ANNOUNCER: For Peter Windsor,
it's a routine floor show.
821
00:37:50,403 --> 00:37:52,563
I joined Frank full-time in '85
822
00:37:52,603 --> 00:37:54,963
to do all the liveries
and the uniforms,
823
00:37:55,003 --> 00:37:57,323
all that colour stuff.
He can blame me for that.
824
00:37:57,363 --> 00:38:00,123
But as a result of that,
I was quite involved
825
00:38:00,163 --> 00:38:02,163
at tests and at races.
826
00:38:02,203 --> 00:38:03,923
We were testing at Ricard.
827
00:38:03,963 --> 00:38:06,523
I mean, you could... there's
so many ifs about this thing,
828
00:38:06,563 --> 00:38:08,843
but in fact Frank didn't
really need to be there.
829
00:38:08,883 --> 00:38:10,563
He wanted to be there
'cause it was a test
830
00:38:10,603 --> 00:38:12,563
and it was the first
time we were running
831
00:38:12,603 --> 00:38:14,723
the FW11 Honda car.
832
00:38:14,763 --> 00:38:19,243
I set off with Frank and he
was in a Avis Ford Sierra.
833
00:38:20,403 --> 00:38:22,683
And it was a lovely afternoon,
Saturday afternoon,
834
00:38:22,723 --> 00:38:26,123
but I didn't know that he
was so into being flat out
835
00:38:26,163 --> 00:38:27,243
all the time.
836
00:38:28,843 --> 00:38:31,323
All I said was, "Are the brakes OK
on this thing, Frank?"
837
00:38:31,363 --> 00:38:34,363
Which was my way of trying to say,
"Do we need to go this quickly?"
838
00:38:34,403 --> 00:38:37,923
And he said, "Yeah, yeah, the brakes
are fine, brakes are fine."
839
00:38:40,083 --> 00:38:41,643
And he goes through this kink.
840
00:38:41,683 --> 00:38:45,083
The back end just came out a little
bit and I remember thinking,
841
00:38:45,123 --> 00:38:46,883
"Now we'll see how good he is."
842
00:38:49,443 --> 00:38:50,963
Frank did one of those,
843
00:38:51,003 --> 00:38:53,203
which immediately set up
an oscillation, of course.
844
00:38:53,243 --> 00:38:54,963
We were obviously gonna
hit the wall.
845
00:38:55,003 --> 00:38:56,003
(CAR SMASHES)
846
00:39:00,163 --> 00:39:02,883
Came to rest upside down.
847
00:39:02,923 --> 00:39:05,723
All I could hear was Frank saying,
"Get me out, I'm trapped.
848
00:39:05,763 --> 00:39:07,203
I can't move. Get me out."
849
00:39:07,243 --> 00:39:10,123
The next thing, I was just
lying in the grass field
850
00:39:10,163 --> 00:39:13,483
with a car ten metres away
with Frank's...
851
00:39:13,523 --> 00:39:16,363
well, I was just cradling
Frank's head in my lap.
852
00:39:16,403 --> 00:39:19,403
Nelson and I, an engineer,
we raced to the accident
853
00:39:19,443 --> 00:39:21,403
and obviously saw the whole thing
854
00:39:21,443 --> 00:39:23,763
as it as it happened,
pretty much.
855
00:39:23,803 --> 00:39:27,283
And I remember, obviously,
travelling to the hospital
856
00:39:27,323 --> 00:39:31,803
in the ambulance to try and
keep Frank alive, basically,
857
00:39:31,843 --> 00:39:33,203
and keep him stable.
858
00:39:33,243 --> 00:39:35,243
Nigel got into the ambulance
with Frank
859
00:39:35,283 --> 00:39:37,643
and basically just
kept him conscious,
860
00:39:37,683 --> 00:39:40,443
kept winding him up,
861
00:39:40,483 --> 00:39:43,803
cracking jokes,
abusing him, whatever, you know,
862
00:39:43,843 --> 00:39:47,043
just to keep him going,
keep the adrenaline going.
863
00:39:47,083 --> 00:39:50,003
He was incredible under stress.
864
00:39:50,043 --> 00:39:52,123
Somebody rang up and said,
865
00:39:52,163 --> 00:39:54,363
"Oh, Frank's had a bad accident."
866
00:39:54,403 --> 00:39:56,763
Yeah, I mean we were all
obviously quite shocked,
867
00:39:56,803 --> 00:40:00,443
and then the stories coming
out was how bad it was.
868
00:40:00,483 --> 00:40:02,243
I think we were all
sort of on tenterhooks
869
00:40:02,283 --> 00:40:04,843
because Frank was
such an integral part
870
00:40:04,883 --> 00:40:07,923
of the paddock and the team.
871
00:40:07,963 --> 00:40:11,603
Patrick Head assumed the
mantle of leading the team
872
00:40:11,643 --> 00:40:13,483
and did a fabulous job.
873
00:40:13,523 --> 00:40:15,243
Everyone just closed ranks,
874
00:40:15,283 --> 00:40:17,203
which is what you have
to do in adversity.
875
00:40:17,243 --> 00:40:19,363
Even Nelson and I
closed complete ranks
876
00:40:19,403 --> 00:40:21,123
and for a short period of time
877
00:40:21,163 --> 00:40:23,123
we really worked well together.
878
00:40:23,163 --> 00:40:26,523
Determination of Ginny Williams
was to keep her husband alive.
879
00:40:26,563 --> 00:40:28,963
I mean, an amazing lady who fought
880
00:40:29,003 --> 00:40:30,843
because, you know,
there were people saying,
881
00:40:30,883 --> 00:40:32,443
"No, he won't survive."
882
00:40:32,483 --> 00:40:34,443
But when he reappeared,
I mean, it was a...
883
00:40:34,483 --> 00:40:36,323
it was very emotional for everybody.
884
00:40:36,363 --> 00:40:37,563
Very emotional.
885
00:40:39,883 --> 00:40:44,003
Well, I suppose that day was
just the inevitable result
886
00:40:44,043 --> 00:40:46,203
of 27 years of really good driving.
887
00:40:46,243 --> 00:40:48,403
I was laying there on the ground
while the ambulance came.
888
00:40:48,443 --> 00:40:50,083
It took about an hour to get there.
889
00:40:50,123 --> 00:40:53,043
I couldn't feel very much except
my hands and arms were burning
890
00:40:53,083 --> 00:40:55,363
as if I'd fallen off a bicycle
and got gravel,
891
00:40:55,403 --> 00:40:57,363
you know, ripped the skin off.
892
00:40:58,603 --> 00:41:01,483
But over the next few months,
one realised that, you know,
893
00:41:01,523 --> 00:41:04,643
you're not gonna walk again,
and that was rather a shame.
894
00:41:05,723 --> 00:41:08,443
NARRATOR: Frank Williams
is quadriplegic.
895
00:41:08,483 --> 00:41:10,163
Yep.
From his shoulders down,
896
00:41:10,203 --> 00:41:13,443
he has no control over the
functions of his own body.
897
00:41:13,483 --> 00:41:16,683
The intricate wiring of his
nervous system is snapped,
898
00:41:16,723 --> 00:41:19,963
leaving the moving parts as
dead as a broken machine.
899
00:41:20,003 --> 00:41:23,043
One of his first reactions
was to sort of curse and swear
900
00:41:23,083 --> 00:41:24,923
and say,
"I hope this isn't gonna mean
901
00:41:24,963 --> 00:41:27,123
that I'm not gonna get to
the Brazilian Grand Prix."
902
00:41:27,163 --> 00:41:28,163
(DRUMS BEATING)
903
00:41:30,403 --> 00:41:32,523
Piquet kicked off the 1986 season
904
00:41:32,563 --> 00:41:34,843
with a win on home ground in Rio.
905
00:41:38,403 --> 00:41:40,963
The second round in Spain,
Nigel and Ayrton
906
00:41:41,003 --> 00:41:44,043
were wheel to wheel,
recording the second closest finish
907
00:41:44,083 --> 00:41:45,563
in F1 history,
908
00:41:45,603 --> 00:41:47,763
but Nigel just got beaten
on that day.
909
00:41:47,803 --> 00:41:50,123
It was so close, I think
they should give us...
910
00:41:50,163 --> 00:41:52,563
they should give us
seven-and-a-half points each.
911
00:41:52,603 --> 00:41:55,603
The canny Alain Prost then
took back-to-back victories
912
00:41:55,643 --> 00:41:57,603
at Imola and Monaco,
913
00:41:57,643 --> 00:41:59,363
and as the reigning world champion,
914
00:41:59,403 --> 00:42:01,643
he then drove himself
right to the forefront
915
00:42:01,683 --> 00:42:03,563
of the '86 title battle.
916
00:42:03,603 --> 00:42:05,723
Nigel really had to
dig deep to make sure
917
00:42:05,763 --> 00:42:07,803
that he remained within range
918
00:42:07,843 --> 00:42:10,443
and my goodness, during the
mid part of that season,
919
00:42:10,483 --> 00:42:13,003
he put together a
string of results
920
00:42:13,043 --> 00:42:15,643
which changed the course
of the championship.
921
00:42:19,203 --> 00:42:20,723
I'm sorry it took so long, Frank,
922
00:42:20,763 --> 00:42:23,043
but we cracked it
this year already.
923
00:42:23,083 --> 00:42:24,083
(DRUNS BEATING)
924
00:42:32,123 --> 00:42:34,723
The relationship with Nigel and
Nelson broke down very quickly.
925
00:42:34,763 --> 00:42:37,883
Nelson felt that, as number one,
926
00:42:37,923 --> 00:42:40,883
he shouldn't be troubled by
the other car at any stage.
927
00:42:40,923 --> 00:42:43,443
I was winning races
and told to slow down.
928
00:42:43,483 --> 00:42:45,683
Or, I was catching up
with the leader
929
00:42:45,723 --> 00:42:48,603
and told to slow down
and stay status quo.
930
00:42:48,643 --> 00:42:52,003
Well, at those times my radio
didn't function very well.
931
00:42:52,043 --> 00:42:53,923
You know, if you're racing,
you're racing.
932
00:42:53,963 --> 00:42:56,163
The memo was I should never
be quicker than him
933
00:42:56,203 --> 00:42:59,043
and I should never beat him,
but I didn't get the memo.
934
00:43:00,043 --> 00:43:03,363
He put together a run of
four wins in five races.
935
00:43:03,403 --> 00:43:05,403
The most important
and the most emotional
936
00:43:05,443 --> 00:43:07,603
was the British Grand Prix win
at Brands Hatch,
937
00:43:07,643 --> 00:43:10,443
beating Piquet
and beating Piquet well.
938
00:43:14,563 --> 00:43:16,443
Adding to the emotion
at Brands Hatch
939
00:43:16,483 --> 00:43:17,963
was the appearance in the pit lane
940
00:43:18,003 --> 00:43:20,043
of Frank Williams
in his wheelchair.
941
00:43:20,083 --> 00:43:23,163
A few months earlier,
nobody had expected to see him back
942
00:43:23,203 --> 00:43:25,843
at a Grand Prix circuit,
but with Nigel winning
943
00:43:25,883 --> 00:43:29,363
and his team spearheading
the world championship race,
944
00:43:29,403 --> 00:43:30,963
one of the great moments.
945
00:43:31,003 --> 00:43:32,003
(HORN BLARING)
946
00:43:35,003 --> 00:43:37,043
Mansell's victory spurred Piquet on
947
00:43:37,083 --> 00:43:39,603
and he went on a run of
victories of his own.
948
00:43:41,003 --> 00:43:43,203
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
949
00:43:43,243 --> 00:43:46,483
With three races to go,
four drivers could still win
950
00:43:46,523 --> 00:43:49,803
the World Championship, and the
ringmaster, Bernie Ecclestone,
951
00:43:49,843 --> 00:43:53,403
gathered them all together in
Estoril for a legendary picture
952
00:43:53,443 --> 00:43:55,483
now known as the Gang of Four.
