The Formula 1 racing champ Nigel Mansell has been immortalised in bronze as the latest subject of acclaimed royal sculptor Frances Segelman, also known as Lady Petchey.
Mansell, the 1992 Formula 1 world champion, sat for the artist at the headquarters of Williams Racing, where he achieved considerable success in the 1990s. The sitting took place ahead of a sold-out fundraising event for UK Youth, a national youth work charity, on May 22.
Frances Segelman, known for her bronze busts of the Royal Family, has already sculpted over 200 individuals, including members of the royal family and famous figures such as Joanna Lumley, Bruce Forsyth, and Joan Collins.
Speaking about the upcoming project, Segelman expressed her excitement, saying, “I just love sculpting people who have led amazing lives, and I am looking forward to sculpting Nigel and particularly his iconic moustache.” The sculptor is known for completing her pieces in just two hours in front of a live audience. Nigel Mansell will sit for her in the afternoon before she completes the clay sculpture in front of fans at UK Youth’s fundraising event at the Williams Racing Experience Centre.
Nigel Mansell, also the president of UK Youth, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “I am excited to be returning to Williams and sharing stories of F1, my racing career, and beyond, all in aid of UK Youth, a great cause which is close to my heart.” The bust of Nigel Mansell, set to be officially unveiled at UK Youth’s gala dinner in October after it is cast in bronze, will stand alongside that of the Princess Royal at the entrance of UK Youth’s planned new learning centre at Avon Tyrrell. The exclusive event, “An Audience with Nigel Mansell,” took place at the Williams Racing Experience Centre, home to one of the world’s largest private collections of F1 cars, at the Williams HQ.
UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 8,000 youth organisations and national partners, UK Youth is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org. The charity is involved in various programs to help young people thrive, including outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action, and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programs, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes.