Grand Prix Gold: French GP 1986
Nigel Mansell recorded his third win of the Formula 1 World Championship season with a consumate Sunday afternoon drive at the French Grand Prix on a day when only national hero Alain Prost offered any real challenge to the Williams man
On Sunday, Nigel Mansell guaranteed chaos on the roads of Kent this coming weekend. For the first time in a decade British spectators will go to their home grand prix to cheer on one of their own as a truly serous contender for the world championship. Mansell has now won three of the previous four races, and this one he laid claim to in the opening seconds. Only Alain Prost offered true opposition.
Ayrton Senna took pole, but crashed early. Nelson Piquet and Keke Rosberg were thereabouts, but not truly in the picture. Poor tyre stops did nothing to help the Ligiers, although both took points. The Ferraris were not a factor. Patrick Head correctly surmised that two tyre stops were the right policy for Williams-Honda and left the rest to his driver, who made no mistake. It was another drive from the top drawer.
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