Vettel buys Mansell’s 1992 title winning Williams

Sebastian Vettel has bought an ex-Nigel Mansell Adrian Newey designed Williams FW14 according to reports in German publication Bild that Vettel bought one of the Brit’s championship-winning F1 cars from 1992, a car that is one of the most successful machines ever to race in Formula 1.

Vettel is known for his love of F1 history and has made no secret of his fondness of Mansell either. In fact, when drivers were made to choose their own race numbers for use from 2014 and beyond, Vettel chose number 5, not only because he won his first world title with the car, but because it was raced by Mansell. He is rumored to have paid over $3 million for it.

The car featured electronic driver aids like traction control and the famous computer-controlled active suspension system. And you thought F1 is 99% car 1% driver today? Back then it was all car.

Mansell won nine races on his way to the F1 crown in ’92, while team-mate Riccardo Patrese added a single victory.