The Formula 1 Silverstone Grand Prix was not only a huge success for Nico Hülkenberg, who drove from 19th on the grid to third place, here in Germany. He finished on the podium for the first time in his career.
F1 legends from around the world are celebrating with the German, including Nigel Mansell. In an interview with Wettfreunde, he talks about the Hulk hype, the performances of the Mercedes drivers, and the absence of a German Grand Prix.
Nigel Mansell: “So happy for Hülkenberg”
Nico Hülkenberg finally made it onto the podium at Silverstone. The F1 fans were naturally thrilled. How did you feel when Hülkenberg finally stood on the podium?
Nigel Mansell: “That’s a record, isn’t it? Haha! I’m so happy for Hülkenberg and can only say: Congratulations.
“It’s just absolutely brilliant, isn’t it? I mean, what can you say? Was it 239 races or something? That’s absolutely amazing, so he should be happy and cry all the way to the bank to collect his big paycheck.
”I’m also a fan of Hülkenberg. I think he’s a great character and he’s stayed on track. The other thing is what the team has done from last year to this year, you have to give them credit for that. The upgrades they brought in definitely worked at Silverstone.“
Russell impresses Mansell in ”difficult to set up Mercedes”
What have you thought of George Russell this season? Are you impressed with how he’s taken on the role of number one driver, or do you think he’s still missing something?
“I think George Russell has been fantastic. He’s done a fabulous job. Yes, he’s had some issues in the past and made a few mistakes. Last year, he did incredibly well against a seven-time world champion. I was in Las Vegas last year when he took the win, and he was brilliant.
“Mercedes has a car that likes some tracks and doesn’t like others, and it’s maybe a bit tricky to set up, but when they find the sweet spot, it can be as fast as any other.”
George Russell also doesn’t have a driver’s seat for 2026 yet. Is a contract extension just a formality, or what are they waiting for?
“He definitely deserves a good contract and it would be really nice for him to stay at Mercedes if possible, because I think he can still achieve great things.
And what about Kimi Antonelli? He’s been impressive as a rookie. How high do you think his potential is?
“Antonelli is one of the new guys who has done a very good job, but he’s got a lot of years ahead of him, so I’m not sure what Mercedes will do, but he’s certainly the leader of the young guns.”
Nigel Mansell: “I would like to see improved tracks from the past” for the German Grand Prix
Cadillac’s entry into the sport is causing a lot of discussion. Are you excited that a new team is joining the sport? And who do you think would be the right drivers to start with? Bottas, Checo Perez, Daniel Ricciardo or maybe even Mick Schumacher?
“Nigel Mansell too (laughs), damn it. The problem is that they can’t afford me, but I’d be there in a heartbeat (laughs)!
”That depends on the team bosses and their mandate for the first few years. It’s going to be a steep learning curve. There are very few people who know the business side of Formula 1 inside out. So you need people who can steer the ship, who know what they’re doing, otherwise you can end up spending a fortune and going down the wrong path, and you’re not competitive. You can end up looking like a serious outsider and asking yourself, ‘Was that a good idea?
“Hopefully there are some smart people there who plan their strategy well. You need some experienced drivers in the first year to give you feedback so you know what you need to be as competitive as possible.
”If I were team boss, I’d be a mixture of Alain Prost, myself and a few others (laughs)!
“I would have two drivers who would work as closely together as possible. They would still be competitive, but there would be no fear between them. A new team needs to be as close-knit as possible.
”Checo Perez deserves another chance. He is very experienced, and he drove superbly the year before last and helped Max enormously to win the title. There’s one for you.
“I’m not sure if America wouldn’t want an American driver too.”
Formula 1 has not held a Grand Prix in Germany, a country with a great racing history, since 2020. You also won twice at Hockenheim. Do you think it’s a travesty that there are no more races in Germany, and would you like to see Formula 1 return to Germany?
“I think with the safety of the cars, hopefully we can develop the tracks and bring back some of the old tracks. The old Hockenheimring was a great track.
“The corner at the end of the straight was 180. You went in flat and came out flat. That took a lot of courage, especially because of the barrier that was right there on the left.
”I would like to see some of the fast corners reintroduced and some of the original tracks from the past improved.”
