‘He had to fight for it all’ – David Tremayne on how ‘people’s champion’ Nigel Mansell finally tasted F1 title glory

It’s August 16th, 1992. Exactly 31 years ago today. And as he stands on the second step of the podium of the Hungarian Grand Prix, alongside the victorious Ayrton Senna and the Brazilian’s team-mate Gerhard Berger, Nigel Mansell at last knows a moment of glorious, impeccable triumph. He has won the world championship, and done so by the 11th of the 16 races. At the time, nobody had ever clinched it so early.

After all the much-publicised heartache and tribulation in a dramatic career, so eagerly feasted upon by the red-top media, he is finally Number 1. And as he struggled to take it all in, Ayrton put an arm round his shoulders and said quietly, “Well done, Nigel. It’s such a good feeling, isn’t it? Now you know why I am such a bastard. I don’t ever want to lose the feeling or let anybody else experience it.” Nigel never forgot that.