38 replies to this topic

[Gary C]

Here's a real quiz question. A friend of mine has just mentioned to me the time Nigel Mansell in an F1 Lotus (he thinks) raced a powerboat up a lake here in England. Obviosuly the car was on the road beside the lake. Now, I've never heard of this, does anyone else remember it? My friend seems to think it was sometime before 1985, before Mansell went to Williams.

[FEV]

I think I saw something about it in a GPI. But my GPIs are about 500 miles away from me actually so I can't check... I would say it was in 1982. If I remember well JPS sponsored a World Championship powerboat contender at the time which led to this promotional "race".

[Kpy]

I have an idea - but a very vague one, that the event came about as a result of not JPS but Essex Petroleum sponsorship of both F1 and offshore powerboats. Remember the, er, controversial David Thieme ? I also think the stunt was reported in an article in Autosport - over to you Roger Clark, if you have the time.

[FEV]

Yeah right it was Essex sponsorship not JPS. So that must have been 81.

[Chris Bloom]

I also remember the story in GPI and I only started buying GPI from Long Beach 1982 so I would definetely say it happened in 1982. I also seem to think it was a JPS sponsored promotion.

Unfortunatly my GPI's are 6000 miles away, thats if my Mum hasn't thrown them out!

Chris

[King Nigel]

Hi there !

It is my first time on the forum today and I was interested by this Nigel Mansell topic. I am possibly his greatest fan on Earth but I've never heard about this powerboat story (I started watching GPs in 1986). Does anybody can tell me the whole story and don't you ever see any pictures of the event ?

Thanks a lot for your help.

[fines]

My GPIs are about... an arm's length away, but I don't have a complete collection! [i.e. Sorry, I can't help! ]

[LittleChris]

I also remember something in Autosport about it. Didn't they have 3 runs over a 1/4 mile course, with the car winning 2 : 1 ?

[Milan Fistonic]

JPS F1 v JPS BOAT

On the day before he left England for Belgium (1982), Lotus driver Nigel Mansell was taking part in an unusual callenge race. John Player Special, the cigarette brand which sponsors both the Lotus F1 team and the Formula 1 powerboat world championship, had organised a "Powersport Challenge" between one of last year's JPS Lotus 87s and one of the very light JPS Velden powerboats which compete in the F1 boat championship.
The challenge took place at the splendid watersport facility in Nottingham, close to the John Player factory. Protected by a quarter-mile length of guardrail, Mansell did a series of standing-start runs down a bumpy stretch of road alongside the boating lake, slowing down on a piece of lawn (on slicks!) from his terminal speed of about 115 mph.
"It wasn't really a fair match", said Nigel, "because we had to give the boat a running start. In the end we came out even, because although the boat was quicker on initial acceleration, our JPS car was definitely faster at higher speed."
The 140 mph JPS powerboats are powered by special Johnson 3.5-litre two-stroke V8 racing engines, made in the USA. No power figures are available, but it is believed that they produce perhaps as much as 100 bhp more than the 495 bhp of the Cosworth-Ford V8 used by Lotus.

From GPI No 47 May 13th 1982

[Luís Sampaio]

I found this picture pasted on an old exercise-book strangely preserverd from my high school's time.

http://pwp.netcabo.p...tal/mansell.htm

Sorry. No other details for the picture

I don't know who is the boat driver
I don't know where the picture was taken

The year is (probably) 1982, i suppose that's a Lotus 87

Luís Sampaio

[Luís Sampaio]

oooppps!!

no picture view.

please try
http://pwp.netcabo.p...tal/mansell.htm

Luís Sampaio

[King Nigel]

Thanks Luis for this picture, it looks so great !

As a webmaster of a fan page I will probably use it (if you agree). But WHERE did you find it ???

Thanks again,

[Milan Fistonic]

That photo is used in the GPI report. There is also a photo of Mansell sitting astride the the boat, just behind the driver.

[William Hunt]

Did U know that David Coulthard drove a power boat this year ! The regular "drivers" were impressed by how fast he managed to adapt himself.

