David Coulthard recalls Nigel Mansell trying to ban him from Williams garage

David Coulthard told the story of Nigel Mansell attempting to banish him from the Williams garage back at the 1994 Japanese Grand Prix.

The Williams mechanics took that ball and ran with it, crafting a Coulthard-themed no-entry sign, a move designed partly to also “take the mickey out of Nigel.” Coulthard had started the year as Williams test driver, but made his grand prix debut following the tragic death of Ayrton Senna.

Nigel Mansell tried to block David Coulthard from Williams garage

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Williams, and the entire Formula 1 community, was rocked by Senna’s fatal crash at Imola. Williams test driver Coulthard took over Senna’s seat for much of the 1994 season.

Nigel Mansell, the 1992 world champion, returned to Formula 1 and Williams for four rounds: the French, European, Japanese and Australian GPs.

Damon Hill contested all rounds in the sister Williams car.

“I remember sharing the car with Nigel and I remember actually I went to the Japanese Grand Prix, and Nigel asking that I wasn’t in the garage, because he felt that was a distraction,” Coulthard revealed on the Up To Speed podcast.

Coulthard went on to recall the hilarious response from Williams.

“And the Williams mechanics, in the fun way that any mechanic likes to do, [created] a photograph of me with a red circle and a straight line through, a sort of no-entry [sign], put outside the garage.

“It was slightly to take the mickey out of Nigel because, of course, Frank [Williams] was like: ‘No, he’s our race driver stroke test driver. We need him to be listening to what the car’s doing.'”

More retro Formula 1 via PlanetF1.com

Nigel Mansell Ferrari vs Williams choice explained after ‘special’ team claim

Jacques Villeneuve explains why he was never intimidated by Michael Schumacher

That year’s Japanese Grand Prix took place at a rainy Suzuka.

It was a race eventually won by Hill from Michael Schumacher in the Benetton. Mansell was fourth.

“I remember that Japanese Grand Prix was the one that it rained torrentially, and there were cars spinning off on the start-finish straight,” Coulthard recalled.

“Back in those days, we raced in all conditions.

“I’m not trying to belittle modern Formula 1, and there’s very good reasons why cars don’t drive in the sort of conditions we used to.

“But I remember being in the garage, watching cars flying off the circuit, left, right and centre and going: ‘I’m so happy it’s Nigel Mansell in the car and not me.'”

Mansell lost his Williams seat to Coulthard for 1995. Coulthard took his first grand prix win that year at Estoril.

Having joined McLaren for 1996, Coulthard went on to win 12 further grands prix in his career, all with the Woking squad.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: James Vowles handed Williams ‘saving grace’ as Ron Dennis comparison emerges