The Mexican Grand Prix returning this weekend to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez where it hasn’t been since 1992, and the last winner of the Mexican GP in that year was one Nigel Mansell on his way to one of the more dominant championship wins of all time. So, it was a nice touch from the organisers to name the final corner after Nigel Mansell in honour of one of Formula One’s great overtakes. Something Nigel was famous for a few times throughout his career. At least naming the corner after Mansell took some of the bad taste away of the final corner becoming a victim of modern day F1 tracks.
If you forget the move, here it is thanks to the goodness that is Youtube.
MANSELL ON BERGER MEXICO 1990
But why stop there, surely there’s a few other parts of the Formula 1 circuits that need a name or a new one based on some other great F1 moments. So we suggest a few below for your consideration.
MANSELL SWEEP – MANSELL ON SENNA – HUNGARORING from 1989
The Hungarian track has very few corners that have a symbolic or a name that inspires, so if a Mansell corner is good enough for Mexico for one of Nige’s best, why not the Hungaroring for one of his other better moves.
PIQUET TURN – PIQUET ON SENNA – HUNGARORING from 1986
As above there’s still a few corners left to name, so why not another great overtake from back in the day in Hungary. Piquet sideways around the outside on no less a driver than Senna.
THE INOUE STRETCH(ER) – TAKI INOUE and the MEDICAL CAR – HUNGARORING from 1995
Still some corner left to name, why does it have to be named after a great overtaking manoeuvre. Surely any memorable moment could justify a new name, and maybe naming a section of the track after Taki Inoue after being hit by the safety vehicle could make up some of the pain of the incident.
SENNA-PROST CHICANE- SENNA v PROST – SUZUKA from 1989
If we’re talking memorable clashes, then Senna and Prost at the chicane is one of the most famous. It would replace the insert sponsor here chicane title and would cement their clash into the folklore of Formula 1.
CORNER GUGELMIN – GUGELMIN v HALF OF THE FIELD – PAUL RICARD from 1986
If Paul Ricard ever comes back, then a new name for the first corner hairpin would be well named after one of the more ordinary efforts at a first corner.
SARRAZIN TURN (and Turn and Turn and Turn) = SARRAZIN v PHYSICS – Interlagos from 1999
The Frenchman only got one chance at a Formula 1 drive replacing superstar Minardi pilot Luca Badoer in 1999. He was in a great position for a Minardi when he rotated the car as many times to match the position he was in. His one drive is more memorable than a career full of Ralph Firman, Riccardo Rosset and Yuji Ide.
