Nigel Mansell’s legendary Peraltada overtake: Ferrari’s iconic Mexico 1990 double finish. Nigel Mansell’s fearless last-lap move that stunned Mexico City in 1990.

Mansell’s legendary move at the Peraltada

Some overtakes remain etched in Formula 1 history forever, not only for their beauty but also for the bravery shown by the drivers involved. Many of these iconic moves carry the signature of Nigel Mansell, whose aggressive and fearless driving style earned him the nickname “The Lion”.

It was precisely those traits that came to life 36 years ago at the 1990 Mexican Grand Prix, when the British driver earned a standing ovation from the Mexico City crowd after executing one of the most spectacular and daring overtakes ever seen in Formula 1 history.

Senna reaches 100 Grands Prix

The opening moments of that mid-June weekend, even before free practice, belonged to Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian superstar celebrated his 100th Formula 1 Grand Prix entry, with McLaren preparing a special cake to mark the occasion.

Qualifying also brought success for the Woking-based team, as Gerhard Berger secured pole position. Ironically, the Austrian would go on to play a central role in the race itself. Senna qualified third, behind Riccardo Patrese’s Williams and ahead of Mansell, while reigning world champion Alain Prost, in his first season with Ferrari, could only manage 13th place.

For the first time in almost 110 Grands Prix, Alain Prost finished outside the top 10. However, that disappointing qualifying result would become the foundation for one of the greatest recovery drives of his career.

The “Professor’s” comeback

At the start, Riccardo Patrese made a strong launch and immediately took the lead. However, Senna and Berger quickly passed him by lap two, establishing themselves at the front and beginning to build a gap over the chasing pack.

Behind them, Prost began his charge through the field, while Mansell moved into second place after Berger’s pit stop and an overtake on Nelson Piquet. The Frenchman continued his impressive recovery, eventually climbing all the way to second place after overtaking both his teammate and Berger.

On lap 60, just nine laps from the end, the turning point arrived. With Senna seemingly on his way to victory, a right-rear tyre failure forced him to retire from the race. The Brazilian’s heartbreak opened the door for Prost, who inherited the lead and completed what became a remarkable, if slightly fortunate, victory. However, Ferrari’s day was far from over.

The final-lap overtake

The battle for second place between Gerhard Berger and Nigel Mansell had already delivered plenty of tension. At one point, the Austrian executed a bold braking move on the Englishman, with both cars nearly making contact.

However, it was on the final lap that Nigel Mansell unleashed his famous “roar”. At the fearsome Peraltada corner, the last high-speed right-hander before the main straight, the British driver made his decisive move.

Mansell went around the outside of Berger on a part of the track that was notably dirty and difficult to manage, yet he somehow completed the manoeuvre successfully. The move secured Ferrari’s first one-two finish of the season and left the crowd in awe.

Interestingly, the Mexican Grand Prix remained on the calendar until 1992, the year Mansell won again at the circuit with Williams, having already taken victory there in 1987. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez returned to Formula 1 in 2015 after major renovations that significantly altered the track layout.

For safety reasons, the original Peraltada corner was almost completely removed and replaced with a much slower section, now approached with a near 90-degree right-hand turn. As part of the redesign, the corner was also renamed “Nigel Mansell” in honour of one of the most iconic overtakes in Formula 1 history.