Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Watch Piquet and Mansell bend some sheetmetal in Ford Fusion GP]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/12/watch-piquet-and-mansell-bend-some-sheetmetal-in-ford-fusion-gp/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/12/watch-piquet-and-mansell-bend-some-sheetmetal-in-ford-fusion-gp/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/12/watch-piquet-and-mansell-bend-some-sheetmetal-in-ford-fusion-gp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



As we told you about before, there were four episodes planned for the Ford Fusion GP campaign in Brazil, and the whole series has now run its course. The Ford ads pit Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet against English F1 pilot Nigel Mansell driving the new Fusion, the two coming together again after their partnership at the Williams F1 team ended in a miserable state more than 20 years ago.

They're lined up for you below, in reverse chronological order. You should watch number three first, though, as it adds a bit more spice to the NASCAR action in the fourth.

Continue reading Watch Piquet and Mansell bend some sheetmetal in Ford Fusion GP

Watch Piquet and Mansell bend some sheetmetal in Ford Fusion GP originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 ford fusionf1fordford brazilford do brasilford fusion gpformula onefusionfusion grand prixmansellnelson piquetnigel mansellpiquetporto alegrevideoTue, 12 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20458456/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/12/watch-piquet-and-mansell-bend-some-sheetmetal-in-ford-fusion-gp/20458456/article-detail.xml 20458456 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/fusiongp4_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/fusiongp4.jpg <![CDATA[Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell revisit bitter F1 rivalry in... Ford Fusion campaign?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/nelson-piquet-and-nigel-mansell-revisit-bitter-f1-rivalry-in/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/nelson-piquet-and-nigel-mansell-revisit-bitter-f1-rivalry-in/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/nelson-piquet-and-nigel-mansell-revisit-bitter-f1-rivalry-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fusion Grand Prix video screencap

Formula One World Champions Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell haven't been on good terms since the 1986 season, when Piquet joined Mansell at the Williams team and Piquet spent the year privately fuming about not being granted the status of number one driver. Things only got worse from there - even though Piquet won the title the following year with Williams, still partnered with Mansell, the fuming was a lot less private.

They're back together after a 25-year silence, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil to drive the new Ford Fusion. Called "Fusion Grand Prix," both men get the new Ford sedan, prepped to their liking - but still street legal, we assume - for a race to decide... well, who is faster behind the wheel of a Fusion.

There will be four episodes, with the first two having already aired. The third episode comes on January 29 and the race happens February 5. You'll find two video episodes and a press release below, but note - because it's a campaign for Ford Brazil, Piquet's dialogue in the vids isn't translated, so hit the Closed Captioning button to hear his side of the smack talking.

Continue reading Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell revisit bitter F1 rivalry in... Ford Fusion campaign?

Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell revisit bitter F1 rivalry in... Ford Fusion campaign? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bernie Ecclestone has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind. The latest big idea from F1's commercial chief? Appointing an independent body to formulate the regulations that govern Formula One.

Currently, the FIA makes the rules with considerable input from the constructors through the Formula One Teams Association. However Ecclestone believes these actors are too close to the sport to make objective decisions on the regulations they have to live by. The rules have been changing too frequently, says Bernie, and an independent rule-maker would be the best way to rectify the situation and return a degree of stability to the sport.

Another influential Brit in the sport's spotlight has a different idea. Former world champion Nigel Mansell believes F1 should switch to a spec racing series, switching from constructor-teams to a single spec chassis like those used in just about every other open-wheel racing series (like GP2, A1GP and IndyCar). Mansell's idea, being far more drastic, is less likely to transpire. Think there's any validity to either proposal? Share your thoughts in the 'Comments' section below.

[Source: pitpass | Images: Goh Chai Hin/AFP/Getty, Rick Dole/Getty]

Ecclestone wants independent F1 rule-maker, Mansell a spec chassis originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Triple Crown of Motorsport is an elusive distinction earned by only a handful of drivers in the history of motor racing. It's elusive partly because it evades definition, but given its immense difficulty, we'll take the broadest possible: To score the Triple Crown, a driver has to win either the Indianapolis 500 or the Indy/CART title, plus either the Monaco Grand Prix or the F1 drivers' title and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fortunately not in the same year, but over the span of a career.