[Milan Fistonic]

On the Sunday before the 1981 Italian Grand Prix a powerboat race for Formula 1 drivers was held on Lake Como watched by 20,000 spectators. The boats used were 180 bhp Abbate Seastars and the drivers mentioned in the GPI report were Gilles Villeneuve, Didier Pironi, Bruno Giacomelli, Marc Surer and Riccardo Patrese.
The first heat was won by Giacomelli ahead of Surer and Patrese.
Pironi initially led the second heat with Villeneuve right behind him. Gilles ran the bow of his boat up onto the stern of Pironi's and took over the lead only to find himself behind Patrese, who had called into the "pits". The Italian tried all he could to keep Villeneuve behind him but the Canadian rammed him out of the way at the final corner to take the win and the overall victory.
"It was great," said the Canadian, "and a lot of fun. But I'm used to powerboats. My own is an offshore version powered by two Ford engines giving 1400 bhp. It's impossible to compare with Formula 1 racing. It's too different. One can relax on the water, but it's all hard work in a racing car."

[Gary C]

If anyone is interested I now have the full report. They were five timed runs in all, unfortunately on the first run the timing equipment failed to pick up the powerboat. The next four runs finished like this : for runs two and three the powerboat beat the car, with Mansell in an 87B chassis 3 winning the last two. Nigel's best time over the run being 5.40 seconds (he admitted at the time that this was with the aid of a probable jump start), speed being 116mph. This over a 220 yard run. The powerboat topped out at just over 100mph. Apparently, at the end of each run, Mansell used all of the 60 yards of tarmac to stop, PLUS another 200 yards of grass (on slicks!) !!

[jondoe955]

Great shot! Not a lot of asphalt on either side of those wheels.
I once read that a 'tunnel boat' like that has greater cornering ability than an F1. Saw a couple of races - they are unbelievable.

[Ali_G]

I too remember an F1 car taking on a F1 Powerboat except this tiem its was on a English Programme called You Bet. It was about 1992 or so.

I can't remember teh driver but over 3 goes teh Boat won 2 1 over a 1/4 mile course.

Niall

[ghinzani]

Im sure the guy who drove the powerboat was a world champ, from the UK I think. I have this feeling he later died. It was the issue of GPI just after Gilles died methinks, with the report on Wattie winning etc

[alain_sl]

Is it Tom Percival?

[ghinzani]

That name rings a bell - is he alive or dead? I think thats the one tho 'cos I dont know any other boat racers except for an Italian guy, Capello or something.

[Gary C]

There were in fact two drivers of the powerboat, Bill Spalding and Tom Percival. Spalding running out the fastest of the two with a time of 5 seconds exactly.

[anjakub]

Bill or Bob Spalding?

Bob Spalding was two-times winner of the Canon Trophy (1979, 1980) and world champion of Formula 1 (powerboat) in 1985. Tom Percival won the Canon Trophy in 1978

[Gary C]

apologies, 'finger trouble', it was indeed Bob.

[Breadmaster]

excellent stuff fella, bit of background info though what is GDI? obviously a publication of some kind but a bit before my time?
more info please!
cheers...

[ghinzani]

GPI I think, it was a very good F1 magazine as I remember. Got a couple of issues somewhere.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a website detailing the History of these F1 powerboat racers.. Google didnt exactly throw up muchy when I put in Tom Percival, apart from confirming he died.

Thanks

[anjakub]

Ghinzani

try here http://www.f1boat.com

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by anjakub
Ghinzani

try here http://www.f1boat.com

Thanks for that, just looking now, looks good for info tho!

cheers

[Kris Sim Roy]

Originally posted by William Hunt
Did U know that David Coulthard drove a power boat this year ! The regular "drivers" were impressed by how fast he managed to adapt himself.

Here's some nice pictures of the event:
http://www.f1-live.c...rs-010822.shtml

A bit OT, but Jacques Villeneuve & Olivier Panis also enjoyed themselves on the water:
http://www.f1-live.c...rs-011020.shtml

I'm pretty sure the bigger boat is a "Sunseeker Predator 61".
I'm just surprised to see the other boats from Bombardier(Sea-Doo division), especially the Personal Water Crafts, since Honda has released 2 PWC models this year...
They did tried some boat with Honda's outboard earlier this year.

Eddie Jordan is also involved with boat racing(with Honda's 4 strokes ?)...

Cheers!

[Kris Sim Roy]

Originally posted by Milan Fistonic
On the Sunday before the 1981 Italian Grand Prix a powerboat race for Formula 1 drivers.................
.............him but the Canadian rammed him out of the way at the final corner to take the win and the overall victory.
"It was great," said the Canadian, "and a lot of fun. But I'm used to powerboats. My own is an offshore version powered by two Ford engines giving 1400 bhp. It's impossible to compare with Formula 1 racing. It's too different. One can relax on the water, but it's all hard work in a racing car."

