Nigel Mansell

British Formula 1 driver who became World Champion in 1992 and uniquely won the IndyCar championship the following year in 1993.

Nigel Ernest James Mansell was born on 8 August 1953 in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, England, the third of four children; his mother ran a tea shop and his father worked for Lucas Aerospace, resulting in a nomadic childhood with frequent house and school moves. He worked briefly as an aerospace engineer before, to his father's dismay, switching to Formula Ford racing, winning the British championship in 1977. Mansell and his wife, Rosanne, sold their house in 1979 to help finance his move into Formula Three, and he made his Formula One debut with Lotus in 1980 under Colin Chapman, whom he came to regard as a father figure. He moved to Williams in 1985, developing into one of the most exciting and aggressive drivers of his generation. Mansell endured years of near-misses, most heartbreakingly a title-deciding tyre blowout in the 1986 Australian Grand Prix, before finally winning the World Championship in 1992 in dominant fashion, sparking an outpouring of national support known as "Mansell Mania." He immediately left Formula One to race in America's CART series, becoming the only driver in history to hold the Formula One and CART titles simultaneously after winning that championship in his rookie season. Mansell returned to Formula One with Williams and Benetton in 1994 and 1995, closing out a 15-season career with 31 Grand Prix wins, and remains the only driver to have competed solely for Lotus, Williams, Ferrari, and McLaren — four of the sport's most successful constructors.

Aggressive, determined racer known for spectacular overtakes

Only driver to hold F1 and IndyCar titles simultaneously

• F1 World Champion 1992
• IndyCar Champion 1993
• Race wins 31