From: humpty@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Daniel Ong)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.sport
Subject: Re: Mansell brake tests Senna
Date: 16 Nov 1992 06:54:39 GMT
Organization: The University of Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: tartarus.uwa.edu.au

wboatclb@ccvax.ucd.ie writes:


>   Hi, after reading countless posts on the Senna/Mansell incident, I
> thought I'd better add my 2 pence worth. First of all, I haven't seen
> many replays, (no VCR) only what was shown on the BBC highlights. 

>   Anyway, I firmly believe that Mansell brake tested Senna and was 
> therefore an accident of his own making. 
> 
>  1) During Murray Walkers interview with Mansell after the race, 
>     Walker asked Mansell if he brake tested Senna. Now Mansell
>     didn't say he did brake test Senna, but went on to went on to
>     talk about the Monaco GP, saying that when he was following 
>     closely behind Senna, Senna was brake testing him. Mansell did
>     not critisize Senna for doing this at Monaco, instead said
>     that it was the duty of the following driver to avoid contact
>     with the driver in front. Mansell's tone was that it was OK to
>     brake test a driver following closely behind. Mansell did not
>     confirm or deny that he brake tested Senna. (all of this from
>     memory, maybe someone with a tape of the interview could
>     provide some quotes or even better, a full transcript of the
>     interview.)

When interviewed in Australia and told that Senna said that he braked
early, Mansell's response was: "Senna has to say something.... Senna
doesn't make mistakes does he??!"  Notice how he didn't really said
anything about his early braking.


>  2) Did you see how quickly Mansell ran away after the crash? It 
>     seems to me that Mansell was trying to avoid a very angry
>     Senna. Senna had every reason to be angry. Nobody brake tests
>     a 3 time world champion. Mansell knew that he was at fault and 
>     ran to the safety of his pit. 

Senna wasn't angry though.  In an interview at Adelaide airport, Senna
said that "it was no big deal" and "it was another one of their many
misunderstandings" and (not exact words) that Nigel is a whinger (whats
new?).

>  3) Mansell was traveling slower than usual approaching the corner.
>     Usually a slower car needs less distance on the track to slow 
>     down, but Mansell started to brake a few car lenghts _earlier_
>     not later as one would have expected. 

20 meters early in fact!  And he did not take the racing line too.  He
stayed on the middle of the track leaving Senna no where to go.

>  4) Senna, did attemt to avoid contact with Mansell, but only
>     succeeded in hitting him sideways since he was so close.
>                                                           
>  5) Mansell is still a bit sore after being lulled into making
>     silly mistakes earlier on this season by Senna. Remember the
>     Canadian and German GP's? The Adelaide GP is Mansell's last
>     and he desperately wanted to get get his own back on Senna.
>     However Mansell's plan has backfired on him.
> 
Mansell was really stuffed really bad by Senna!!!


>  6) Mansell has nothing to lose. Mansell already holds all the 
>     records. What's an extra few points when you've got over one
>     hundred already? Sure, he has never won at Adelaide before,
>     but he hasn't in Japan either. Letting Patrese go through
>     shows how much he wants to win.
>   
>  7) Senna had everything to gain (by staying on the track). Senna
>     was 4th in the championship and by finishing 1st or 2nd in this
>     race he could've moved up to 2nd in the championship. This is
>     quite respectable in an `inferiour car'.


>  I used to be Mansell fan but this year his constant whining and
>  cowardness in not wanting to race Prost in an equal car have turned 
>  me against him. This episode only confirms to me that he's better
>  off in America. 

Mansell is a real pussy for not wanting to race Prost.  James Hunt
thinks he should stop whinging and just get on and race Prost.  Hunt
said something like - he should get in a Williams and try to show that
he deserves the world championship by beating Prost - and if he can't,
at least put up a good fight.  Can we infer that Hunt thinks Prost is
better than Mansell?

Interesting to note how Mansell has been sour graping almost everyday
here in Australia and flaming Prost.  Prost on the other hand is not
reciprocating the attacks thereby making Mansell look like a fool (for
the 10000000th time).  
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