EXCLUSIVE: Nigel Mansell on the British GP, Antonelli vs Russell, Hamilton’s resurgence and more

Nigel Mansell is one of the most successful British drivers in F1 history, having amassed 31 race wins, 59 podium finishes and a coveted world title across some 15 years in the sport, while representing the iconic Lotus, Williams, Ferrari and McLaren squads.

Adored by the home crowd at Silverstone year in, year out, Mansell joined F1.com at the famous venue earlier this week for a wide-ranging chat about F1 2026, covering off Mercedes’ intra-team battle, Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari breakthrough, and much more ahead of this year’s event.

Mansell’s return to Silverstone

Mansell has made the journey from his home in the United States not only to enjoy the latest edition of the British Grand Prix, but also to be personally involved in an upcoming motorsport auction – arranged by BUDDS – featuring various items from his time in F1.

Included are a signed Mansell race helmet from the 1987 season, when he first triumphed at Silverstone, used race suits and gloves, old karting trophies and even personalised Williams golf clubs, along with a host of other F1-related lots.

“I have a really good feeling that my memorabilia is with fans throughout the world, and they’re probably the best custodians one could have,” says Mansell of where his items are going. “It gives everybody an opportunity to have a little bit of history, so we’re very excited about that.

“A number of these items are being donated straight to UK Youth. We’ve got an appeal that we’ve launched for £10 million, and that’s to build an incredible sports centre for children, to educate them, change their lives, give them an opportunity, and to realise their potential and dreams.

“We’re hopefully going to build it within the next two years. The Mansell family has committed to putting £1 million into the fund straight away, so we’ve got it up and running, and we’re excited to get it to completion as soon as we can. We have a race going on!”

Mansell’s lots will go under the hammer at the Silverstone Museum on Monday, just a stone’s throw away from the Grand Prix circuit, where 2026’s field of F1 drivers will be doing battle over the weekend…

Who Mansell’s backing for the British GP

Mansell, who boasts five victories on British soil, including two wins at Brands Hatch, is looking forward to seeing a strong contingent of home drivers in action (George Russell, Hamilton, Lando Norris, Ollie Bearman and Arvid Lindblad all representing the UK), as well as the next chapter in the fight at the front of the field.

“Silverstone is always tremendous,” Mansell continues with a twinkle in his eye. “I think it’s terribly exciting to race in front of your home crowd, and to have so many British drivers on the grid is fantastic. It’s going to be a fascinating weekend, so I’ll be a keen fan watching how it develops.

“George did absolutely everything he needed to do in Austria, which was to bounce back and get a win. Mercedes and Red Bull were hooked up incredibly well there, but there’s no doubt that Mercedes will be the hot favourites here.

“Ferrari, I was really confused about how they could be so stunningly quick in Barcelona, and then, the way they harvested power or deployed power in Austria, didn’t work. Hopefully there’s some good answers here at Silverstone.”

But those are not the only teams and drivers Mansell will be keeping an eye on.

“McLaren, they can bounce back any time,” he points out. “I think this circuit could suit McLaren really well. They deserve to get on the top [step of the] podium again, especially Lando. He’s doing a fantastic job, and he’s a wonderful World Champion.

“I think for Lando, it was a huge relief to win the World Championship. Then, to be in the same team and to be able to try and defend the World Championship in the manner that you won it, is a wonderful feeling.

“I think he’s a more complete driver now with tremendous confidence. He’s carried the mantle incredibly well. I think out of the car he’s matured incredibly, and he speaks with great professionalism.

“I mean, you can throw a load more teams in there, and I’ve got to say this, because I care about it, I really hope that Aston Martin get their act together soon. It’s heartbreaking to see how they’re struggling.”