That's a cool story that I didn't know.....Thanks !
About the Villeneuve's and power boats, it reminds me of a good souvenir.

When I used to race Formula 125's, we were often going to "oncle" Jacques Villeneuve's place(in St-Cuthbert, QC).
He has a pretty impressive personal garage(bigger than his house:eek: ), and during my last season, he was building himself a little "water toy"...
He was using a hull from a small ski boat(I think it was a Glastron 19 or 21 foot), and was working at fitting a "mammoth" CanAm race engine.
At the time, I was really into water skiing regularly, and Jacques was trying to convince me that I could water ski behind his boat, once completed...
All I can say, is that I never dared trying... LOL

Cheers!

[anjakub]

David Coulthard on the water.
See also http://www.formula-o...1feature14.html

[Breadmaster]

ah-ha! cheers for that, anyone know what GPI stands for?

I can't imagine anyone doing a publicity stunt like that now, although Hakkinen did drive his Maclaren on ice didn't he?

[Kris Sim Roy]

Originally posted by Breadmaster
.....I can't imagine anyone doing a publicity stunt like that now, although Hakkinen did drive his Maclaren on ice didn't he?

Indeed...
It was in the 2 seater, with Erja behind him...
Here's a clip: http://bil.zon.se/fi.../Misc/snow.mpeg

Enjoy!

[anjakub]

Hakkinen on the ice - text and photos
http://www.formula-o...ka-lapland.html

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Breadmaster
ah-ha! cheers for that, anyone know what GPI stands for?

I can't imagine anyone doing a publicity stunt like that now, although Hakkinen did drive his Maclaren on ice didn't he?

GPI stands for Grand Prix International

[ghinzani]

This culled from wikki regarding powerboat fatalities:
Tom Percival[46] August 19 1984 Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship Grand Prix de Belgique Benson & Hedges Meuse River, Liège, Belgium Hodges - Evinrude

Im sure it was Percival Mansellr aced against.

[ghinzani]

Crikey 84 was a bad year! 4 fatalities:

Accidents during formulae powerboat racing
Name Date Series Race Place Machine Comment
Peter Inward[42] July 3, 1983 British F2 Powerboat Championship Fairford Hodges
Luigi Valdano[43] May 27 1984 Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship Grote Prijs van Nederland Ertveld Plas, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Gérard Barthelemy[44] June 2 1984 Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship Paris Grand Prix Seine River, Paris, France Hodges - Evinrude
Roberto Saviero[45] August 3 1984 Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship Private test Po River, near Piacenza, Italy "Esercito Italiano" Molinari - Evinrude
Tom Percival[46] August 19 1984 Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship Grand Prix de Belgique Benson & Hedges Meuse River, Liège, Belgium Hodges - Evinrude
John Hill[47][48] April 16 1993 Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

[loddonboat]

Here's a real quiz question. A friend of mine has just mentioned to me the time Nigel Mansell in an F1 Lotus (he thinks) raced a powerboat up a lake here in England. Obviosuly the car was on the road beside the lake. Now, I've never heard of this, does anyone else remember it? My friend seems to think it was sometime before 1985, before Mansell went to Williams.

Hi Gary. Yes it was Nigel mansell and he was in a JPS sponsored Lotus. It was 1982, and it was against a JPS sponsored Velden F1 powerboat piloted by Tom Percival. It was called the John Player Powersport Challenge and it took place at Holme Peirrepont, which I think is in Nottinghamshire. I think the tretch of water is an olympic sized rowing course, so it was long enough for both F1 car and boat to get up enough speed. It was really to get some TV interest in F1 powerboat racing. Could probably scan you a pic, if needed.

Edited by loddonboat, 17 December 2009 - 14:24.

[loddonboat]

Hi Gary. Yes it was Nigel mansell and he was in a JPS sponsored Lotus. It was 1982, and it was against a JPS sponsored Velden F1 powerboat piloted by Tom Percival. It was called the John Player Powersport Challenge and it took place at Holme Peirrepont, which I think is in Nottinghamshire. I think the tretch of water is an olympic sized rowing course, so it was long enough for both F1 car and boat to get up enough speed. It was really to get some TV interest in F1 powerboat racing. Could probably scan you a pic, if needed.