11 replies to this topic

[Gary C]

Is my memory playing REAL tricks with me, but the mention of the Brooklands radio programme has made me remember some photos I saw at the time (1992) of Nigel Mansell (maybe at the launch of the new car) running the FW16 (?, the WC car) at Brookalnds on the old track -- obviously only VERY slowly. Does anyone else remember this??

[bigears]

Aha, I have always wondered about that.

In the 1992 season video of Nigel's races and behind the scenes with Williams (can't remember the exact title of the video) There was some nice footage of his FW14 running around in a gloomy and wet day. I always thought it was Silverstone but the layout wasn't right so it could have been at Brooklands. I would have known about it with the commentary in the background but I am deaf so I don't understand what it was saying so all those years, I had no idea where the launch was shown!

So you could be right. I am sure someone else will clarify it.

[Gary C]

when I say 'running the car slowly' I mean LITERALLY two miles an hour!! Brooklands doesn't look like any other race track, so can't in any way be confused with anything modern.

[Eric McLoughlin]

I remember Mansell doing some posed shots in a pre-WW1 Renault at Brooklands, probably 1991 or 1992.

[JonC]

Originally posted by Eric McLoughlin
I remember Mansell doing some posed shots in a pre-WW1 Renault at Brooklands, probably 1991 or 1992.

Yes - it was 1992 and Mansell and his wife were in period costume in the historic Renault and the then-Williams test driver Damon Hill ran alongside in the FW14B.

[Gary C]

Excellent Jon! Any pics??

[King Nigel]

[petefenelon]

Splendid shot. Did Mansell complain that Szisz had a better car than him?;)

[BRG]

I don't remember this happening, but that certainly looks like Brooklands. Living close by Brooklands, I am surprised that I didn't hear about this from the local papers, as well as the specialist press - obviously Renault's PR people weren't firing on all cylinders that week!

For those not familiar with the place, it is on the old airfield runway, looking north. The banking is not visible in this shot but would be behind the trees in the far distance. (Well, actually the banking is pretty well all the way around but you know what I mean!)

[MrAerodynamicist]

Photos from when I visited Brooklans in late '02. Sorry about the small size, I must have been running out of space when I uploaded them.

http://members.aol.c...ead/brooklands/

[Eric McLoughlin]

The shots showing Nigel and the missus were taken on the banking from what I remember.

Edited - I just checked my copy of the Keith Sutton book "Nigel Mansell - The Complete Pictorial Record". Just after The Introduction there is a picture from the session at Brooklands. It shows Nigel and Rosanne sitting in the 1902 Renault alongside an FW14(?) at the bottom of a banked section of track. Apparently Renualt were celebrating a 90th Anniversary of some sort.

[nigel red5]

The Mansell Brooklands footage is in the 1992 Mansell diary video series (set of 3) for sure, and there may be a highlighted version of it in the "Mansell n Williams : 1992" video