It was on this day in 1992 that Nigel Mansell finally became Formula One champion for the first (and only) time, having been runner-up on three previous occasions in 1986, 1987 and 1991. In his title-winning season there was practically no one else in it, as he won nine of the 16 races and finished second in three more races, including Hungary where being runner-up to Aryton Senna was enough to mathematically clinch the title just a week after his 39th birthday.
Future world champion Sebastian Vettel was only five years old when Mansell succeeded in his dream. Vettel himself would go on to become the youngest-ever Formula One world champion in 2010 when he took the crown at 23 years and 135 days.
Here's a rather special picture of the past and future world champions together in July 2007 at the British Grand Prix. Vettel had just turned 20 at the time and was working as a test driver for BMW Sauber, but he'd already made his Grand Prix début with the team the previous month in the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as a last minute stand-in for Robert Kubica who was sidelined with concussion after crashing in Canada.
