Ayrton and I shared a lot of incredible races, where he was first and I was second and vice-versa. I think it's fair to say I am the only racer in Grand Prix history who wasn't intimidated by him, and I think that was great for the fans - it did make us have a few close calls, though!

Nigel Mansell

Categorized in : I Am Think Great History

I've tried everything other than jumping out of a plane, but nothing gives you an adrenaline rush like racing a car.

Nigel Mansell

jumping athlete giving

I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed of roses, and you have to work real hard at it.

Nigel Mansell

real mistake sports

I've always been reasonably fatalistic.

Nigel Mansell

I've been in motorsport my whole life since I was eight years of age.

Nigel Mansell

eight athlete sports

Fitness will be a major factor in the first race and I think that will play into the hands of drivers who have been racing recently, rather than people like me who haven't raced properly for a decade. I'am not one of the favourites to start with.

Nigel Mansell

athlete sports thinking

Everything in Formula 1 has been sterilised now, the whole thing is controlled too much.

Nigel Mansell

formula-1 too-much athlete

The format of the race weekend is also very well thought out. We have enough practice time to get the cars well set-up and have a proper qualifying session where we can do as many laps as we like, which is great for the drivers and spectators.

Nigel Mansell

weekend athlete sports

My grandfather always told me that it is no good lying on a hospital bed saying, 'I had the right of way', ... That's one of the reasons I was so pleased that the boys could do the IAM test as well.

Nigel Mansell

grandfather boys lying

The preparation, commitment and desire to win will be no less than the last time I drove a grand prix car in anger.

Nigel Mansell

anger athlete commitment

Alain will do everything in his power to win, he doesn't like getting beaten by anyone and least of all me.

Nigel Mansell

beaten athlete winning

The Masters is going to be an awesome challenge.

Nigel Mansell

athlete challenges sports

Firstly the cars aren't too complicated. They have no traction control, for example, which means you can spin if you try too hard and damage your tires if you're not careful with your driving style.

Nigel Mansell

car athlete mean

The first race is really just something that we will all need to get through. Until people see the cars in action I don't think they will understand how quick they will be, which means they are going to be tiring to drive.

Nigel Mansell

athlete sports mean

Racing a thoroughbred grand prix car in front of a home crowd will be a surreal and mighty experience.

Nigel Mansell

athlete home sports

Every GP Masters race will stand out because we will be available for fans, media and sponsors.

Nigel Mansell

gps athlete sports

I consider myself one of a very small handful of drivers in the world that are top drivers. The best one? I don't think anybody can say they're the best one because, from one week to the next, you can be on form or off form a little bit.

Nigel Mansell

athlete world thinking

The hunger and desire to go racing, however, never leaves your blood but the right opportunity has never really come along - until now that is.

Nigel Mansell

opportunity motivational blood

As you get older, you do reflect more. They were great times, but the biggest thing we all had to deal with a lot more disappointment from an engineering point of view, there was not the reliability that there is now.

Nigel Mansell

view great you disappointment

When I was teammates with Piquet and Prost, they were prolific in what they would get up to undermine you.

Nigel Mansell

teammates get up you

I was a driver and a racer. The difference between drivers, who can be great World Champions, and racers, who are also World Champions, is that racers don't wait for things to happen: they make things happen.

Nigel Mansell

wait great things-happen world