So far, Graham Hill remains the only one ever to have completed the feat, winning the Indy 500 in 1966, the Monaco GP five times in the '60s, the F1 title twice in '62 and '68, and Le Mans in 1972. (Substitute the Daytona 500 for Le Mans, as some American fans suggest, and AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti would be crowned as well, with Juan Pablo Montoya poised to join them.) Jacques Villeneuve has come within spitting distance, having won the Indy 500 (and the CART title) in 1995, the F1 title two years later, and after leading at Le Mans for several hours in 2008 in the Peugeot 908, finally coming in second behind Audi. But the next winner, if by feat of pure ambition alone, could be Nigel Mansell.

The British driver is one of only a handful to have been crowned champion in both F1 and Indy, alongside Emerson Fittipaldi and the aforementioned Hill, Andretti and Villeneuve. But while Hill, Andretti and Fittipaldi are long since retired, Mansell is back at it. After racing the 1000 Kilometers of Silverstone in the Le Mans Series last year with his up-and-coming racer son Greg, Mansell will be contesting the big prize at La Sarthe this year, the three-man team rounded out by his other son Leo.

They'll be driving in the top-tier LMP1 category in the same Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S they fielded at Silverstone last year (pictured above), with the brothers campaigning the entire season and the father joining for the headline event. And while Mansell and sons aren't expecting to win in their first year, they're in it for the long haul and are targeting an overall win within the next few years. To do that, they'll have to beat the likes of Audi, Peugeot and Aston Martin with a privateer entry. But if any underdog can do it, their name couldn't be anything other than Mansell.

[Source: Autosport]

Nigel Mansell going for the Triple Crown at Le Mans with a little help from his sons originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ginettaginetta-zytek gz09sGinetta-zytekGz09sgreg mansellGregMansellle mansle mans seriesLeMansLeMansSeriesleo mansellLeoManselllmp1lmsmansellmansell le mansMansellLeMansnigel mansellnigel mansell le mansnigel mansell triple crownNigelMansellNigelMansellLeMansNigelMansellTripleCrowntriple crownTripleCrownTue, 09 Feb 2010 07:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19348021/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/02/09/nigel-mansell-going-for-the-triple-crown-at-le-mans-with-a-littl/19348021/article-detail.xml 19348021 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/zytekl_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/zytekl.jpg <![CDATA[Family Style: Nigel Mansell and son to race in Le Mans Series for Ginetta]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/family-style-nigel-mansell-and-son-to-race-in-le-mans-series-fo/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/family-style-nigel-mansell-and-son-to-race-in-le-mans-series-fo/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/family-style-nigel-mansell-and-son-to-race-in-le-mans-series-fo/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Nigel Mansell's name is still a legend in motor racing. He remains the most successful driver in British racing history and one of only a handful of drivers to win both the Formula One title and the CART championship. It's been fourteen years since he last competed in a grand prix, but he'll soon be back behind the wheel in pursuit of more trophies at the 1000 Kilometers of Silverstone, the Le Mans Series race at the same track where he won the British Grand Prix three times.

To sweeten the deal, Mansell will be joined in his headline return by his own 21-year-old son, Greg, who recently left the Formula Renault 3.5 series. Rounding out the three-man team will be Ginetta chairman Lawrence Tomilson, who also took home a GT2 class win at Le Mans in 2006. They'll be driving the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S (pictured above) in the LMP1 category in a factory-supported works racing effort, more of which you can read about in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Ginetta]

Continue reading Family Style: Nigel Mansell and son to race in Le Mans Series for Ginetta

Family Style: Nigel Mansell and son to race in Le Mans Series for Ginetta originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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History, they say, has a habit of repeating itself. That's certainly the way things have been looking in recent years as some of the greatest racing names in motorsport history have been making a comeback. But instead of the legends squeezing their aging selves into new racing equipment like so many sardines, it's the younger generation that's been hitting the scene lately.