Hamilton’s Ferrari breakthrough

Of that front-running group, Hamilton’s resurgence at Ferrari has filled Mansell with joy – the seven-time World Champion bouncing back from a difficult first season in red to return to winning ways at the recent Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

“I’ll make no apologies, I’m a huge fan of Lewis,” adds Mansell, who raced for the Scuderia in 1989 and 1990. “Lewis is fantastic. He showed to everybody, if you give him the tools to do the job… He was impeccable in Barcelona. He didn’t just win the race – he smashed the opposition.

“His driving ability in the car, it didn’t twitch. He drove superbly, and he drove away from [the field]. He showed everybody, including himself, what an incredible talent he is. It was a joy to watch, and I think everybody embraced the fact that Ferrari and Lewis won.”

Mansell also referenced the hard work and adjustments Hamilton has put in and made behind the scenes to get to this point, and how he appears to have the passionate Tifosi firmly onside.

“[Ferrari team boss] Fred Vasseur has supported him incredibly,” he says. “He’s changed a number of things, and he feels comfortable. There’s nothing worse than saying something to an engineer or to the team, and they’re nodding, but they’re not doing anything about it. To be understood and to be listened to – then you get results.

“I think the Italian fans love him, so it’s wonderful. It just came at the right time, Barcelona. You can live on that for a good few races – the other second places as well. He’s not out of the championship. It’s very exciting, very exciting for Lewis.”

Put to him that it looks like Hamilton is well and truly back, Mansell smiles: “He’s never been away! If you’ve got the talent, you’ve got the talent. You can’t show your talent if you haven’t got the tools to do the job.

“I hope Lewis has a fabulous British Grand Prix, as I do with Lando and George. George has now got to stamp his authority in the Mercedes team, otherwise Kimi Antonelli will drive away from him.”

The key factor in Mercedes’ intra-team fight

On that note, how does Mansell see the scrap between Antonelli and Russell playing out from here until the end of the season?

As it stands, 40 points separate the young Italian and the experienced Briton in the Drivers’ Championship – Russell clawing back some of his lost points with victory at the Red Bull Ring after a tricky run of races that included reliability problems, misfortune and a couple of situations where he admits he “wasn’t strong enough”.

“I think being that it’s the first year of the new regulations, it will come down to reliability,” suggests Mansell. “I mean, you look at the bad luck that George had in a couple of races… He then had a battery fail, and Kimi had one fail in Barcelona as well.

“It’s whose car is going to be the most reliable; I think that’s going to determine the World Championship. If everything stays status quo, then George is 40 points behind, and that’s almost two races [in wins]. He’s got to get twice as many wins as Kimi. So, there’s the mathematics behind it!

“You take every race in isolation, and you do the best possible thing you can do, and then you make a plan from there. I really wish them both reliability.

“But I think Silverstone will be a turning point. I’ll be very interested to see how deployment works for cars in the same team, because I think it will be highlighted here more than anywhere else. So, the engine management, i.e. the computer, i.e. the brains, whatever you want to call it… We’re going to see what everyone’s got.”

Respect from one F1 legend to another

Finally, for all the talk about what’s happening at the front, Mansell offered a few words of encouragement to a legend of the sport who is currently stuck at the back of the grid – two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso.

Now 44, and racing on in his quest for an elusive third title, the Spaniard has spent most of his 2026 season getting knocked out in Q1 and struggling to finish races, with Aston Martin and new power unit partner Honda working through a host of issues.

As a planned major upgrade package for the Hungarian Grand Prix draws ever closer, Mansell hopes there will be better times ahead for Alonso – and a chance of some more success – before he eventually hangs up his helmet and bows out of F1.

“Fernando is such a class act,” says Mansell. “It’s just such a shame that he’s not got the car or the engine to go racing. I have so many compliments [for him]. He’s been in the job for so long now, so many races. He’s a great statesman, a wonderful legend, and an incredible World Champion.

“I look forward to, and will rejoice, when they bring the new car and the new engine together. I just want to see them racing. Even if they’re only halfway up the grid, it’s better than making the numbers up.”

Plenty for F1 fans to watch out for at Silverstone and the races to come, then, with Mansell a particularly prominent onlooker.