953
00:43:55,523 --> 00:43:57,523
That photograph of
the four drivers -
954
00:43:57,563 --> 00:43:59,763
Senna, Prost, Piquet, Mansell -
955
00:43:59,803 --> 00:44:02,283
reminds you of just how tough
956
00:44:02,323 --> 00:44:04,923
and how competitive
Formula One was at that time.
957
00:44:04,963 --> 00:44:07,403
I mean, you're talking about four
of the all-time greats there
958
00:44:07,443 --> 00:44:10,163
in one shot.
I mean, it was truly a golden era.
959
00:44:10,203 --> 00:44:12,363
It's just unbelievable to think back
960
00:44:12,403 --> 00:44:15,243
that the former office cleaner
from Hall Green in Birmingham
961
00:44:15,283 --> 00:44:17,643
at that time was
leading all of them.
962
00:44:17,683 --> 00:44:19,643
And the others had
world championships,
963
00:44:19,683 --> 00:44:21,443
and Nigel hadn't got one yet,
964
00:44:21,483 --> 00:44:24,843
but there they are trying
to be friendly. (LAUGHS)
965
00:44:26,723 --> 00:44:28,683
(ENGINE ROARING)
966
00:44:28,723 --> 00:44:31,483
To be realistic, I think Nigel
is world champion today,
967
00:44:31,523 --> 00:44:33,043
but it's not finished yet.
968
00:44:33,083 --> 00:44:35,763
The lineup for the grid for
tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix,
969
00:44:35,803 --> 00:44:38,283
Nigel Mansell will start
on pole position.
970
00:44:38,323 --> 00:44:41,683
Remember, Nigel only needs to finish
in the top three in Adelaide
971
00:44:41,723 --> 00:44:44,723
to win the world championship ahead
of his two closest challengers,
972
00:44:44,763 --> 00:44:47,123
Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet.
973
00:44:47,163 --> 00:44:49,963
He now has the chance, of course,
to take the title he's waited for,
974
00:44:50,003 --> 00:44:51,163
for six years.
975
00:44:51,203 --> 00:44:53,003
With Senna out of contention,
976
00:44:53,043 --> 00:44:56,243
the season came down to one
final race in Adelaide.
977
00:44:56,283 --> 00:44:59,083
Three drivers,
Mansell with a six-point lead
978
00:44:59,123 --> 00:45:02,563
over Piquet and Prost.
Surely this was his to lose.
979
00:45:02,603 --> 00:45:06,243
Just very excited that we were gonna
get a British world champion.
980
00:45:06,283 --> 00:45:10,043
It was Nigel's moment,
it was Nigel's day in the sun.
981
00:45:10,083 --> 00:45:12,603
Once again, Formula One
was front page news.
982
00:45:12,643 --> 00:45:14,723
Can our Nige do it?
983
00:45:14,763 --> 00:45:18,243
We hadn't had a British world
champion since James Hunt in 1976
984
00:45:18,283 --> 00:45:22,243
and there was this fantastic
sense of national expectation.
985
00:45:22,283 --> 00:45:24,323
(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)
986
00:45:24,363 --> 00:45:25,443
(CARS REVVING)
987
00:45:25,483 --> 00:45:28,323
ANNOUNCER: And it's go, and a
superb start from Nigel Mansell.
988
00:45:28,363 --> 00:45:31,363
Senna goes through into second place
ahead of Piquet.
989
00:45:34,083 --> 00:45:36,043
Race was going to plan.
990
00:45:36,083 --> 00:45:37,723
Nigel was gonna win.
991
00:45:37,763 --> 00:45:40,123
You know, it was all going so well
992
00:45:40,163 --> 00:45:42,563
and then it...
of course it all unravelled.
993
00:45:42,603 --> 00:45:44,963
In a race, you're never
counting any chickens.
994
00:45:45,003 --> 00:45:47,203
You know, you know
anything can happen.
995
00:45:49,043 --> 00:45:51,163
Tyres were a big issue then.
996
00:45:51,203 --> 00:45:52,763
Particularly on a circuit
like Adelaide,
997
00:45:52,803 --> 00:45:55,163
there's a lot of heat and load
998
00:45:55,203 --> 00:45:58,083
going through the rear tyres,
particularly under traction.
999
00:45:58,123 --> 00:46:00,843
Having said that,
in those days a pit stop
1000
00:46:00,883 --> 00:46:03,123
was always a slightly risky thing.
1001
00:46:03,163 --> 00:46:05,123
You just want everything
to go smoothly.
1002
00:46:05,163 --> 00:46:07,403
You don't want to go into the pits
1003
00:46:07,443 --> 00:46:09,763
and worry about a wheel not going on
1004
00:46:09,803 --> 00:46:13,443
or a cross-threaded wheel nut
'cause then your race is over.
1005
00:46:13,483 --> 00:46:15,723
They looked at the tyres, though,
and they said they look good.
1006
00:46:15,763 --> 00:46:17,963
You know, they look fine
so Nigel doesn't need to come in
1007
00:46:18,003 --> 00:46:20,043
for a tyre change.
So he just cruised around.
1008
00:46:20,083 --> 00:46:22,043
He was in an easy position
1009
00:46:22,083 --> 00:46:23,763
and he was gonna be world champion
1010
00:46:23,803 --> 00:46:26,283
until that fateful straight.
1011
00:46:26,323 --> 00:46:28,403
(EXPLOSION)
And look that!
1012
00:46:29,283 --> 00:46:31,123
Collosally, that's Mansell.
1013
00:46:31,163 --> 00:46:33,363
That is Nigel Mansell.
1014
00:46:33,403 --> 00:46:34,403
(SOFT MUSIC)
1015
00:46:43,163 --> 00:46:46,243
We were watching that long shot
of him coming down the straight,
1016
00:46:46,283 --> 00:46:49,243
and then suddenly all hell lets
loose and we just were gobsmacked.
1017
00:46:49,283 --> 00:46:51,403
It all was looking so good.
1018
00:46:51,443 --> 00:46:53,803
I think it was also,
it was so spectacular
1019
00:46:53,843 --> 00:46:57,763
seeing the sparks and the wheel.
1020
00:46:57,803 --> 00:46:59,843
I can still, in my minds eye,
1021
00:46:59,883 --> 00:47:03,443
see the car,
and see the tyre and see the sparks.
1022
00:47:03,483 --> 00:47:05,283
They brought Piquet into the pit,
1023
00:47:05,323 --> 00:47:08,043
so that scuppered his world
championship chance, as well.
1024
00:47:08,083 --> 00:47:10,403
Alain Prost was the world champion.
1025
00:47:12,283 --> 00:47:15,123
When you feel like you're in
control, shit hits the fan.
1026
00:47:15,163 --> 00:47:16,723
It normally does,
1027
00:47:16,763 --> 00:47:18,603
but that one was just
out of the blue.
1028
00:47:18,643 --> 00:47:21,323
Everybody beats themselves up
if it could have been avoided.
1029
00:47:21,363 --> 00:47:23,403
We could have put him on new tyres.
1030
00:47:23,443 --> 00:47:25,603
The only thing I regret is
that I should have broken
1031
00:47:25,643 --> 00:47:27,643
a couple of legs
and gone in the wall
1032
00:47:27,683 --> 00:47:30,043
and would have been world champion.
You know, it'd been worth it.
1033
00:47:30,083 --> 00:47:32,803
If he didn't hang onto it
at 200 miles an hour
1034
00:47:32,843 --> 00:47:36,123
and take it down the escape road,
he would've put it into the wall.
1035
00:47:36,163 --> 00:47:38,523
They probably would've red flagged
it, 'cause the car would've been
1036
00:47:38,563 --> 00:47:40,763
in the middle of the circuit.
They would've taken it back a race
1037
00:47:40,803 --> 00:47:42,643
and he would've won the
world championship.
1038
00:47:42,683 --> 00:47:43,883
But he did the right thing.
1039
00:47:43,923 --> 00:47:47,003
Just in that one moment,
you can see how good Nigel is.
1040
00:47:47,043 --> 00:47:49,963
Every correction he makes to the
wheel is absolutely perfect.
1041
00:47:50,003 --> 00:47:51,963
There's no overcorrection
at any stage.
1042
00:47:52,003 --> 00:47:54,243
He's only got one tyre
on the back of the car
1043
00:47:54,283 --> 00:47:56,763
and he's flat out
and that was it,
1044
00:47:56,803 --> 00:47:59,603
championship to Prost.
I'm sure Piquet was delighted.
1045
00:47:59,643 --> 00:48:02,203
For us, it was just
like the worst trip home
1046
00:48:02,243 --> 00:48:04,283
that I've ever had.
1047
00:48:04,323 --> 00:48:08,043
No, I don't...
I think he hightailed it away.
1048
00:48:08,083 --> 00:48:10,683
I don't remember even speaking
to anybody who'd seen him
1049
00:48:10,723 --> 00:48:12,803
because, obviously,
he would've been distraught.
1050
00:48:12,843 --> 00:48:15,803
Must have been devastating
and I can't imagine
1051
00:48:15,843 --> 00:48:17,763
what went through his head.
1052
00:48:17,803 --> 00:48:20,043
You couldn't breathe.
I couldn't breathe.
1053
00:48:20,083 --> 00:48:22,643
I mean, you come that close
1054
00:48:22,683 --> 00:48:25,283
and to know that you might never,
1055
00:48:25,323 --> 00:48:27,203
ever, ever smell it
1056
00:48:27,243 --> 00:48:30,043
or touch it or taste it
ever again is...
1057
00:48:30,083 --> 00:48:32,163
How do you live with that
the rest of your life?
1058
00:48:32,203 --> 00:48:34,643
And that's what kept me going.
1059
00:48:34,683 --> 00:48:37,083
I mean, the whole world
had fallen apart.
1060
00:48:37,123 --> 00:48:39,083
The world championship had gone.
1061
00:48:39,123 --> 00:48:43,483
It was one of those iconic moments
again in motor sport.
1062
00:48:43,523 --> 00:48:45,883
You know, that's how you lose
a world championship.
1063
00:48:45,923 --> 00:48:49,883
I still sometimes have
some sad moments
1064
00:48:49,923 --> 00:48:53,123
thinking how easy
and how close it was
1065
00:48:53,163 --> 00:48:55,963
and to lose it in the way that
we did was, was horrendous.
1066
00:48:56,003 --> 00:48:57,883
But the flip side of that is,
1067
00:48:57,923 --> 00:49:00,123
I think that just cemented
the fans in place
1068
00:49:00,163 --> 00:49:01,803
for the rest of my career.
1069
00:49:01,843 --> 00:49:04,403
I mean, they lost the
world championship, too.
1070
00:49:05,363 --> 00:49:06,803
That's what it felt like.
1071
00:49:06,843 --> 00:49:08,923
They shared it
1072
00:49:08,963 --> 00:49:11,803
and we shared everything together.
1073
00:49:11,843 --> 00:49:13,883
The irony is that, you know,
1074
00:49:13,923 --> 00:49:16,403
that he became a bigger star
because of what happened
1075
00:49:16,443 --> 00:49:17,683
and the way it happened.
1076
00:49:17,723 --> 00:49:20,043
And perhaps even if
he'd won, you know,
1077
00:49:20,083 --> 00:49:21,803
it became part of his story.
1078
00:49:21,843 --> 00:49:23,963
His story is drama.
1079
00:49:24,003 --> 00:49:26,123
So there was no world
championship for Nigel,
1080
00:49:26,163 --> 00:49:28,763
but all the accolades
came his way
1081
00:49:28,803 --> 00:49:30,403
over the next couple of months.
