Formula One news

Mansell renews F1 attack

1992 world champion Nigel Mansell has renewed his attack on modern formula one by insisting that the new 'Grand Prix Masters' series might prove to be a superior spectacle. The Englishman, among the 45-year-old-and-over field to race in the new single seater category later this year, said F1's format and accessibility for the public put the sport in danger of being outpaced.

"We have a proper qualifying session," the 52-year-old explained, "which is great for the drivers and spectators. It won't be like F1's current one-lap qualifying format, which is rubbish if you ask me."

Mansell will be joined on track by old rivals like Alain Prost, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ricardo Patrese, Alan Jones, Stefan Johansson, Andrea de Cesaris, Rene Arnoux, Jan Lammers and Christian Danner.

He reckons the single-seater car will be 'far better' than a F1 car of the 80s, meaning that Prost - who has done a fair bit of racing lately - is a more likely favourite to win.

The first race will be held at Kyalami in November. "Alain Prost has been racing a lot recently and I haven't been in a car for a long time. But I was always the underdog in my F1 career."

Mansell also hit out at how formula one has changed since he forged a 15-year career in the 80s and 90s, in which he won 31 grands prix and raced for teams like Ferrari and Williams. He said: "Everything has been sterilised now, the whole thing is controlled too much."

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