Waiting for Hamilton
There Ferrari it is the only team in the history of Formula 1 to be present continuously from 1950 to today, i.e. from the year in which the first ever edition of the top international open-wheel series was held. Analyzing the roll of honor of this competition, many drivers who have won at least one world title appear to be English nationality, but only two of these crossed the most coveted finish line at the wheel of the Red. A phenomenon that reflects the low presence of British people in Maranello, with the Modena company preparing in the meantime to welcome Lewis Hamilton in 2025. A driver born in England that the Prancing Horse did not field for over thirty years.
In the times of 'Lion'
In fact, the last Englishman to compete in a GP with Ferrari was Nigel Mansell in 1990. The lion', hired the previous year after his four-year experience at Williams, he became Gerhard Berger's new teammate, taking over from Michele Alboreto. Author of positive performances alternating with more controversial ones, Mansell returned to Williams in 1991 after a complex season alongside Alain Prost, with whom an internal rivalry arose which did not help the Frenchman achieve his goal of the world championship. The biggest controversies erupted especially at the start of the Portuguese GP, when the then #2 pushed the 'Professor' towards the wall despite the latter starting from the front row, favoring the escape of Senna's McLaren.
The other Englishmen and the world champions
When Mansell arrived at Maranello in 1989, Ferrari presented an English driver for the first time since 1968. In that season Derek Bell he contested his second and last GP with the Red team, interrupting a presence of compatriots who had lasted since 1950 if it is excluded Jonathan Williamspresent only in the 1967 Mexican GP. The first overall driver of the Ferrari was Peter Whiteheadin a decade in which Enzo Ferrari also brought to the team Reg Parnell, Tony Brooks, Peter Collins and Cliff Allison.
What stood out the most, however, was Mike Hawthorn. In fact, he himself became world champion in 1958. Following him in the following decade was John Surteesthe only driver in the history of motorsport to become world champion in both the MotoGP and Formula 1. After joining Ferrari in 1963, Surtees won his only world championship in the Circus the following year. Finally, if we talk about British pilots, he cannot be forgotten Eddie Irvine, which arrived in Maranello more recently. Teammate of Michael Schumacher from 1996 to 1999 (the year in which he graduated vice-world champion), Irvine was however born in northern Ireland.
#Hamilton #Englishman #Ferrari #Mansell #FormulaPassion