1082
00:49:30,443 --> 00:49:32,043
There were honours of all kind,
1083
00:49:32,083 --> 00:49:34,323
including one
which he always regarded
1084
00:49:34,363 --> 00:49:36,043
as particularly significant.
1085
00:49:36,083 --> 00:49:38,803
And that was the BBC viewers
and the television viewers
1086
00:49:38,843 --> 00:49:41,403
voting him
Sports Personality of the Year.
1087
00:49:41,443 --> 00:49:43,723
Where everyone,
in their tens of thousands,
1088
00:49:43,763 --> 00:49:46,483
voted for the top sportsman
of the year.
1089
00:49:46,523 --> 00:49:48,643
Far bigger honour
1090
00:49:48,683 --> 00:49:51,243
than winning the Formula One
world championship.
1091
00:49:52,323 --> 00:49:54,083
I love the fans...
1092
00:49:56,003 --> 00:49:58,563
..and they kept me going.
1093
00:49:58,603 --> 00:50:00,203
Bless them.
1094
00:50:00,243 --> 00:50:03,083
You'll have to forgive me.
You get a bit...
1095
00:50:03,123 --> 00:50:06,163
It's the pollen, it's the pollen.
That's what it is.
1096
00:50:06,203 --> 00:50:07,203
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
1097
00:50:16,163 --> 00:50:17,483
(CLICKING)
1098
00:50:17,523 --> 00:50:18,883
(TENSE MUSIC)
1099
00:50:22,323 --> 00:50:24,483
That turbo car from 1987
1100
00:50:24,523 --> 00:50:27,603
was the peak of the turbo era.
1101
00:50:27,643 --> 00:50:30,043
They couldn't even measure
the amount of horsepower
1102
00:50:30,083 --> 00:50:31,443
it was producing
1103
00:50:31,483 --> 00:50:33,843
and the Williams Honda FW11B
1104
00:50:33,883 --> 00:50:35,923
was the biggest monster of them all.
1105
00:50:35,963 --> 00:50:38,403
It was the best car
out on the track.
1106
00:50:38,443 --> 00:50:40,403
It was gonna become
down to a battle
1107
00:50:40,443 --> 00:50:44,483
between the two drivers -
Nigel and Nelson.
1108
00:50:44,523 --> 00:50:46,643
They had not got a relationship.
1109
00:50:46,683 --> 00:50:49,523
They were what we'd say
trading blows, weren't they?
1110
00:50:49,563 --> 00:50:53,963
I could sense and see there was
a division happening in the team,
1111
00:50:54,003 --> 00:50:56,243
but I just put that down that,
you know,
1112
00:50:56,283 --> 00:50:58,083
Nelson was a multiple
world champion.
1113
00:50:58,123 --> 00:51:00,123
When you haven't won one,
that's where you really are
1114
00:51:00,163 --> 00:51:03,883
at a disadvantage.
He was being put under scrutiny.
1115
00:51:03,923 --> 00:51:06,243
You cannot say a better
driver or worse driver
1116
00:51:06,283 --> 00:51:10,923
because I can say I win two
championships and Nigel lost one.
1117
00:51:12,443 --> 00:51:15,043
Teammates in Formula One.
1118
00:51:15,083 --> 00:51:16,923
Yeah...
1119
00:51:16,963 --> 00:51:20,523
mates doesn't really work,
I don't think.
1120
00:51:20,563 --> 00:51:22,363
There's always an atmosphere
in a team,
1121
00:51:22,403 --> 00:51:24,163
especially if you're
fighting for wins.
1122
00:51:24,203 --> 00:51:26,883
And Nigel and Nelson
definitely had that.
1123
00:51:26,923 --> 00:51:30,923
Nelson Piquet, deep down
there was a kind of
1124
00:51:30,963 --> 00:51:33,403
viciousness and a poison to him.
1125
00:51:33,443 --> 00:51:35,923
He was niggly,
he was combative,
1126
00:51:35,963 --> 00:51:37,403
he was gossipy
1127
00:51:37,443 --> 00:51:39,723
and he was everything that you
didn't want a teammate to be.
1128
00:51:39,763 --> 00:51:42,843
When Nigel did start to
cramp Nelson's style,
1129
00:51:42,883 --> 00:51:45,323
whether it being qualifying,
whether it be on the first lap
1130
00:51:45,363 --> 00:51:47,283
of a race,
whether it be beating Nelson,
1131
00:51:47,323 --> 00:51:49,243
outracing him from
start to finish,
1132
00:51:49,283 --> 00:51:51,283
he would go into
Frank's office and say,
1133
00:51:51,323 --> 00:51:53,283
"You know, this is ridiculous.
What is going on?
1134
00:51:53,323 --> 00:51:55,363
I'm supposed to be number
one driver and this guy,
1135
00:51:55,403 --> 00:51:57,443
you keep giving him this and
that and he's ahead of me.
1136
00:51:57,483 --> 00:51:59,483
They must be favouring
Nigel with a better car
1137
00:51:59,523 --> 00:52:01,363
or Honda must be giving him
a better engine
1138
00:52:01,403 --> 00:52:03,603
or something must be
going on to explain this.
1139
00:52:03,643 --> 00:52:07,203
I don't like this situation.
And Nigel's not good news at all."
1140
00:52:07,243 --> 00:52:09,883
Nelson was gonna use
every bit of imagination
1141
00:52:09,923 --> 00:52:13,363
that he could to try to
get inside Nigel's head,
1142
00:52:13,403 --> 00:52:17,563
irritate him, annoy him,
upset him, beat him that way.
1143
00:52:17,603 --> 00:52:20,243
I think it was in Japan on the
bullet train at one time,
1144
00:52:20,283 --> 00:52:21,603
and I'd hurt my ribs.
1145
00:52:21,643 --> 00:52:24,883
I think I fractured or
cracked some ribs or whatever
1146
00:52:24,923 --> 00:52:28,163
and he kept poking me
in my ribs on the way.
1147
00:52:28,203 --> 00:52:30,203
And I took it for a little while
1148
00:52:30,243 --> 00:52:32,283
and after you've been
tapped a few times
1149
00:52:32,323 --> 00:52:34,923
I just turned around to him
and I just looked at him
1150
00:52:34,963 --> 00:52:37,363
straight in the eyes and I said,
"You do that one more time,
1151
00:52:37,403 --> 00:52:39,803
I will lay you out like
there is no tomorrow."
1152
00:52:39,843 --> 00:52:43,483
Early '87, Nelson did an interview
1153
00:52:43,523 --> 00:52:45,603
with Playboy Brazil
1154
00:52:45,643 --> 00:52:48,003
in which he was asked
about the differences
1155
00:52:48,043 --> 00:52:49,443
between him and Nigel.
1156
00:52:49,483 --> 00:52:52,163
And his reply was,
"Well, the main difference
1157
00:52:52,203 --> 00:52:54,643
is I always have beautiful
girlfriends and he has..."
1158
00:52:54,683 --> 00:52:57,803
And I won't use the word here,
but he was very derogatory
about Roseanne.
1159
00:52:57,843 --> 00:53:00,523
Roseanne is the nicest person
you can meet in the world.
1160
00:53:00,563 --> 00:53:02,683
Their marriage is the most solid
1161
00:53:02,723 --> 00:53:05,563
I've ever experienced in any
sporting environment.
1162
00:53:05,603 --> 00:53:08,283
The fact that Piquet felt that
he needed to do these things,
1163
00:53:08,323 --> 00:53:11,203
I think it shows to what extent
he felt threatened by Nigel.
1164
00:53:11,243 --> 00:53:13,563
Because if Nigel wasn't a threat,
he wouldn't need to do it.
1165
00:53:13,603 --> 00:53:16,283
I think a lot of people thought
it actually diminished Piquet.
1166
00:53:16,323 --> 00:53:18,683
He hit well below the belt
and again,
1167
00:53:18,723 --> 00:53:20,803
but that just showed up
his character
1168
00:53:20,843 --> 00:53:22,603
to say and do those things.
1169
00:53:22,643 --> 00:53:26,083
I don't think that speaks great
volumes about yourself, does it?
1170
00:53:26,123 --> 00:53:29,803
And, of course, when that happens,
from that moment onwards
1171
00:53:29,843 --> 00:53:32,523
he was a marked man so far
as Nigel was concerned.
1172
00:53:32,563 --> 00:53:34,563
Whatever Nelson is, he is an idiot,
1173
00:53:34,603 --> 00:53:36,683
but he's a great driver.
1174
00:53:36,723 --> 00:53:40,123
Now, I had to hang it out there
to even compete as a number two
1175
00:53:40,163 --> 00:53:41,923
to the number one.
1176
00:53:41,963 --> 00:53:44,283
Well, Nigel is a true racer
1177
00:53:44,323 --> 00:53:47,003
and when the lights go green,
he kind of gets a bit red
1178
00:53:47,043 --> 00:53:49,323
and has a lot of anger in him
and that's expressed
1179
00:53:49,363 --> 00:53:51,363
in some really superlative racing.
1180
00:53:51,403 --> 00:53:53,723
Frank Williams, he thought
it was quite funny
1181
00:53:53,763 --> 00:53:56,563
that they were at each other's
throat 'cause in his mind,
1182
00:53:56,603 --> 00:53:59,923
if you got two drivers who hate
each other, they go faster.
1183
00:53:59,963 --> 00:54:02,603
What do you do? Do you turn around
and say you've gotta be nice
1184
00:54:02,643 --> 00:54:04,003
to each other and work together?
1185
00:54:04,043 --> 00:54:07,563
As a team owner,
you can't want better.
1186
00:54:07,603 --> 00:54:09,723
You know that at the
end of a weekend
1187
00:54:09,763 --> 00:54:12,123
it will be a Williams car that wins
1188
00:54:12,163 --> 00:54:15,243
because your drivers are
pushing each other so hard.
1189
00:54:15,283 --> 00:54:18,083
Piquet, by whatever means,
was getting the upper hand
1190
00:54:18,123 --> 00:54:20,843
both in terms of what
happened on the track
1191
00:54:20,883 --> 00:54:23,203
and maybe what was
happening psychologically.
1192
00:54:23,243 --> 00:54:25,283
Our practise for the British
Formula One Grand Prix
1193
00:54:25,323 --> 00:54:26,963
at Silverstone gets underway today
1194
00:54:27,003 --> 00:54:29,803
and the focus of attention this
weekend will be on Nigel Mansell
1195
00:54:29,843 --> 00:54:32,043
and his William
teammate Nelson Piquet,
1196
00:54:32,083 --> 00:54:34,883
who it seems have not
been the best of friends.
1197
00:54:34,923 --> 00:54:37,403
The one great highlight,
of course, was once again
1198
00:54:37,443 --> 00:54:39,483
the British Grand Prix
at Silverstone,
1199
00:54:39,523 --> 00:54:42,643
where Nigel built up, built up,
1200
00:54:42,683 --> 00:54:45,083
built up to that wonderful
move down the bottom
1201
00:54:45,123 --> 00:54:46,443
of the hangar straight.
1202
00:54:46,483 --> 00:54:49,203
The dummy move, I remember
it in the karting days,
1203
00:54:49,243 --> 00:54:51,683
pretending you're going
to the left and then
1204
00:54:51,723 --> 00:54:54,363
they slightly move that
direction to cover you
1205
00:54:54,403 --> 00:54:57,363
and you change direction immediately
and throw it down the inside.
1206
00:54:57,403 --> 00:54:58,443
(ENGINES ROARING)
1207
00:55:03,083 --> 00:55:05,923
They were so close to touching
in what I would call
1208
00:55:05,963 --> 00:55:09,043
a pretty hairy overtake,
but classic Nigel Mansell.
