Vettel to go green with Mansell's red five

Ewan Gale
Friday 1 July 2022 08:30

Sebastian Vettel will give F1 a glimpse of the future when performing a demonstration run in a 30-year-old championship-winning car.

The four-time champion will drive the 1992 Williams FW14B prior to Sunday's British Grand Prix, a race Nigel Mansell won in the car en route to his title success that year.

Vettel, a self-confessed motor-racing enthusiast, bought the Williams in 2020.

But in a twist and in keeping in line with his push for more environmental awareness, the car will run on carbon-neutral fuels, four years before F1 plans to introduce the technology as part of its new power unit regulations.

Asked how the idea for the demo run came about, Vettel explained: "It was my idea, it is my car.

"I bought the car some years ago, I think four years ago because the red five is the car from '92, with the red five on it and it means a bit more than just a car from 30 years ago.

"Obviously, I have got the number five on my car, I won my first championship with the red five, even if it was a little bit smaller on our car.

"Still, it was a number five and I drove the number five in karting quite a lot and I am number five now.

"The early '90s is the sort of memories that I have from Formula 1, the first sort of memories, that car and the years after.

"So it was my idea, my initiative and I thought, 30 years after it won the championship but also won the British Grand Prix, it is a great idea."

Detailing the reasoning behind using the carbon-neutral fuels, Vettel added: "I also thought we had to do it in a responsible way.

"So I am using carbon-neutral fuels on Sunday to demonstrate that we can still hang on to our history and heritage and culture in motorsport but do it in a more responsible way.

"So I look forward to driving the car for the first time and to hearing the car. I am sure the people will share the joy."

Vettel demo run a show to keep F1 culture alive

Vettel has been a leading advocate for environmental awareness in recent times but his campaigning has led to claims of hypocrisy over his profession as a globetrotting F1 driver.

But the German has suggested his run on Sunday could pave the way for F1's culture to be saved.

On his expectations for the demonstration, the Aston Martin driver said: "I am expecting to have a lot of fun and I hope people can share that fun because I think it is an incredible car, the history of the car and the way it sounds, so yeah I am looking forward to it.

"In terms of the fuel, actually it was some effort to find the fuel but once we found it, it was actually very easy, it only took one shakedown to get on top of it.

"You will see on Sunday, it is no different to how it was 30 years ago, it will drive exactly the same, sound exactly the same.

"I will not try within a couple of laps to go to the absolute limit, but I will try to enjoy it and go as fast as I feel comfortable with, bearing in mind it is my car.

"It is maybe a bit different to when it is given - I shouldn't say that!"

On how the carbon-neutral fuel could help preserve F1's history, Vettel added: "It is great to demonstrate to people...motorsport is all our passions and what we grew up with.

"The cars I dreamt of as a child are different to some of the other drivers but it is important to find a way we can do it responsibly in the future, to keep these cars and the history alive.

"You can express culture in many ways, music and arts, but our culture and way of expressing ourselves is driving cars, racing cars and it would be a shame if that was all to disappear.

"It is a way to keep it alive, and looking forward, F1 is going in that direction for 2026 - could be sooner but it is what it is for many reasons.

"It is a great way to put it all together and have some fun."