01/09/2005
NEWS STORY
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1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell will contest the new Grand Prix Masters series, which gets underway in South Africa (Kyalami) in November.
The one-make series has already attracted a number of former F1 World Champions, including Alain Prost, Emerson Fittipaldi and Alan Jones. Other Grand Prix greats such as Riccardo Patrese and Rene Arnoux have also signed up.
Speaking to Pitpass on Wednesday, a spokesman for the series revealed that getting Mansell on board for the series was a major coup, as in addition to having signed a three-year deal to drive in the series, Mansell will also act as an ambassador for the championship.
The cars, being built by Delta Motorsport, in Northamptonshire, England, will be powered by the Nicholson McLaren Cosworth engine, based on the highly successful Cosworth XB Indycar unit, and will produce in excess of 600bhp and reach speeds of around 200mph.
Former WilliamsF1 and Jaguar Communications Director, Nav Sidhu, now managing Grand Prix Masters as one of his clients told Pitpass that Grand Prix Masters was looking to provide "NASCAR style entertainment" for fans of single-seaters, promising "real racing" and "allowing fans total access".
"In addition, great care has been taken with the car design process to help promote our vision of on-track entertainment," said Sidhu. "For example, driver aids and electronics have been kept to a minimum while each car will boast an automatic starter button for anyone who spins off or stalls. The clear aim here is to provide compelling, interactive and personality-driven racing while ensuring a good sprinkling of the glamour dust we have come to expect from Grand Prix racing over the years!"
All drivers who contest the series must be over 45 and have competed in F1 for two complete seasons. Furthermore, they must have retired from F1 for at least 2 years.
For his many fans, Mansell's decision to return to the sport will be warmly welcomed, as he is still regarded as one of the great racers.
In recent times the Birmingham born racer has concentrated on his true love, golf, though he has been linked with a number of F1 projects including a consortium that was thought to be seeking to purchase Silverstone and the rights to the British Grand Prix.
For more details check out the official Grand Prix Masters website