David Coulthard compares past champions
Williams is striving to return to its former glory, and signing current Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz (alongside an excellent driver like Alex Albon) is another sign of great ambition. Under the leadership of James Vowles, the Grove team wants to become what it was 30 years ago when every champion wanted to drive Sir Frank’s car to win the title. Among those remembered are Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, who also raced for the Maranello team and Ayrton Senna, drivers whom a young David Coulthard (Williams’ test driver in 1993) came into contact with.
David Coulthard’s comments
The Scotsman compared the three world champions as follows: “They had very different personalities. Nigel Mansell was one of the drivers with the most natural talent, very brave and strong in an era when the cars were very physical, without power steering and other aids. He absolutely believed in himself, but this made him seem a bit sensitive, touchy. Another word could be arrogance. I’m a big fan and have great respect for all these drivers, so I don’t say this to offend but simply because it’s what I think.” – he added.
“Alain Prost was introverted, a bit nervous. He was always biting his nails, limiting the number of laps on the track: he wanted to spend time analyzing data with the engineers, and I also believe he measured every lap. For him, every lap was a potential accident and every accident was a potential injury.” – the former Formula 1 driver pointed out.
“And then there was Ayrton, who was a mix of these two drivers,” David Coulthard concluded. “Maybe he wasn’t as arrogant as Nigel; however, he believed in himself and thought he had a higher power guiding him on the track. What united them all, beyond speed, was their intense connection with the team. They were like conductors of a grand orchestra. Then they would get in the car and deliver results.”
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