Inexperience not an issue for Williams - Mansell

Former Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell believes that inexperience on the grid is not as important as it used to be and that it will not prove to be a handicap for Williams, who have young drivers Sergey Sirotkin and Lance Stroll this upcoming campaign.

Williams were the last F1 team to confirm there two drivers for the 2018 season, with Sirotkin eventually being named alongside Lance Stroll. The duo have a combined age of 41-years-old which is just three years older than Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, but Mansell thinks this inexperience will not be a major problem.

"In years gone by, without the computer aids, I'd be concerned by two young drivers in the team," Mansell told Motorsport.com.

"That is not so much the case now with so many support engineers and so much information. A Formula 1 car, until it is handed over to the driver at a certain speed, drives itself now. So they will get a lot of support.

"I hope if the car is good and that there'll be some races where they can shine. I hope they don't fall down the grid."

Sirotkin gained the Williams seat ahead of the more experienced Robert Kubica, but the Pole has joined the team as a reserve driver as he attempts to make his F1 comeback following a career-threatening injury suffered in a rally accident a few years ago. Mansell thinks Kubica can provide a veteran head to the younger drivers.

"It depends how much experience a driver has got of winning and competing at a high level," said Mansell.

"Competing at a high level is one thing, winning at a high level is another thing. I find it interesting having been teammates with world champions and working with all of them closely, you tend to learn an awful lot real quick.

"You have more insight. It always interests me to get someone else's perspective."