Mansell criticises McLaren and FIA

Nigel Mansell, the former Formula One Champion, has criticised the McLaren Mercedes Team for letting its drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, go public with their problems. According to Mansell these matters should be handled internally.

Mansell said to the BBC: "It's something for the team to deal with. It's not something for the public to be part of. It's no different to what happened years ago but it's publicised more. I drove with Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet and Keke Rosberg. They were all world champions and they are not going to be your best mates.

I just feel some of the things that are happening and the way certain things are being managed would have been managed far differently a few years ago and it is a great shame. Too much is said sometimes, but that seems to be the way of the world."

The former Champion also doesn't understand why the FIA came in between both McLaren drivers: "The thing I find extraordinary is that the powers that be are intervening. It's between two drivers from the same team and it shouldn't affect anyone else. If they want to cause problems between themselves, then it's surely up to them."