Nigel Mansell & Sons - Le Mans entrants 2010
Nigel Mansell is to compete at Le Mans for the first time at the age of 57, driving his own car together with sons Leo and Greg.
Nigel Mansell is still one of our best known racing drivers, despite it being more than a year or two since he hung up his F1 helmet. But that hasn’t stopped him enjoying time behind the wheel of a fast motor or two and guiding the motor racing careers of his sons, Leo and Greg.
Last year, perhaps a little tongue in cheek whilst being interviewed by Radio 2 jock and Ferrari nut Chris Evans, Nigel expressed a desire to get back in to F1 and said he could “…jump in a Ferrari [F1] tomorrow and be competitive.”
But going backwards is not usually a sensible route – as Michael Schumacher can currently testify – but new challenges – whatever your age – are to be relished. So the news that Mansell is to join sons Leo and Greg to compete in this year’s Le Mans is great news.
The Beachdean Mansell Motorsports entry is a Ginetta chassis with Zytek power competing in the Le Mans Prototype 1 class and – according to the Mansell website – they are very much up for the challenge. Nigel Mansell said:
“I am extremely happy that we have been granted an entry by the ACO for the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours in June and I would like to thank the ACO for giving us this opportunity. We’re under no illusions about the chances of winning Le Mans at the first attempt but we will be competitive in 2010 and a lot can happen in a 24 hour race. The 2010 entry is just the beginning; we’re here for the long haul and we have our sights firmly set on making Beechdean Mansell Motorsport one of the leading teams in international endurance racing and winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in the near future.”
This is a Le Mans debut for both Nigel and Greg, although Leo competed in 2009.
What’s the betting on Nigel collapsing with ‘Exhaustion’ at various points?
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