(London, England, 23 August 2023) – RM Sotheby’s is proud to offer to market Nigel Mansell’s Legacy Collection, a unique and unrepeatable opportunity to acquire a vast array of items from within the 1992 Formula One World Champion’s personal collection of automobilia.
Housed for many years in his museum on the island of Jersey, the collection is being offered direct from Nigel Mansell’s long-term ownership and represents items that span his entire racing career from karting, through the lower formulas, Formula One, IndyCar, British Touring Cars, and GP Masters.
Nigel Mansell says: “The collection is hugely personal to me. It represents the entirety of my career and is the vast majority of the items of clothing I have worn during my racing career; the helmets, suits and all the trophies I have won during more that 30 years of topflight motorsport. It is, in short, the material manifestation of the most significant moments of my career and it represents everything that I worked for from my teenage years through to the end of my racing career. I would only entrust my collection to RM Sotheby’s, as this is one of the most intensely personal collections of motorsport items that have been offered to the market.”
The collection includes some of the most important items of his career, including all the significant trophies won during his time in Formula One and IndyCar, including his 1992 and 1993 Championship years in both those series. The collection also includes numerous race-worn helmets, race suits, boots, gloves, clothing, podium caps, steering wheels, and even motorcycles. In total, there are 330 lots on offer, some of which contain multiple items, and all lots are offered without reserve. For any Nigel Mansell fan or to any Formula One enthusiast, the Legacy Collection is the opportunity to acquire items of immense historical significance direct from Nigel Mansell, none of which have ever been offered to market.
The collection includes:
- 32 helmets, most of which are race worn
- 50 race suits, most of which are race and testing worn
- More than 200 separate trophies and awards, including the most important won and presented to him during his long career
- Two motorcycles, including his beloved paddock bike and a one-off custom ‘Il Leone’ BMW R18
- 78 caps, including all the podium and pole position caps won during his Formula One career
- Three genuine Formula One steering wheels from Ferrari, Williams, and McLaren
- Paintings and photographs
- Number plate ‘5 NM’
- An array of paddock and sponsor clothing
- Models, ornaments, and sundry memorabilia
The collection encompasses so many important items that it is impossible to convey the true depth of what is on offer, but some of standout items include key items from his 1992 championship-winning season, including race-worn suit, helmet, his British GP winner’s trophy, his podium winner’s cap, and his Sports Personality of the Year Award from the same year. Also on offer is his 1992 trophy for 2nd place at the Monaco GP, considered the sport’s ‘blue ribbon’ race. From Nigel’s highly memorable three-race foray into the 1998 British Touring Car Championship, the sale also includes a race-worn Sparco Ford BTCC Race Suit.
Three genuine steering wheels are offered, including one from a 1989 car, a season that saw ‘Il Leone’ win on his first time out for the Scuderia. For helmet collectors, there are early career items, including a 1978 Formula Three race-worn helmet and his 1985 Arai helmet worn during his first ever Formula One victory, while the 1994 Australian GP winner’s trophy is significant for being his last-ever win in Formula One. More general items include JPS Lotus bomber jackets and a vast array of clothing from throughout his career on both sides of the Atlantic, while his red paddock motorcycle was used across multiple seasons in Formula One. Nigel famously carried the race number 5 during his Formula One career, so the vehicle registration plate ‘5 NM’ is likely to attract serious interest from collectors.
Nigel Mansell’s Legacy Collection will be offered online from 4–11 October.