1209
00:55:09,083 --> 00:55:12,443
He was a bruiser and would
do anything to succeed,
1210
00:55:12,483 --> 00:55:14,403
but Nelson gave him
no room whatsoever.
1211
00:55:14,443 --> 00:55:17,563
It was one of the best overtakes
'cause that was on your teammate
1212
00:55:17,603 --> 00:55:19,203
in the same car.
1213
00:55:19,243 --> 00:55:21,923
And Williams did give both
drivers the same equipment.
1214
00:55:21,963 --> 00:55:24,003
They never messed
around like that.
1215
00:55:25,323 --> 00:55:29,123
I think that was actually the first
proper track invasion we'd seen.
1216
00:55:29,163 --> 00:55:32,323
It was also the start,
I think, of Mansell Mania.
1217
00:55:32,363 --> 00:55:34,043
If you're gonna have a home race,
1218
00:55:34,083 --> 00:55:36,043
that's the closest you
can get to Birmingham.
1219
00:55:36,083 --> 00:55:38,323
So Silverstone is Nigel's backyard.
1220
00:55:38,363 --> 00:55:39,923
(CHEERING)
1221
00:55:39,963 --> 00:55:42,403
There were suddenly people
coming to the races
1222
00:55:42,443 --> 00:55:44,923
that weren't necessarily
Formula One fans.
1223
00:55:44,963 --> 00:55:48,003
They were Mansell fans.
They wanted their man Nigel.
1224
00:55:48,043 --> 00:55:50,203
There was a worry, I think,
in the sport that Nigel
1225
00:55:50,243 --> 00:55:52,803
was sort of attracting the wrong
sort of fans. (CHUCKLES)
1226
00:55:52,843 --> 00:55:55,883
We were worried about getting
football hooligans, I think.
1227
00:55:55,923 --> 00:55:58,203
People like an underdog,
people like somebody
1228
00:55:58,243 --> 00:56:01,123
who's dogged and determined.
I mean, the Bulldog spirit.
1229
00:56:01,163 --> 00:56:04,123
People were able to get behind the
team and really felt part of it.
1230
00:56:04,163 --> 00:56:05,883
And when he won,
it felt like they'd won.
1231
00:56:05,923 --> 00:56:07,883
They could see that Nigel
was a real person,
1232
00:56:07,923 --> 00:56:10,923
that he had had a life before
he became a Grand Prix driver.
1233
00:56:10,963 --> 00:56:12,923
He wasn't the product
of some academy
1234
00:56:12,963 --> 00:56:15,083
that had taken him from
karting straight through,
1235
00:56:15,123 --> 00:56:17,603
seamlessly into Formula One
without ever having to do
1236
00:56:17,643 --> 00:56:20,403
a day's work in his life
or get his hands dirty.
1237
00:56:20,443 --> 00:56:21,883
He was one of them, really.
1238
00:56:21,923 --> 00:56:24,043
The Red 5 symbol with Nigel
1239
00:56:24,083 --> 00:56:25,683
became a big marketing thing
1240
00:56:25,723 --> 00:56:28,363
and everyone knew Nigel
as "Oh, Red 5, Red 5."
1241
00:56:28,403 --> 00:56:30,563
I think it's also because
of his look.
1242
00:56:30,603 --> 00:56:33,443
You know, the bushy eyebrows,
the big moustache.
1243
00:56:33,483 --> 00:56:35,603
He definitely had a look.
1244
00:56:35,643 --> 00:56:37,163
(LAUGHS)
1245
00:56:37,203 --> 00:56:39,963
Nelson wasn't happy. (CHUCKLES)
1246
00:56:40,003 --> 00:56:41,883
As you can imagine,
1247
00:56:41,923 --> 00:56:43,203
But the fans were.
1248
00:56:43,243 --> 00:56:44,643
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
1249
00:56:44,683 --> 00:56:47,483
They absolutely electrified
the Silverstone crowd
1250
00:56:47,523 --> 00:56:51,363
and left them all believing that,
"Yeah, our Nigel's the man."
1251
00:56:51,403 --> 00:56:53,963
He's turned the corner and, you
know, the rest of the championship
1252
00:56:54,003 --> 00:56:55,603
is surely gonna be his.
1253
00:56:55,643 --> 00:56:58,243
It looked like it was gonna go down
to the wire again in '87.
1254
00:56:58,283 --> 00:56:59,723
Nigel was in a good place.
1255
00:56:59,763 --> 00:57:02,683
It was well set up and it was
gonna be pretty close for sure.
1256
00:57:02,723 --> 00:57:04,443
Came down to the last two races,
1257
00:57:04,483 --> 00:57:06,923
Piquet leading the
championship charge.
1258
00:57:06,963 --> 00:57:10,003
But Nigel Mansell was still in touch
with those two races left,
1259
00:57:10,043 --> 00:57:12,843
first of which was the
Japanese Grand Prix.
1260
00:57:12,883 --> 00:57:15,563
Suzuka, 1987.
1261
00:57:17,123 --> 00:57:21,723
Nelson went out and did an
amazing time in qualifying
1262
00:57:21,763 --> 00:57:24,043
and put in a great lap.
1263
00:57:24,083 --> 00:57:26,963
The moment Nigel saw that time
1264
00:57:27,003 --> 00:57:28,963
that Nelson put in,
1265
00:57:29,003 --> 00:57:30,723
that was game on.
1266
00:57:30,763 --> 00:57:33,523
And off Nigel went to match him.
1267
00:57:35,163 --> 00:57:36,643
I probably...
1268
00:57:38,963 --> 00:57:41,403
I thought I could get
around that corner
1269
00:57:41,443 --> 00:57:43,323
just that little bit quicker
1270
00:57:43,363 --> 00:57:45,523
and will just go on the curb
that little bit.
1271
00:57:47,803 --> 00:57:48,803
(CAR SMASHES)
1272
00:57:57,483 --> 00:58:00,803
I remember the shock up my spine
1273
00:58:00,843 --> 00:58:04,643
and it stopped me breathing
for a minute or so.
1274
00:58:04,683 --> 00:58:07,083
I couldn't breathe,
I was just paralysed.
1275
00:58:07,123 --> 00:58:09,043
It crushed my lower back.
1276
00:58:10,083 --> 00:58:12,523
Spinal concussion, they call it.
1277
00:58:13,883 --> 00:58:15,963
He was in so much agony.
1278
00:58:16,003 --> 00:58:19,803
It was pretty obvious that Nigel
was not gonna race the next day.
1279
00:58:19,843 --> 00:58:22,403
So, obviously, that had
handed the championship
1280
00:58:22,443 --> 00:58:25,003
to Nelson there and then.
1281
00:58:25,043 --> 00:58:27,563
He went off by helicopter
and that was effectively
1282
00:58:27,603 --> 00:58:30,323
the championship over
and it gave it to Nelson.
1283
00:58:30,363 --> 00:58:33,603
You know, there was no
roistering celebrating.
1284
00:58:33,643 --> 00:58:36,283
Nelson didn't do that, nobody did
that because he got the championship
1285
00:58:36,323 --> 00:58:38,323
but not the way anybody
wanted it to end.
1286
00:58:38,363 --> 00:58:40,163
It was an anti-climax.
1287
00:58:40,203 --> 00:58:41,203
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
1288
00:58:45,043 --> 00:58:47,203
We still won the
constructors' championship.
1289
00:58:47,243 --> 00:58:49,523
It was a bit of a mixed emotion.
1290
00:58:49,563 --> 00:58:52,963
I was beginning to wonder
whether Nigel was jinxed,
1291
00:58:53,003 --> 00:58:54,363
shall we say.
1292
00:58:54,403 --> 00:58:56,643
And once again, the chorus started -
1293
00:58:56,683 --> 00:58:58,763
it ain't gonna happen for Nigel.
1294
00:58:58,803 --> 00:59:00,843
You know, I watched a
couple of people dying
1295
00:59:00,883 --> 00:59:03,923
in intensive care over
the time I was there,
1296
00:59:03,963 --> 00:59:06,723
and then I thought, in all
honesty, I'll never race again.
1297
00:59:06,763 --> 00:59:09,443
When you hurt so badly and you think
you're never gonna walk again,
1298
00:59:09,483 --> 00:59:10,923
it doesn't really matter.
1299
00:59:10,963 --> 00:59:12,923
My focus wasn't about racing then.
1300
00:59:12,963 --> 00:59:14,923
It was about, you know,
1301
00:59:14,963 --> 00:59:17,243
having my children climb on the bed
1302
00:59:17,283 --> 00:59:20,403
and don't understand why
dad can't come outta bed.
1303
00:59:20,443 --> 00:59:22,563
I think the race was about November
1304
00:59:22,603 --> 00:59:25,643
and my leg feelings and my
legs never came back till...
1305
00:59:25,683 --> 00:59:28,443
started to come back in
January, February, I think.
1306
00:59:28,483 --> 00:59:31,563
The end of 1987 was
pretty awful for Nigel.
1307
00:59:31,603 --> 00:59:34,683
He was lying in a Japanese
hospital with a broken back.
1308
00:59:34,723 --> 00:59:36,923
He'd lost the world
championship to Nelson,
1309
00:59:36,963 --> 00:59:39,883
and then Piquet had taken
the Honda engines with him
1310
00:59:39,923 --> 00:59:41,923
and left Williams for Lotus.
1311
00:59:42,803 --> 00:59:43,803
(CLICKING)
1312
00:59:45,043 --> 00:59:47,763
NARRATOR: These are the FW11s,
which took the team
1313
00:59:47,803 --> 00:59:51,603
and their sponsors
to absolute victory in 1987.
1314
00:59:51,643 --> 00:59:56,003
The problem is these $10 million
technological masterpieces
1315
00:59:56,043 --> 01:00:00,043
are antiques, more useless
than a pre-war Mercedes
1316
01:00:00,083 --> 01:00:03,763
because Honda won't even let
Williams keep last year's engines.
1317
01:00:03,803 --> 01:00:06,763
Williams were back in the pack
for the 1988 season
1318
01:00:06,803 --> 01:00:09,123
and seemed to underline
even more the fact
1319
01:00:09,163 --> 01:00:12,003
that Nigel's big chance had gone.
1320
01:00:12,963 --> 01:00:15,883
Nigel Mansell is leaving the
Williams team for Ferrari next year
1321
01:00:15,923 --> 01:00:19,883
in a deal rumoured to be worth
around £4 million to Mansell.
1322
01:00:19,923 --> 01:00:22,043
Nigel was the last driver
1323
01:00:22,083 --> 01:00:24,483
to be personally signed
by Enzo Ferrari,
1324
01:00:24,523 --> 01:00:26,363
and that's quite
a significant thing.
1325
01:00:26,403 --> 01:00:28,323
It's something Nigel himself
is very proud of.
1326
01:00:28,363 --> 01:00:31,043
"The prophet is never recognised in
his own country" is a phrase.
1327
01:00:31,083 --> 01:00:33,843
Interesting phrase, isn't it?
When he went and raced for Ferrari,
1328
01:00:33,883 --> 01:00:36,203
they just saw what he
did in a racing car
1329
01:00:36,243 --> 01:00:38,603
and what he did in a
racing car gave him
1330
01:00:38,643 --> 01:00:40,523
the name "Il Leone."
1331
01:00:40,563 --> 01:00:42,923
And that's the way to
look at Nigel Mansell.
1332
01:00:42,963 --> 01:00:45,363
He was a lion in a car.
1333
01:00:45,403 --> 01:00:48,363
He delivered some decent
results for them
1334
01:00:48,403 --> 01:00:50,563
and then came all the
political machinations
1335
01:00:50,603 --> 01:00:52,043
that proved his undoing.
