Nigel Mansell disputes F1 battling claim as ‘short memories’ criticised

Nigel Mansell has hit back at comments from Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali, which suggest fans have short memories, and that the current era of racing shares a particular trait with the 80s turbo era.

This year’s on-track action has so far been met with a mixed reception, with increased levels of overtaking providing entertainment, but fans and drivers alike have criticised this as ‘artificial’, given it largely centres around battery deployment.

While F1 and the teams have agreed to a number of changes that will come into effect from this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix – these set to reduce ‘superclipping’, allow more flat out driving in qualifying, and improve safety at the start and in wet weather – Domenicali attempted to downplay concerns over passing when speaking to Autosport.

He said: "You know, overtaking ... some people are saying it is artificial. What is artificial? An overtake is an overtake.

"People have a short memory. Because in the turbo age in the 80's, I was already following quite well Formula 1, [and then] the lift and coast were using different turbos, different speeds. And you have to save in racing, because otherwise the fuel tank was too small. You couldn't have the time.

"Maybe some of the old people are criticising or having some comments, have a short memory. So look back in the 80's, at the turbo time, these things were there there.”

These comments, however, have not gone down well with one of the eras constant front-runners, and 1992 champion, Mansell.

“No, no we didn’t,” he countered. “If we lifted and coasted, it was like feathering the throttle when you’re slipstreaming somebody and deciding not to overtake them. That’s saving fuel and feathering. That’s smart.

“Having to have a computer just take over the running of the car and harvest for the battery, that’s something completely different. And we didn’t slow down by 50 to 70ks going into the fastest corners.

“It’s a bit of a stretch to compare that, I have to say.”

The regulatory tweaks made during the unscheduled April break were always planned, with F1 looking to evaluate the new rules after a handful of events.

But comments from reigning champion Lando Norris that he had been forced to pass Lewis Hamilton when he hadn’t wanted to after his car entered a deployment mode, and a subsequent heavy crash for Ollie Bearman when he closed rapidly on Franco Colapinto, brought things into a sharper focus.

“I do sympathise with the drivers enormously,” Mansell added. “I think it’s very dangerous at the moment, and we got away with one terrible accident in Japan already, so that was luck. He could he been hurt really badly, Oliver.

“So let’s just tweak it so it’s not as bad as what it appears to be.”