Nigel Mansell points to the F1 team who can "bounce back"

Formula 1 legend Nigel Mansell believes there is “no reason” why Williams can’t bounce back and return to the front of the grid.

Williams has made significant progress in the final year of the current regulations, with Alex Albon and new recruit Carlos Sainz lifting the Grove-based squad to fifth in the constructors’ standings at the halfway point of the season.

The team’s improved form follows a comprehensive internal review led by team principal James Vowles and backed by owner Dorilton Capital. 

The arrival of four-time grand prix winner Sainz and new title sponsor Atlassian has also helped Williams climb from ninth place in last year’s championship.

Mansell, who won the 1992 world title with Williams driving the dominant FW14B, believes the team now has the key ingredients to succeed in F1.

However, he stressed the importance of delivering consistent performances across all 24 rounds after a difficult run in the middle part of the season that saw it score just five points in four rounds.

“There is no reason they shouldn't bounce back now,” the 71-year-old said at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. “They have got the funding. The leadership is there. 

“They have got a couple of bad races again. But they have got the turn of speed. It's just a question of being on it every weekend. 

“It's a 24-race programme, you can't make any slips. It's so easy to make a mistake and it's a few teams that do.”

F1's punishing 24-round schedule

The demands of F1’s expanded 24-round calendar have been a talking point in recent years, with many questioning the toll it takes on drivers and team personnel. 

While Liberty Media has secured lucrative deals with new venues to broaden F1’s global reach, critics argue the series risks becoming oversaturated.

When Mansell last competed as a full-time F1 driver in 1992, the calendar featured just 16 races - 50% fewer than today. 

However, the Briton pointed out that the absence of testing restrictions back then meant drivers also faced packed schedules.

It’s worth noting that teams often ran separate testing crews in the past, meaning race team staff weren’t stretched across both duties.

“We didn’t have simulators,” Mansell explained. “Although we had 17 or 18 races, we went around the world testing as well as racing. I’m not sure they do the same amount of travelling we used to do.

“We did an incredible amount of testing pre-season, all over the world, and more testing before going into the races.”

Nigel Mansell on current F1 circuits

Mansell also called for more old-school corners to return to the calendar, albeit with updated safety measures to suit modern F1 machinery. 

Many current circuits designed by Hermann Tilke share a common philosophy, typically combining long straights with tight, slow-speed chicanes.

“I raced in Formula 1 where fans used to be in the pits with us and could touch the cars,” he said. "You are talking to your engineer and they are kind of sat next to you.

"As difficult as that was, it was nice for them [the fans]. Of course, there is no way that can be revisited

“But it was extraordinary and some of the tracks years ago were incredibly dangerous. You had to be very stupid and very brave to challenge the corners. 

“I'd like to see some of those corners come back with the safety. So the barriers can be moved further back, put a few more challenging corners out there with a small kerb, that you can't just run over and run back on the circuit with no penalty.”