1336
01:00:52,083 --> 01:00:55,203
Prost fell out with Senna at McLaren
and needed to get out of there.
1337
01:00:55,243 --> 01:00:57,483
Ferrari had the opportunity
to bring him in.
1338
01:00:57,523 --> 01:00:59,963
And even though Nigel had been
there longer than Prost,
1339
01:01:00,003 --> 01:01:03,323
Prost very quickly worked out which
were the levers you needed to pull.
1340
01:01:03,363 --> 01:01:05,443
And that situation, of course,
all came to a head
1341
01:01:05,483 --> 01:01:07,483
at the British Grand Prix.
1342
01:01:07,523 --> 01:01:09,483
I got there and I got in my car
1343
01:01:09,523 --> 01:01:12,563
because we had qualifying
cars and race cars.
1344
01:01:12,603 --> 01:01:15,123
And I sat in the car and I got in.
1345
01:01:15,163 --> 01:01:17,403
It's just like putting a pair
of pants and your trousers on.
1346
01:01:17,443 --> 01:01:18,803
It didn't fit properly.
1347
01:01:18,843 --> 01:01:21,123
This is not my car.
What the hell's going on?
1348
01:01:21,163 --> 01:01:23,963
So I went to the team manager,
I said, "Look, you know,
1349
01:01:24,003 --> 01:01:25,923
you swapped cars on me.
What the hell's going on?"
1350
01:01:25,963 --> 01:01:27,603
They had to admit that they...
1351
01:01:27,643 --> 01:01:30,283
Alain said, "I wanted
Nigel's qualifying car
1352
01:01:30,323 --> 01:01:32,803
because of that qualifier the
week before everything else."
1353
01:01:32,843 --> 01:01:35,603
If they'd just told me the truth,
I wouldn't have got upset.
1354
01:01:35,643 --> 01:01:38,403
But they didn't.
I had to squeeze it out of them.
1355
01:01:38,443 --> 01:01:40,763
So we went out and
I qualified in his car,
1356
01:01:40,803 --> 01:01:42,763
got pole position and I said,
1357
01:01:42,803 --> 01:01:44,763
"Which car are you gonna
have for the race now?"
1358
01:01:44,803 --> 01:01:47,243
Nigel took pole position,
he was leading the race,
1359
01:01:47,283 --> 01:01:50,163
but once again
his Ferrari broke down
1360
01:01:50,203 --> 01:01:52,243
and his teammate went on to win.
1361
01:01:52,283 --> 01:01:56,123
And so in front of the crowd,
he throws his gloves.
1362
01:01:56,163 --> 01:01:58,723
The wind went out of my sails.
1363
01:01:58,763 --> 01:02:00,803
And I knew when I threw my balaclava
1364
01:02:00,843 --> 01:02:03,523
and I knew when I threw my
gloves over the copse corner
1365
01:02:03,563 --> 01:02:06,283
and I was almost gonna throw
my helmets, as well.
1366
01:02:06,323 --> 01:02:07,363
(SIGHS)
1367
01:02:07,403 --> 01:02:11,363
All that commitment, all the focus
and everything else just went...
1368
01:02:12,523 --> 01:02:14,843
And I said, "I'm done."
1369
01:02:14,883 --> 01:02:16,283
It does make me very sad,
1370
01:02:16,323 --> 01:02:20,363
but I'm announcing
my retirement today.
1371
01:02:20,403 --> 01:02:22,283
And retired, and that was it.
1372
01:02:22,323 --> 01:02:23,883
And he was off.
1373
01:02:23,923 --> 01:02:26,603
You know, people in shock.
I think we all were.
1374
01:02:26,643 --> 01:02:29,123
And the race was still going on
behind and we were all thinking,
1375
01:02:29,163 --> 01:02:30,683
"What on earth is going on?"
1376
01:02:30,723 --> 01:02:34,123
I think a fair amount of the press
took it all with a pinch of salt.
1377
01:02:34,163 --> 01:02:36,643
And, you know,
"This is Nigel. This is Nigel."
1378
01:02:37,643 --> 01:02:40,203
My commitment was to my family.
1379
01:02:41,763 --> 01:02:44,723
The years I was away from
my family and my wife was...
1380
01:02:44,763 --> 01:02:45,843
it was tough.
1381
01:02:45,883 --> 01:02:49,363
There's so many incredible
moments in my career
1382
01:02:49,403 --> 01:02:51,843
with Lotus and Williams and Ferrari
1383
01:02:51,883 --> 01:02:54,323
and a number of people
I loved had died.
1384
01:02:54,363 --> 01:02:56,363
My teammates had died.
1385
01:02:56,403 --> 01:02:58,843
I've been close, then,
1386
01:02:58,883 --> 01:03:01,643
obviously a couple of times.
1387
01:03:01,683 --> 01:03:03,803
I'll get out and get a life.
1388
01:03:03,843 --> 01:03:05,763
I've got a long life ahead of me.
1389
01:03:05,803 --> 01:03:08,043
I'm still alive,
I'm still breathing.
1390
01:03:09,123 --> 01:03:11,403
I was the happiest
I could have been.
1391
01:03:11,443 --> 01:03:14,123
I think it was about six weeks
or so. It was really good.
1392
01:03:14,163 --> 01:03:16,803
I was planning my golf and
I was planning fishing.
1393
01:03:16,843 --> 01:03:18,843
We were really, really,
really in a good place.
1394
01:03:18,883 --> 01:03:20,043
It was great.
1395
01:03:20,083 --> 01:03:21,603
And then...
1396
01:03:21,643 --> 01:03:23,843
of course, Prost and Senna,
1397
01:03:23,883 --> 01:03:26,123
they're supposed to be
driving for Williams
1398
01:03:26,163 --> 01:03:28,003
for '91 and '92.
1399
01:03:28,043 --> 01:03:29,803
They obviously did their homework
1400
01:03:29,843 --> 01:03:32,283
and saw that the Williams
wasn't gonna be the world beater
1401
01:03:32,323 --> 01:03:35,043
that they thought it was gonna be
and neither one of them
1402
01:03:35,083 --> 01:03:36,803
wanted to drive for him.
1403
01:03:36,843 --> 01:03:39,643
And there was no number
one drivers around.
1404
01:03:39,683 --> 01:03:41,323
Sheridan popped up, he said,
1405
01:03:41,363 --> 01:03:43,403
"We'd like you to be the
lead driver for Williams."
1406
01:03:43,443 --> 01:03:46,043
And, of course, then ultimately,
1407
01:03:46,083 --> 01:03:49,203
Roseanne and I decided that
I perhaps wouldn't be able
1408
01:03:49,243 --> 01:03:52,083
to live with myself
if I didn't give it a go.
1409
01:03:52,123 --> 01:03:55,283
And one of the journalists
suddenly came up to me and said,
1410
01:03:55,323 --> 01:03:57,083
"I've just had my office
on the phone.
1411
01:03:57,123 --> 01:03:58,963
They've just said that they've heard
1412
01:03:59,003 --> 01:04:00,923
Nigel's coming back to Williams."
1413
01:04:00,963 --> 01:04:02,843
I said, "Well, but he retired."
1414
01:04:02,883 --> 01:04:04,803
"Well, he is unretiring."
1415
01:04:04,843 --> 01:04:07,043
The sport couldn't afford
to lose him
1416
01:04:07,083 --> 01:04:09,203
and thankfully Formula One
1417
01:04:09,243 --> 01:04:11,403
managed to hang on to Nigel Mansell.
1418
01:04:17,368 --> 01:04:21,043
ANNOUNCER: Welcome to the
Goodwood Festival of Speed,
1419
01:04:21,083 --> 01:04:24,923
the world's greatest
celebration of motor sport.
1420
01:04:24,963 --> 01:04:27,963
Undoubtedly one
highlight of the weekend
1421
01:04:28,003 --> 01:04:30,083
will be Nigel Mansell
1422
01:04:30,123 --> 01:04:34,163
being reunited with the
Mighty Williams FW14B.
1423
01:04:34,203 --> 01:04:36,803
Red 5 is back.
1424
01:04:38,603 --> 01:04:41,443
FW14B Car 11 is so special
1425
01:04:41,483 --> 01:04:44,763
because it was only Nigel Mansell
that drove that particular car.
1426
01:04:44,803 --> 01:04:46,523
And also to Williams fans,
1427
01:04:46,563 --> 01:04:50,003
it really is the absolute pinnacle
of what we can do as a team.
1428
01:04:50,043 --> 01:04:52,523
Today we are prepping the car.
1429
01:04:52,563 --> 01:04:54,123
We're gonna meet Nigel Mansell.
1430
01:04:54,163 --> 01:04:59,123
He's gonna sit in this car
for the first time since 1992.
1431
01:04:59,163 --> 01:05:01,523
Make sure that we're happy
with how he fits in the car
1432
01:05:01,563 --> 01:05:03,603
for the big moment on Sunday.
1433
01:05:03,643 --> 01:05:06,963
To bring such a driver as him
and the car together,
1434
01:05:07,003 --> 01:05:09,203
it's a really big moment,
not just myself,
1435
01:05:09,243 --> 01:05:10,803
but for the whole crew.
1436
01:05:13,523 --> 01:05:14,683
(CLICKING)
1437
01:05:15,683 --> 01:05:18,043
NARRATOR: Eight months on from
his emotional retirement,
1438
01:05:18,083 --> 01:05:20,123
Mansell was back at
Silverstone today
1439
01:05:20,163 --> 01:05:22,283
with a team he can trust
and a new car
1440
01:05:22,323 --> 01:05:24,683
produced by the organisation
that so nearly brought him
1441
01:05:24,723 --> 01:05:26,923
world championships
in '86 and '87.
1442
01:05:26,963 --> 01:05:30,043
Nigel was back in normality again,
1443
01:05:30,083 --> 01:05:32,083
this time with a teammate
1444
01:05:32,123 --> 01:05:34,083
with which he could
feel comfortable.
1445
01:05:34,123 --> 01:05:37,803
Finally he got Ricardo and that
coincided with a whole new era
1446
01:05:37,843 --> 01:05:40,643
for Williams with Patrick Head
working with
1447
01:05:40,683 --> 01:05:44,563
this amazing boy hero, Adrian Newey.
1448
01:05:44,603 --> 01:05:46,843
He didn't come in with
any real fanfare.
1449
01:05:46,883 --> 01:05:48,763
He basically just appeared.
1450
01:05:48,803 --> 01:05:50,803
Even then, back then, you know,
1451
01:05:50,843 --> 01:05:53,843
you could tell straight away he
was a very special individual.
1452
01:05:53,883 --> 01:05:55,683
He didn't always need a wind tunnel.
1453
01:05:55,723 --> 01:05:57,963
He could look at a car
and see which way the air
1454
01:05:58,003 --> 01:05:59,683
was actually flowing over it.
1455
01:05:59,723 --> 01:06:02,843
Using the cockpit as an aerodynamic
device was a completely...
1456
01:06:02,883 --> 01:06:06,683
a massive departure from the
old boxy-looking Williams.
1457
01:06:06,723 --> 01:06:08,963
They'd also had Renault
engines and Renault engines
1458
01:06:09,003 --> 01:06:11,283
were coming strong
and they were going places.
1459
01:06:11,323 --> 01:06:14,603
So '91 season was all
about Senna versus Mansell.
1460
01:06:14,643 --> 01:06:17,203
You talk about iconic
moments in motor sport,
1461
01:06:17,243 --> 01:06:20,123
but that shot down the straight
where Senna and Mansell
1462
01:06:20,163 --> 01:06:22,483
were defying each
other to back off.
1463
01:06:22,523 --> 01:06:24,123
Wonderful Formula One.
1464
01:06:24,163 --> 01:06:26,403
I think it took me a little
bit of time to realise
1465
01:06:26,443 --> 01:06:29,643
just how ruthless Ayrton was.
