THE GOLDEN YEARS
OF FORMULA 1

To kick off Season 3 of Mission Makers, we are joined by former Formula 1 driver and one of the most renowned managers in motorsport in Europe, Mark Blundell. In this season opener, we delve into the highlights of Mark’s career, including what it was like being teammates with Ayrton Senna, and what many fans reminisce back to as the “Golden Years” of Formula 1. We then move on to discuss Mark’s career off-track and his incredible success in the CEO and manager seat.

 

Mark’s rise within Formula 1 was electrifyingly quick after progressing through the junior rankings - he garnered multiple podium finishes with Brabham, McLaren, Ligier and Tyrell and took first place in the 24 Hours Le Mans in 1992. Whilst the highs were extremely victorious, the lows were hair-raising. In 1996, Mark famously escaped a horrific crash in Rio when his brakes failed, enduring a mind-blowing 122 G's of impact at 198MPH. He walked out relatively unscathed physically, but emotionally, the sound of a car hitting concrete is something that still haunts him today. In our conversation, Mark goes behind the scenes of the sport and opens up about the psychologies and mental health involved from putting your life on the line; a topic seldom in the limelight in motorsport. 

 

A few decades on and Mark has undoubtedly found tremendous success since retiring from behind the wheel, with his world renowned motorsports management group, MB Partners, which is famously chaired by the infamous Dragon and fellow petrol head, Theo Phaphitis. 

 

As we dig deeper into his latest mission with his company, it is apparent that Mark is a huge contributing force in breaking down the gender imbalance in the sport, with the company supporting and managing several female and transgender drivers. Mark believes that female drivers have got a huge amount to offer, and it is far more about the essence of the driver rather than gender, race or orientation.

 

Mark also tells us how his iconic mantra, “The Will To Win”, passed down from his grandfather, is what keeps him determined on achieving his mission and what instills his warrior mindset. You may also recognise the mantra, as it was emblazoned on his helmet for every race.

 

 

The full conversation with Mark can be found on the video below and on the Mission Makers podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

 

Be sure to like and subscribe to the Mission Makers podcast to never miss an episode.