Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell was one of the most exciting and accident-prone drivers in Formula 1 history. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, grew one of sport's most recognisable moustaches, and when he left F1 he simply crossed the Atlantic and won the IndyCar championship in his first season — something no one had ever done. He is also an extremely serious golfer.
6 Things You Might Not Know
When Mansell's troubled relationship with Williams came to a head and he left F1 after 1992, he signed with Newman Haas Racing in IndyCar. He won the 1993 CART championship in his very first season in the series, becoming the only driver in history to hold both the F1 World Championship and the CART title simultaneously. American fans adored him immediately; he was everything they wanted in a racing driver.
Golf has been Mansell's primary sporting passion since his racing career. He achieved a scratch handicap (the highest level of amateur play) and has spoken about golf with the same intensity he brought to racing. He has played in celebrity pro-am events with professional golfers and views the sport as a genuine competitive pursuit rather than a casual hobby.
Mansell relocated to the Isle of Man — a self-governing Crown dependency with its own tax system and famous for the TT motorcycle races — and has lived there for many years. He has spoken about the island as a genuinely beautiful place with a strong community, not just a tax arrangement. He is a prominent figure in Island life.
Mansell's walrus moustache was one of the most recognisable features in British sport during the 1980s and early 1990s. It appeared on merchandise, in caricatures, and in advertising. He has maintained variations of the moustache throughout his life and it remains as associated with his public image as his racing helmet. Whether it was a conscious choice or simply the thing that happened to his face has never been entirely clarified.
At the 1986 Australian Grand Prix, Mansell was on course to win the world championship when his rear left tyre exploded at 170mph on the main straight. He somehow kept the car under control and survived, but the championship went to Prost. The tyre blowout footage is still shown as one of the most dramatic moments in F1 history. Mansell has said he has never fully made his peace with what happened that day.
Mansell married Rosanne in 1975 and she was a constant presence throughout his F1 career, attending races and supporting him through the many dramatic highs and lows. He has spoken about their relationship as foundational to everything he achieved, and their three children were part of his public identity in a way unusual for the era.