(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 1 legend Nigel Mansell has defended Max Verstappen and his criticism of the new regulations these days. At an event in Silverstone (Mansell acts as an ambassador for a new pop-up hotel at the track), the 72-year-old praised the Dutchman for his honesty.
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“I have full sympathy for Max,” Mansell told Reuters. “Would I have expressed myself as clearly as he did? Perhaps not. But you know, Lando hits the nail on the head. What the other drivers have said is absolutely true. And I believe the current powers that be are listening.”
World champion Lando Norris had also previously heavily criticized Formula 1. In an exclusive interview with the global edition of Motorsport.com, Mansell explains what he thinks of the overtaking maneuvers of the 2026 season: “You might shoot me for this, but unfortunately some overtaking maneuvers are really artificial.”
“I mean, some maneuvers look great. And then you come out of the next corner, the other car shoots past you, and your car loses ground again.”
Mansell continues: “I think it was Lando who said: ‘Well, I didn’t even want to overtake him [Lewis Hamilton in Japan] in the chicane. But I had no choice.’ He was past at the exit of the corner.”
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“And then the other car [Hamilton] just shoots past him again on the straight. So I think you really have to be careful there.”
A Heart for Frustrated Fans
The former Williams driver can fully understand the frustration of many fans: “Forget me, I don’t care, but the fans all over the world, and I know there are a lot of them, are very angry. And, to be fair to the fans: I agree with them.”
At the time, Mansell was an ambivalent character for many in Grand Prix racing. Some revered the Briton for his fighting spirit, which earned him such illustrious nicknames as “The Lion.” Others were often bothered by his theatricality and a possible lack of professionalism. The McLaren case in 1995 is often cited here.
Ultimately, Mansell remains a legend of the sport, whose statements and perspectives continue to find an audience and approval not only among drivers but especially among fans.
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