1466
01:06:29,683 --> 01:06:32,483
I mean, he actually planned how
to knock people off the circuit
1467
01:06:32,523 --> 01:06:35,683
a number of times and I was a
recipient of that a few times.
1468
01:06:35,723 --> 01:06:37,603
In the early days,
Senna was a bit wild.
1469
01:06:37,643 --> 01:06:39,523
He didn't mind taking
people off the racetrack.
1470
01:06:39,563 --> 01:06:42,483
Nigel famously once pinned him
against the wall by his throat
1471
01:06:42,523 --> 01:06:45,123
and said, "If you ever do that
again, I'll knock your block off."
1472
01:06:45,163 --> 01:06:48,283
We had a hell of a punch up
at the Spa Grand Prix
1473
01:06:48,323 --> 01:06:49,723
and we both went off.
1474
01:06:49,763 --> 01:06:52,363
He says, "You're absolutely crazy,
aren't you?" And I said, "No."
1475
01:06:52,403 --> 01:06:55,043
I said, "I'm not crazy."
I said, "But I've had enough of you.
1476
01:06:55,083 --> 01:06:58,283
I'm not gonna let you intimidate
me and take me off anymore.
1477
01:06:58,323 --> 01:07:02,163
And if you're gonna try and kill me,
I'm telling you now, I'll kill you.
1478
01:07:02,203 --> 01:07:03,963
We're either gonna die together
1479
01:07:04,003 --> 01:07:05,963
or there's gonna be
a healthy respect."
1480
01:07:06,003 --> 01:07:08,123
And from that second on,
1481
01:07:08,163 --> 01:07:11,483
and I would say there was
a far greater understanding
1482
01:07:11,523 --> 01:07:12,523
between us.
1483
01:07:12,563 --> 01:07:14,923
Yeah, we got on a lot better then.
1484
01:07:14,963 --> 01:07:16,163
(BRIGHT PIANO MUSIC)
1485
01:07:18,083 --> 01:07:20,163
And then, of course,
we get to Silverstone
1486
01:07:20,203 --> 01:07:22,763
and, of course, Nigel is gonna
do it again for the crowd.
1487
01:07:22,803 --> 01:07:25,723
This time the crowd come
pouring onto the circuit
1488
01:07:25,763 --> 01:07:27,683
and he picked up Ayrton Senna
1489
01:07:27,723 --> 01:07:30,003
and a wonderful gesture to give
him a lift back to the pits.
1490
01:07:30,043 --> 01:07:31,403
He got criticised for that.
1491
01:07:31,443 --> 01:07:33,963
All Ayrton was doing
was reading the data
1492
01:07:34,003 --> 01:07:37,723
from his steering wheel
to report back to the team
1493
01:07:37,763 --> 01:07:39,523
and what he'd seen
on the Williams.
1494
01:07:39,563 --> 01:07:42,563
So Nigel's nice act
backfired a little bit.
1495
01:07:42,603 --> 01:07:44,483
After the Silverstone heroics.
1496
01:07:44,523 --> 01:07:47,163
Well, Nigel was in firm contention
1497
01:07:47,203 --> 01:07:49,683
until, of course,
that awful moment in Portugal.
1498
01:07:49,723 --> 01:07:51,163
The scenario couldn't be better.
1499
01:07:51,203 --> 01:07:52,843
He's in control of the Grand Prix
1500
01:07:52,883 --> 01:07:54,683
and it looks like it's gonna be
a big point swing
1501
01:07:54,723 --> 01:07:55,963
because Senna is further back.
1502
01:07:56,003 --> 01:07:58,043
It was all set up perfectly
for Nigel.
1503
01:07:59,803 --> 01:08:02,163
The car came in,
the gun went in,
1504
01:08:02,203 --> 01:08:04,563
took the nut out,
wheel came off,
1505
01:08:04,603 --> 01:08:07,843
put the nut on.
It got cross-threaded
1506
01:08:07,883 --> 01:08:09,563
and what he did was
pull the gun out
1507
01:08:09,603 --> 01:08:11,963
and when the guy on the rear
jack saw the gun come out,
1508
01:08:12,003 --> 01:08:13,843
he thought,
"Oh, that wheel's clear."
1509
01:08:13,883 --> 01:08:15,563
And that was the problem.
1510
01:08:15,603 --> 01:08:16,603
(ENGINE ROARING)
1511
01:08:19,603 --> 01:08:21,923
I think I remember
Patrick Head saying,
1512
01:08:21,963 --> 01:08:23,883
"Operationally, (CHUCKLES)
1513
01:08:23,923 --> 01:08:25,883
I think we could have done better,
1514
01:08:25,923 --> 01:08:28,683
like putting four wheels on
instead of just three."
1515
01:08:28,723 --> 01:08:32,402
The media were onto us wanting
to know whose fault it was.
1516
01:08:32,442 --> 01:08:34,322
And I'll give Nigel his due.
1517
01:08:34,362 --> 01:08:36,923
He never once blamed anybody.
1518
01:08:36,963 --> 01:08:40,362
He said, you know, "We win as
a team and we lose as a team."
1519
01:08:40,402 --> 01:08:43,083
The world title challenge
completely disappeared.
1520
01:08:43,123 --> 01:08:46,123
For a third time he was runner up
1521
01:08:46,163 --> 01:08:48,243
in the Formula One
world championship.
1522
01:08:48,283 --> 01:08:51,243
But things were only about to get
a bit worse in Adelaide.
1523
01:08:51,283 --> 01:08:52,963
We were racing in a monsoon.
1524
01:08:53,003 --> 01:08:55,482
There was something like seven,
eight, maybe even nine cars
1525
01:08:55,522 --> 01:08:58,163
crashed out already and I
was racing tooth and nail,
1526
01:08:58,203 --> 01:08:59,923
guess with who? Ayrton.
1527
01:08:59,963 --> 01:09:02,203
And I just aquaplaned
straight off,
1528
01:09:02,243 --> 01:09:04,163
straight into a solid concrete wall
1529
01:09:04,203 --> 01:09:06,763
and I felt my foot break
as soon as I hit the wall.
1530
01:09:06,803 --> 01:09:09,402
It wasn't really obvious at
the time how serious it was,
1531
01:09:09,442 --> 01:09:12,362
but as time went on, it became
clear this was a much more serious
1532
01:09:12,402 --> 01:09:14,322
situation than it had first looked.
1533
01:09:14,362 --> 01:09:17,283
My surgeon said,
"Your foot splinted."
1534
01:09:17,322 --> 01:09:19,723
He said, "We've gotta get the chisel
1535
01:09:19,763 --> 01:09:23,003
and hit it with a hammer
and get the bone spurs off
1536
01:09:23,043 --> 01:09:24,243
which were splintered."
1537
01:09:24,283 --> 01:09:26,603
And I said, "Look, I can't
have three months off."
1538
01:09:26,643 --> 01:09:28,963
I said,
"What's the worst case scenario?"
1539
01:09:29,003 --> 01:09:31,283
He said,
"Well, eventually the splinters
1540
01:09:31,322 --> 01:09:33,003
will come through the surface."
1541
01:09:33,043 --> 01:09:35,203
And he said,
"Then you can pull 'em out
1542
01:09:35,243 --> 01:09:37,243
but it'll be very, very painful."
1543
01:09:37,283 --> 01:09:39,083
And I said, "Well, I'll do that."
1544
01:09:39,123 --> 01:09:42,243
And when you have an injury, you
have to then go to the FAA doctor
1545
01:09:42,283 --> 01:09:44,603
and pass medicals.
I knew I wouldn't pass a medical
1546
01:09:44,643 --> 01:09:47,683
'cause if they examined it
and touched it, I'd pass out.
1547
01:09:47,723 --> 01:09:49,923
My thought process,
1548
01:09:49,963 --> 01:09:52,643
perhaps not the best, I admit,
1549
01:09:52,683 --> 01:09:55,043
was not tell anybody,
1550
01:09:55,083 --> 01:09:58,003
which is pretty tough
because I had a limp all year.
1551
01:09:58,043 --> 01:10:00,923
So '91 ends with Nigel second again
1552
01:10:00,963 --> 01:10:02,523
but there was a difference
this time.
1553
01:10:02,563 --> 01:10:04,483
There was a real optimism
within the team
1554
01:10:04,523 --> 01:10:06,123
and I think Nigel knew it, as well.
1555
01:10:06,163 --> 01:10:08,883
He just needed to make
sure that he was ready.
1556
01:10:08,923 --> 01:10:10,523
I was overdue.
1557
01:10:10,563 --> 01:10:13,283
I mean, the fans were overdue.
We were overdue.
1558
01:10:13,323 --> 01:10:15,523
I mean, come on, let's get it done.
1559
01:10:16,723 --> 01:10:18,163
(SOFT MUSIC)
1560
01:10:22,003 --> 01:10:23,283
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
1561
01:10:25,043 --> 01:10:27,163
How you doing? You all right?
You good?
1562
01:10:27,203 --> 01:10:29,203
Nigel, you all right?
1563
01:10:30,203 --> 01:10:32,243
All right, Nige?
Good to see you.
1564
01:10:32,283 --> 01:10:34,203
Might be racing this weekend.
Oh, yeah.
1565
01:10:36,203 --> 01:10:37,603
Oh, dear.
1566
01:10:37,643 --> 01:10:39,923
This is your original seat.
1567
01:10:39,963 --> 01:10:41,283
Good Lord.
1568
01:10:42,723 --> 01:10:45,083
Definitely got smaller.
You've got bigger.
1569
01:10:45,123 --> 01:10:46,123
(CHUCKLES)
1570
01:10:51,603 --> 01:10:54,403
Hey, Jay, this is the old crew.
1571
01:10:54,443 --> 01:10:56,763
We all go back a long way.
Yeah.
1572
01:10:56,803 --> 01:10:58,723
Remember how to drive it?
I don't know.
1573
01:10:58,763 --> 01:11:00,403
You have to teach me.
1574
01:11:02,643 --> 01:11:05,083
..zero, the engine will stop
1575
01:11:05,123 --> 01:11:07,323
and then just flick it back into P1.
OK, got it.
1576
01:11:07,363 --> 01:11:09,803
Just make sure you're in neutral,
yeah?Yeah. Got it.
1577
01:11:09,843 --> 01:11:12,203
When we start,
we put this one up immediately.
1578
01:11:12,243 --> 01:11:14,123
Yeah.
All right, and then we go,
1579
01:11:14,163 --> 01:11:16,483
we switch it off and then
put it back to one.
1580
01:11:16,523 --> 01:11:18,283
Perfect.
Perfect.
1581
01:11:18,323 --> 01:11:21,883
You don't remember?I remember,
yeah. I remember.(CHUCKLES)
1582
01:11:21,923 --> 01:11:25,803
The clutch is very hard, isn't it?
Hoo-hoo!
1583
01:11:25,843 --> 01:11:28,683
Amazingly enough,
the seat fits really nice.
1584
01:11:28,723 --> 01:11:30,083
It's comfortable.
1585
01:11:30,123 --> 01:11:33,723
The back of the spine is in
the seat, which is lovely,
1586
01:11:33,763 --> 01:11:35,723
and the headrest is not too bad.
1587
01:11:40,963 --> 01:11:44,163
I'll tell you,
coming back and sitting in it,
1588
01:11:44,203 --> 01:11:47,483
you actually realise
just how exposed we were.
1589
01:11:47,523 --> 01:11:51,203
I mean, when you think the
protection they've got now.
1590
01:11:51,243 --> 01:11:52,563
(SOFT MUSIC CONTINUES)
1591
01:11:54,523 --> 01:11:56,563
Everyone...
