A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Nigel Mansell was always known as a gentleman. Where, for example, his rival Ayrton Senna could get it on with Jan and the rest of the F1 drivers, the British former world champion was often civilised and modest. So it is not at all surprising that Mansell supports the FIA's clamp-down on the use of inappropriate language.
Virtually everyone in Formula 1 has had their say about it in recent days: the severe penalties drivers can expect if they verbally cross the line. Mansell thinks it is a good thing that, led by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, efforts are being made to tackle the use of inappropriate language.
Speaking in London - where the F1 75 event was later be held - Mansell said of the heavy fines and possible race bans for drivers who were in breach of the FIA's recently updated conduct guidelines: "In press conferences, there's no place for it at all, right? Absolutely correct. There's no place for it, and it's correct to close that down," the Brit stated to TalkSport.
'Then the FIA should condone swearing'
A driver who swears during a race and in conversation with his team, apparently, need not be penalised. At least Dan Ticktum, Formula E driver, walked away scot-free after an onboard radio rant to his team where expletives were thrown about every few seconds during a race in Jeddah. Mansell says he understands that, too.
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"In the heat of the moment, there might be an excuse. If you're racing at 200 miles an hour and someone's trying to kill you out there, that's understandable. And in the heat of the moment, you might look sideways a little bit," is therefore the former champion's appeal towards the FIA.
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen.
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