Sebastian Vettel will drive Nigel Mansell’s FW14B (1992) alongside his iconic red #5 number on Sunday morning ahead of the British Grand Prix. The German driver, using carbon neutral fuels, will star in one of the most memorable moments of the weekend at the controls of the historic single-seater.
Regarding the new fuel, Vettel revealed on Thursday that it “makes no difference” to the way the Williams runs, saying that driving historic cars in a more environmentally friendly way is important to “keep these cars alive and the history”.
“I hope to have a lot of fun, and I hope people can share in that fun, because I think it’s an amazing car and the history of the car and the way it sounds… I’m looking forward to it,” added the Aston Martin driver. .
“It was a bit difficult to find the fuel, but once we found it, it just took a shakedown . It’s nothing different than how the car was 30 years ago, it will sound exactly the same, it will drive the same way and I won’t be trying to get to the limit, but I will try to enjoy it, which means going as fast as I feel comfortable.
“I think it will be fun and it will be great to show it to the fans. Motorsport is our passion, it’s what we grew up with. I think the cars I dreamed of as a kid are different to some of the other drivers, but it’s It’s important to find a way that we can do it responsibly, also to keep these cars and history alive.”
“In the end you can express culture in many ways: music, the arts… But our way of expressing ourselves is driving and it would be a shame if all that disappeared [for not being responsible]. I think this is a way to keep it alive, as Formula 1 is heading in that direction in 2026.”
In addition, Vettel confirmed that the initiative was his idea and that he wanted to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the car that won the championship and the British Grand Prix. The Aston Martin driver purchased FW14B chassis 08, which was sold by Bonhams auction house at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed for £2.7m (approximately €3m) including the premium for the car. buyer.
Chassis 08 was used in 13 of the 16 world championship races in 1992 and scored seven memorable pole positions . “I bought the car I think four years ago, because the red five is from ’92 and that means more than just a car from 30 years ago. Obviously I have the number five, and I won my first championship with the red five.
“I used to wear number five in karts and now I wear number five, so there’s a link there. I think the ’90s are the earliest memories I have of Formula 1, that car and the years after that. But I also thought we had to do it responsibly, so I’ll be using carbon neutral fuels on Sunday to show that we can still hold on to our history, heritage and culture in motorsport, but do it in a more responsible way.”
“So I’m really looking forward to wearing it for the first time and hearing it, I think a lot of people will share that joy with me.”
The chassis was the one used by Mansell to achieve five consecutive pole positions in the first five grands prix of the year, and to commemorate it, it has five red star-shaped stickers inside the cockpit.
Mansell then turned those pole positions into five consecutive wins in South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and San Marino , for which he also wears five gold star stickers.
Since the mid-season British GP, chassis 08 has been used by his teammate Ricardo Patrese for six weekends.
Chassis 08 is also famous for its ‘flight’ at the 1992 Portuguese GP , when Patrese rammed the rear of Gerhard Berger’s McLaren and was thrown into the air.