1592
01:11:56,603 --> 01:12:00,363
I just want to let you know how
really, really proud I am
1593
01:12:00,403 --> 01:12:02,643
to be here and drive the car.
1594
01:12:02,683 --> 01:12:04,003
It's fantastic.
1595
01:12:04,043 --> 01:12:06,123
All the memories are flooding back.
1596
01:12:17,043 --> 01:12:19,483
I remember this
position very well.
1597
01:12:19,523 --> 01:12:21,883
(MEN LAUGHING)
1598
01:12:21,923 --> 01:12:25,043
This will always be your car.
It's that time in history -
1599
01:12:25,083 --> 01:12:27,243
Memories in time, isn't it?
Yeah. Yeah.
1600
01:12:27,283 --> 01:12:30,883
I mean, to think it's 30 years ago
is staggering.I know. I know.
1601
01:12:32,803 --> 01:12:34,203
(ENGINE REVVING)
1602
01:12:40,403 --> 01:12:42,843
Can I take a picture of you?
Yes, please. Yeah.
1603
01:12:42,883 --> 01:12:45,363
Oh, I'm so blessed. Thank you.
1604
01:12:48,163 --> 01:12:49,683
Thank you.
1605
01:12:53,923 --> 01:12:56,003
As '91 went into '92,
1606
01:12:56,043 --> 01:12:58,483
Nigel knew he had
a real opportunity
1607
01:12:58,523 --> 01:13:00,323
to win the world championship.
1608
01:13:00,363 --> 01:13:03,483
You dreamt it for years and years,
you've tasted it.
1609
01:13:03,523 --> 01:13:05,523
I mean, I'm getting
goose pimply now.
1610
01:13:05,563 --> 01:13:07,923
How can you go goose pimply
30 years after?
1611
01:13:07,963 --> 01:13:09,803
It was almost like a Rocky movie.
1612
01:13:09,843 --> 01:13:12,803
I mean, he's 39 years of age,
he's almost 40.
1613
01:13:12,843 --> 01:13:15,403
He's got a broken foot
and he's going into the last year
1614
01:13:15,443 --> 01:13:16,483
of his contract.
1615
01:13:16,523 --> 01:13:18,763
There was very much this sense
that it's now or never,
1616
01:13:18,803 --> 01:13:19,843
it's make or break.
1617
01:13:19,883 --> 01:13:22,203
He was running outta years
so I think he knew
1618
01:13:22,243 --> 01:13:24,323
this probably was his
last shot at it.
1619
01:13:24,363 --> 01:13:27,443
I think they were very excited
and very confident about their car.
1620
01:13:27,483 --> 01:13:30,123
These days there's a new car
every season,
1621
01:13:30,163 --> 01:13:32,323
but it was such a good car.
I think they just felt that
1622
01:13:32,363 --> 01:13:34,803
they could develop some parts of it
and it would be better.
1623
01:13:34,843 --> 01:13:39,003
The FW14B is one of the top five
greatest cars of all time.
1624
01:13:39,043 --> 01:13:42,803
It had a new technological weapon
known as active ride.
1625
01:13:42,843 --> 01:13:45,763
They had gone through such an
exhaustive testing programme
1626
01:13:45,803 --> 01:13:49,243
in '91 with the likes of
Damon Hill and Mark Blundell
1627
01:13:49,283 --> 01:13:52,643
to make sure the car was
reliable for it in '92.
1628
01:13:52,683 --> 01:13:55,363
Nigel called me the test monkey.
I think something like that.
1629
01:13:55,403 --> 01:13:57,563
It just...
1630
01:13:57,603 --> 01:13:59,923
was a beast, basically.
1631
01:13:59,963 --> 01:14:01,883
It had a life of its own.
1632
01:14:01,923 --> 01:14:04,843
It used to just sit there in
the garage moving on its own,
1633
01:14:04,883 --> 01:14:06,523
up and down, side to side,
1634
01:14:06,563 --> 01:14:09,403
bleeding the air out of
its hydraulic systems.
1635
01:14:09,443 --> 01:14:12,163
What was so special about
the active ride suspension?
1636
01:14:12,203 --> 01:14:14,883
What it meant was that
the car would anticipate
1637
01:14:14,923 --> 01:14:16,403
the bumps in the road.
1638
01:14:16,443 --> 01:14:19,523
Look at one of those videos on
YouTube of holding a chicken's body
1639
01:14:19,563 --> 01:14:22,643
and tilting it like that
and yet the head stays exactly
1640
01:14:22,683 --> 01:14:24,843
in the same place.
That is active ride.
1641
01:14:24,883 --> 01:14:27,723
It's not to do with the suspension,
it's to do with the aerodynamics.
1642
01:14:27,763 --> 01:14:30,203
If you look at pictures
of the active car,
1643
01:14:30,243 --> 01:14:32,283
it looks like the
suspension's broken.
1644
01:14:32,323 --> 01:14:34,123
It looks like...
You can't see any air underneath it.
1645
01:14:34,163 --> 01:14:35,763
It is stuck to the ground.
1646
01:14:35,803 --> 01:14:38,723
If you can keep the car in a steady
state and keep it stable,
1647
01:14:38,763 --> 01:14:41,643
then those aerodynamics are always
operating at their top level.
1648
01:14:41,683 --> 01:14:43,843
It was only really made
possible by computers
1649
01:14:43,883 --> 01:14:46,323
and it meant that this
was the start of
1650
01:14:46,363 --> 01:14:48,483
really what we take
for granted today.
1651
01:14:48,523 --> 01:14:50,163
You know, they broke that ground.
1652
01:14:50,203 --> 01:14:53,323
Active suspension looks
great on paper.
1653
01:14:53,363 --> 01:14:55,723
Sometimes it does weird things.
1654
01:14:55,763 --> 01:14:58,483
Would start to shake a little bit
and then it'd get really violent
1655
01:14:58,523 --> 01:15:01,243
and you don't want that when
you're going 180 miles an hour.
1656
01:15:01,283 --> 01:15:05,403
So Nigel was understandably
sceptical about this.
1657
01:15:05,443 --> 01:15:07,323
The car, I would say,
1658
01:15:07,363 --> 01:15:10,163
is one of the most
dangerous cars to drive.
1659
01:15:10,203 --> 01:15:12,523
You had to anticipate
what it was gonna do,
1660
01:15:12,563 --> 01:15:15,283
trust that it wouldn't
completely fail you.
1661
01:15:15,323 --> 01:15:17,683
But if it did, you'd get hurt.
1662
01:15:17,723 --> 01:15:21,683
And it hadn't killed me,
so it'd be all right. (LAUGHS)
1663
01:15:21,723 --> 01:15:24,483
Subject to upsetting my wife
and the family and friends
1664
01:15:24,523 --> 01:15:27,163
and everything else,
I came first.
1665
01:15:27,203 --> 01:15:31,283
There was nothing that came
between me and doing my job.
1666
01:15:31,323 --> 01:15:33,843
Nigel took me to one side
and he said,
1667
01:15:33,883 --> 01:15:37,003
"Just make this car bulletproof
and we will clean up this season."
1668
01:15:37,043 --> 01:15:39,843
We basically then went off
to the first five races
1669
01:15:39,883 --> 01:15:42,843
and won the first five
races on the trot.
1670
01:15:42,883 --> 01:15:43,883
(CHEERING)
1671
01:15:45,323 --> 01:15:48,123
I think he found a groove
with that car.
1672
01:15:48,163 --> 01:15:50,883
You know, I think he found a setup
that really worked for him
1673
01:15:50,923 --> 01:15:53,323
and you can see it.
He was so confident in his driving.
1674
01:15:53,363 --> 01:15:55,723
It's a complete caricature
and a falsehood to say,
1675
01:15:55,763 --> 01:15:58,123
"Oh, this was a robot car
and all Mansell had to do
1676
01:15:58,163 --> 01:16:00,083
was just drive it
and he would win."
1677
01:16:00,123 --> 01:16:02,843
But Nigel was really in tune
with the physics of the car
1678
01:16:02,883 --> 01:16:04,523
and he loved the physics of the car.
1679
01:16:04,563 --> 01:16:07,323
There's something extra that
he was getting out of it.
1680
01:16:07,363 --> 01:16:10,243
I mean, he would wring it's neck.
1681
01:16:10,283 --> 01:16:12,163
I wanted things so bad
1682
01:16:12,203 --> 01:16:14,483
that I was prepared to
1683
01:16:14,523 --> 01:16:16,363
push it out there a little bit more.
1684
01:16:16,403 --> 01:16:19,643
Ayrton Senna, they were envious.
Everyone was envious because
1685
01:16:19,683 --> 01:16:22,043
who wouldn't want to be
in the sharp end?
1686
01:16:22,083 --> 01:16:25,243
I knew that everyone was
stacking up to take the drive.
1687
01:16:25,283 --> 01:16:27,843
I was willing to go into
every race and risk my life.
1688
01:16:27,883 --> 01:16:29,883
If I died, I died.
1689
01:16:29,923 --> 01:16:32,243
But the commitment
I had was absolute.
1690
01:16:32,283 --> 01:16:35,603
I mean, that's the only thing I can
say. The commitment was total.
1691
01:16:35,643 --> 01:16:38,803
We knew that the car could perform,
we knew Nigel could perform,
1692
01:16:38,843 --> 01:16:41,163
and we had a confidence that
1693
01:16:41,203 --> 01:16:43,763
neither was gonna let us down.
1694
01:16:43,803 --> 01:16:46,003
We could see the championship
coming towards us
1695
01:16:46,043 --> 01:16:48,563
and it was like,
we can't drop the ball this time,
1696
01:16:48,603 --> 01:16:49,923
we can't drop the ball.
1697
01:16:49,963 --> 01:16:53,843
ANNOUNCER: Finally, the moment
we have all been waiting for.
1698
01:16:53,883 --> 01:16:56,283
Today we are at Goodwood
Festival of Speed.
1699
01:16:56,323 --> 01:16:59,083
We're here with FW14B,
Nigel Mansell.
1700
01:16:59,123 --> 01:17:01,203
We can't wait to get onto
the hill this afternoon
1701
01:17:01,243 --> 01:17:03,483
and give them what
they've come for.
1702
01:17:03,523 --> 01:17:06,563
To see Nigel driving
the car again,
1703
01:17:06,603 --> 01:17:09,563
it's hard to imagine
what that means to us,
1704
01:17:09,603 --> 01:17:11,603
'cause I mean
these were heady times.
1705
01:17:11,643 --> 01:17:14,123
We were developing
the car week on week.
1706
01:17:14,163 --> 01:17:18,563
He drove it to the limit
and it was just spectacular.
1707
01:17:18,603 --> 01:17:20,003
'92 Was just a dream start
1708
01:17:20,043 --> 01:17:23,163
and you wonder when it was
gonna end, of course.
1709
01:17:23,203 --> 01:17:25,163
You knew something would
go wrong at some point.
1710
01:17:25,203 --> 01:17:28,083
Of course it was Monaco
and it was ridiculous.
1711
01:17:28,123 --> 01:17:30,963
Nigel, with this 30-second lead,
came into the pits
1712
01:17:31,003 --> 01:17:33,443
but came out behind Ayrton Senna
1713
01:17:33,483 --> 01:17:36,323
and he gave us six laps
of the most extraordinary
1714
01:17:36,363 --> 01:17:38,683
Formula One theatre
that you can imagine.
1715
01:17:38,723 --> 01:17:41,163
He was right on his gearbox,
but even for Nigel,
1716
01:17:41,203 --> 01:17:44,443
there wasn't gonna be
enough room to get past it.
1717
01:17:44,483 --> 01:17:46,963
He never won the Monaco
Grand Prix. It's crazy.
1718
01:17:47,003 --> 01:17:48,603
Yeah, what ifs.
