The ‘Lion’ and the Horse
Ferrari’s two-year period Nigel Mansell – 1989-1990 – was not full of satisfactions, with the British driver failing to fight for the world championship. Three victories for the English ‘Lion’, all memorable in their own way: that of the debut in Jacarepaguà ’89 in which the Red team brought the semi-automatic gearbox into the race for the first time, that of Budapest ’89 with a sensational comeback from 12th place of the starting grid and finally that of Estoril ’90, where he squeezed teammate Alain Prost against the pit wall at the start.
Mansell’s thoughts on Newey
And precisely in that 1990 with Alain Prost at his side, Nigel Mansell came into contact with the politics of Maranelloin particular with the pressure made by the Frenchman on the management to have team orders in his favor.
Probably mindful of his experience, Mansell commented on Adrian Newey’s failure to join Ferrari as follows: “I think he was very wise to choose to go to Aston Martin, because then he won’t get involved in politics at Ferrari and by the outcry that his transfer there would have aroused.”
In the interview given to The Offshore SportsMansell continued: “I think Ferrari should lick their wounds, because they should have got him. When I learned that they were not willing to pay the salary he had requested, I thought it was a short-sighted choice on their part. Adrian could do something very special at Aston Martin and it could be his greatest success.”
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