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

Asked to choose between Williams and Ferrari, Nigel Mansell picked Ferrari as his favourite team or the two to have raced for.

While Williams are a “great team”, Mansell claims that Ferrari is “something out there special”. The lucrative gifts which Ferrari sent his way sweetened the deal, Mansell quipping that the only gift he got from Williams was getting fired after winning the title.

Nigel Mansell chooses Ferrari over Williams

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Mansell raced for Williams between 1985-88, and again from 1991-92. He had a brief third spell with Williams in 1994.

It was in 1992, with Williams, that Mansell won his sole World Championship.

Mansell had a two-season spell at Ferrari after his first Williams departure.

In a BUDDS interview, Mansell was given the choice, Williams or Ferrari.

“It’s got to be Ferrari,” he confirmed.

“You go there and say, ‘Oh, that’s a beautiful Ducati over there I’ve just walked past’, and a week later, a new Ducati arrives at home.

“Then, a few weeks after that, they wanted me to test a new Testarossa on a test track, which I did, and I just said, ‘Look, it’s a bit too pointy. People might be able to spin it on the roads a bit. Just put a bit of understeer in the car, I think it’ll be a lot safer. But the car is fantastic.’

“Two weeks later, a new Testarossa came, for no money. Free! It’s fantastic.

“What did I have from Williams?” With a double thumbs down and a laugh, Mansell signalled that the answer was nothing.”

“Then I found the limit with Ferrari,” Mansell continued, “because we were late going down to a test at Lisbon.

“I’m a jet pilot. And they said, ‘Nigel, would you like to fly the big three-engined plane down to Lisbon?’ I said, ‘Oh, that would be fantastic’.

“I was in the left-hand seat. Flew it all the way down there. The plane at that point, we’re talking back in the ’80s now, worth about $34 million’.

Mansell quipped that he is “still waiting for it”.

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Despite winning the 1992 World Championship with Williams, Mansell and the team failed to agree on a contract extension.

“Look, Williams is a great team. Ferrari is just something out there special,” Mansell stated.

“They can do things that not a lot of other teams can.

“I had a great time with Williams, but I didn’t really receive too many gifts!

“Oh, I did get one gift. Win the World Championship and get fired [laughs]. Sorry!”

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