1719
01:17:48,643 --> 01:17:50,683
Motorsport's littered with what ifs.
1720
01:17:50,723 --> 01:17:51,963
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
1721
01:17:56,603 --> 01:17:58,523
At the '92 British Grand Prix,
1722
01:17:58,563 --> 01:18:02,403
I think we saw machine and
Nigel Mansell as a driver
1723
01:18:02,443 --> 01:18:04,443
at its absolute zenith.
1724
01:18:04,483 --> 01:18:07,043
A bit special
and the crowd there, electric,
1725
01:18:07,083 --> 01:18:09,283
the place was.
You didn't need to watch the TV.
1726
01:18:09,323 --> 01:18:12,043
You could hear them just by the
crowd as to what was happening
1727
01:18:12,083 --> 01:18:13,883
and set the fastest ever lap.
1728
01:18:13,923 --> 01:18:17,283
Nigel was 2.7 seconds ahead
1729
01:18:17,323 --> 01:18:19,723
of the first non-Williams driven by
1730
01:18:19,763 --> 01:18:21,963
no lesser driver than Ayrton Senna.
1731
01:18:22,003 --> 01:18:26,083
When Nigel won in '92, it was his
fourth British Grand Prix win.
1732
01:18:26,123 --> 01:18:28,923
He was just the perfect guy
at the perfect time,
1733
01:18:28,963 --> 01:18:31,883
in the perfect car,
in the perfect team,
1734
01:18:31,923 --> 01:18:34,283
in front of a crowd
that was thirsty
1735
01:18:34,323 --> 01:18:37,683
and hungry for a British hero.
1736
01:18:41,403 --> 01:18:42,603
(ETHEREAL MUSIC)
1737
01:18:44,643 --> 01:18:47,683
And so we got to Hungary
and we went there
1738
01:18:47,723 --> 01:18:50,683
with a possibility of
clinching the championship.
1739
01:18:50,723 --> 01:18:52,883
It's amazing to think,
'cause even then
1740
01:18:52,923 --> 01:18:56,203
that was quite early in the
season to win a championship,
1741
01:18:56,243 --> 01:18:59,163
but that was the measure of
the dominance of the season.
1742
01:18:59,203 --> 01:19:01,683
Didn't sleep a wink
thinking, you know,
1743
01:19:01,723 --> 01:19:03,323
is it gonna happen, not happen?
1744
01:19:03,363 --> 01:19:05,843
Been there so many times before.
1745
01:19:05,883 --> 01:19:09,083
ANNOUNCER: Finally, the
moment we have all been
1746
01:19:09,123 --> 01:19:13,043
waiting for is upon us.
1747
01:19:13,083 --> 01:19:14,963
I'll talk you through it as we go.
1748
01:19:15,003 --> 01:19:18,683
Obviously it's been a while
for all of us. (LAUGHS)
1749
01:19:18,723 --> 01:19:22,003
We were all very cautious in terms
of what had happened
1750
01:19:22,043 --> 01:19:25,723
in seasons before, but seven race
victories coming up to Hungary.
1751
01:19:25,763 --> 01:19:28,563
A second place would
give him the title.
1752
01:19:28,603 --> 01:19:30,843
How could he possibly
lose it from there?
1753
01:19:35,843 --> 01:19:37,763
Are we all ready?
1754
01:19:39,083 --> 01:19:40,283
(ENGINE STARTS)
1755
01:19:46,243 --> 01:19:48,123
It went off sort of OK.
1756
01:19:48,163 --> 01:19:50,723
And I was second and... but then
1757
01:19:50,763 --> 01:19:52,763
same thing we had at Monaco again.
1758
01:19:52,803 --> 01:19:55,523
We had a problem with the rear
with a slow puncture.
1759
01:19:55,563 --> 01:19:57,643
They were screaming,
"Come in, come in,"
1760
01:19:57,683 --> 01:19:59,603
and it dropped me back to sixth.
1761
01:20:01,843 --> 01:20:04,523
Going out the pits with the mindset
with the new fresher boots on,
1762
01:20:04,563 --> 01:20:07,403
I said, "I gotta do
about ten qualifying laps
1763
01:20:07,443 --> 01:20:10,763
to get back as close
I could to third place."
1764
01:20:10,803 --> 01:20:13,803
I had to come second to
actually win the championship.
1765
01:20:13,843 --> 01:20:16,643
I pushed really, really hard.
1766
01:20:16,683 --> 01:20:19,883
ANNOUNCER: And he's away.
Oh, he's not hanging around.
1767
01:20:21,163 --> 01:20:25,003
This is a classic Mansell
and Williams display.
1768
01:20:28,683 --> 01:20:30,483
I'd have gone through anybody.
1769
01:20:30,523 --> 01:20:32,683
Nobody messed with me in '92.
1770
01:20:32,723 --> 01:20:33,723
Nobody.
1771
01:20:38,803 --> 01:20:40,883
ANNOUNCER: This is sensational.
1772
01:20:40,923 --> 01:20:43,683
Man and machine finally reunited,
1773
01:20:43,723 --> 01:20:47,563
sparking all those
memories of 1992.
1774
01:20:47,603 --> 01:20:49,083
(ENGINES REVVING)
1775
01:21:04,283 --> 01:21:07,723
One last blast across
the finish line.
1776
01:21:07,763 --> 01:21:10,003
What a fantastic sight.
1777
01:21:10,043 --> 01:21:12,643
You are about to see Nigel Mansell
1778
01:21:12,683 --> 01:21:15,523
become world champion of 1992,
1779
01:21:15,563 --> 01:21:17,323
and he's world champion.
1780
01:21:17,363 --> 01:21:18,643
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
1781
01:21:19,963 --> 01:21:21,683
(CROWD CHEERING)
1782
01:21:23,003 --> 01:21:27,043
I remember just thinking,
yeah, yeah.
1783
01:21:28,203 --> 01:21:29,523
The British superstar.
1784
01:21:29,563 --> 01:21:32,643
It made you proud to
get him to his...
1785
01:21:32,683 --> 01:21:34,323
basically his dream.
1786
01:21:34,363 --> 01:21:35,363
(CROWD CHEERING)
1787
01:21:45,843 --> 01:21:47,763
Ayrton was on the podium with me.
1788
01:21:47,803 --> 01:21:50,683
He turned to me and said, "Do you
understand why I'm like I am now?"
1789
01:21:50,723 --> 01:21:52,363
And I said, "Well, not really."
1790
01:21:52,403 --> 01:21:54,723
He said, "Well, how good's
the feeling?"
1791
01:21:56,523 --> 01:21:59,483
He said,
"That's why we're such bastards."
1792
01:21:59,523 --> 01:22:01,403
And I figured he's right.
1793
01:22:12,163 --> 01:22:13,763
(CROWD APPLAUDING)
1794
01:22:23,643 --> 01:22:25,603
(CROWD CHEERING)
1795
01:22:38,043 --> 01:22:40,163
I always knew he could do it
1796
01:22:40,203 --> 01:22:41,883
and I always knew he would do it,
1797
01:22:41,923 --> 01:22:45,243
and I'm lucky to have been
a part of that team
1798
01:22:45,283 --> 01:22:47,403
that enabled that to happen.
1799
01:22:47,443 --> 01:22:50,683
Massive round of applause
for the 1992 World champion,
1800
01:22:50,723 --> 01:22:52,123
Nigel Mansell.
1801
01:22:52,163 --> 01:22:53,563
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
1802
01:22:54,763 --> 01:22:56,883
He deserved two or three
championships.
1803
01:22:56,923 --> 01:23:00,043
They weren't to be,
but he deserved to be known
1804
01:23:00,083 --> 01:23:02,123
as Nigel Mansell, world champion.
1805
01:23:02,163 --> 01:23:03,683
Frank was happy, Patrick was happy.
1806
01:23:03,723 --> 01:23:06,523
I mean, not that Frank will
ever show his emotions,
1807
01:23:06,563 --> 01:23:07,723
but you could tell.
1808
01:23:07,763 --> 01:23:10,563
Nigel's performance in Formula One
1809
01:23:10,603 --> 01:23:12,643
drew audiences.
1810
01:23:12,683 --> 01:23:15,283
I think he should be regarded
as one of the greatest drivers
1811
01:23:15,323 --> 01:23:16,523
of all time.
1812
01:23:16,563 --> 01:23:17,803
(CROWD CHEERING)
1813
01:23:22,843 --> 01:23:24,843
INTERVIEWER: You think
Roseanne Mansell
1814
01:23:24,883 --> 01:23:27,123
will be pretty relieved
at this moment?
1815
01:23:27,163 --> 01:23:30,003
Yeah, I just can't
wait to see her.
1816
01:23:30,043 --> 01:23:33,683
I'm still with my best friend
through thick and thin,
1817
01:23:33,723 --> 01:23:35,483
which is my wife.
1818
01:23:35,523 --> 01:23:37,803
That is the thing
that I'm proudest of.
1819
01:23:37,843 --> 01:23:40,803
We're coming up to 48 years of
marriage, which is very special.
1820
01:23:40,843 --> 01:23:42,883
And when you look at the injuries
1821
01:23:42,923 --> 01:23:46,923
and some of the substantial injuries
that I've come back from...
1822
01:23:48,683 --> 01:23:51,443
..I can't take the credit for that.
1823
01:23:51,483 --> 01:23:53,883
There's only one person...
1824
01:23:55,683 --> 01:23:57,603
..who can take the credit
1825
01:23:57,643 --> 01:24:00,123
and that's my wife
to nurse me back.
1826
01:24:01,163 --> 01:24:04,243
I look back and go, how the heck
did I get through all that?
1827
01:24:04,283 --> 01:24:07,323
I have no idea how
I had the fortitude
1828
01:24:07,363 --> 01:24:10,523
and determination and even the...
1829
01:24:10,563 --> 01:24:12,403
oh, my goodness me,
1830
01:24:12,443 --> 01:24:15,443
the stubbornness to keep going,
1831
01:24:15,483 --> 01:24:16,883
but I did.
1832
01:24:18,483 --> 01:24:20,323
I don't like giving up.
1833
01:24:22,043 --> 01:24:23,163
(RHYTHMICAL MUSIC)
1834
01:25:18,043 --> 01:25:19,923
(ENGINE REVVING)
1835
01:25:39,923 --> 01:25:41,643
(CAR SCREAMING PAST)
1836
01:25:46,683 --> 01:25:49,403
You see how quick it went?
1837
01:25:53,083 --> 01:25:54,523
(LAUGHS)
1838
01:25:59,043 --> 01:26:00,963
Yeah, yeah.
(LAUGHS)
1839
01:26:02,443 --> 01:26:04,363
(CROWD CHEERING)
1840
01:26:13,283 --> 01:26:14,763
(UPBEAT MUSIC)
1841
01:26:22,723 --> 01:26:24,843
Oh, no.
1842
01:26:24,883 --> 01:26:26,643
No.
1843
01:26:26,683 --> 01:26:28,043
Sorry.
1844
01:26:28,083 --> 01:26:29,523
Elvis, Priscilla, come here.
1845
01:26:29,563 --> 01:26:31,443
Come on, come on.
1846
01:26:31,483 --> 01:26:32,923
(UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES)
1847
01:26:38,803 --> 01:26:41,083
Gonna change the engine
and gearbox for tomorrow
1848
01:26:41,123 --> 01:26:42,803
and a few other things, but...
1849
01:26:42,843 --> 01:26:44,403
(LAUGHTER)
1850
01:26:48,363 --> 01:26:51,083
How are you?This is my
favourite driver.(LAUGHS)
1851
01:26:51,123 --> 01:26:53,123
This one is my favourite.
1852
01:26:53,163 --> 01:26:55,003
(UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES)
1853
01:27:29,523 --> 01:27:31,643
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