Gilles Villeneuve's embattled son Jacques, it pains this Montrealer to say, may have turned out to be a bit of a disappointment in recent years, notwithstanding his earlier F1 and Indy titles. But Bruno Senna, nephew of the legendary Ayrton, has been working his way up the ranks, as has Freddie Hunt, son of '76 F1 champion James Hunt. Nico Rosberg has already made it into Formula One, following in the footsteps of his '82 world champion father Keke.

The next big thing in racing dynasties, however, is coming with back-up. Nigel Mansell's sons Greg (20) and Leo (22) are boarding the ark two by two to cross the Atlantic for next year. The brothers have been working their way up the racing ladder together, competing in the British series Formula BMW last year after just half a year racing in karts. Like their father who won the CART title in 1993, the pair has confirmed that they're coming stateside to compete in the Champ Char Atlantic Series, joining BMW-backed Canadian driver Kevin Lacroix for a three-car Walker Racing team in 2008. Some good ol' Mansell-style racing is one bit of history we don't mind repeating.

[Source: Auto Week]

Like father like sons: Mansell boys sign for Champ Car Atlantic series originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlanticcarchampcontractformulagregleomansellnigelseriesThu, 15 Nov 2007 10:34:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1039944/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/11/15/like-father-like-son-mansell-boys-sign-for-champ-car-atlantic-s/1039944/article-detail.xml 1039944 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/11/mansells_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/11/mansells.jpg <![CDATA[Mansell and Herbert back in the F1 cockpit for BMW Sauber demo]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/09/mansell-and-herbert-back-in-the-f1-cockpit-for-bmw-sauber-demo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/09/mansell-and-herbert-back-in-the-f1-cockpit-for-bmw-sauber-demo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/09/mansell-and-herbert-back-in-the-f1-cockpit-for-bmw-sauber-demo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While its cars charge towards the head of the pack on the F1 racing circuit, BMW-Sauber has been positioning itself as the champion of demonstrations off-track. Following such shenanigans as driving on ice, and the return to the old Nurburgring Nordschleife, the team brought a couple of veterans back for demonstration drives at Silverstone.

Three-time world champion Nigel Mansell, more recently a fixture of the Grand Prix Masters series, drove Sauber's latest at the team's Pit Lane Park set up at Silverstone to coincide with this past weekend's British Grand Prix. Fellow retired driver Johnny Herbert, who won at Silverstone in '95, also had a go in the Bimmer single-seater. The drivers pulled donuts and smoky burnouts to the delight of the fans.

As you may recall, the team also gave former F1 driver Alex Zanardi another drive behind the wheel of an F1 car, and the handicapped car driver pulled off some impressive lap times, despite a minimum of preparation.

[Source: BMW Sauber F1 via AutoMotoPortal]

Mansell and Herbert back in the F1 cockpit for BMW Sauber demo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After 17 years, Nigel Mansell is returning to the wheel of a Ferrari. The former world champion will be driving an F430 GT for Scuderia Ecosse in the second round of the 2007 FIA GT Championship, held at the same Silverstone track where Mansell scored three celebrated grand prix victories.

The old dog can apparently still learn new tricks - at 53 years old, this will be the first time the champ will be racing sports cars. Driving alongside him will be one of Scuderia Ecosse's team drivers, either fellow British pilot Andrew Kirkaldy or Canadian driver Chris Niarchos, to be confirmed before the race this Sunday.

Although he evidently welcomes the new challenge, Mansell's remains understandably apprehensive about his prospects: "The Ferrari is fun to drive, but it remains to be seen how I will get on in a race situation, as ex-F1 drivers tend to go out with a target on their backs!"

The race looks set to gather quite a crowd. In addition to Mansell's participation, the Silverstone race will also mark Jaguar's return to GT racing.

[Source: Auto Express]

Mansell returns to race at Silverstone in a Ferrari originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2007 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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