Mansell: Qatar track toughest ever

The 52-year-old, who won the inaugural GP Masters meeting in Kyalami last year, completed 18 laps of the circuit in an open test session at the track today in preparation for the opening round of the 2006 GP Masters series this weekend.

Despite a motorsport career than spanned nearly 20 years, winning championships on many different types of circuit in both Formula One and IndyCar, Mansell believes that the quick succession of fast sweeping corners with no rest other than the main, 16-second long pit straight, means that all drivers will by physically tested this weekend.

GP Masters' debut at the track is the first time a car race will have been held at the circuit. The circuit has only hosted MotoGP and bike races since it was opened in 2004.

"This is the most demanding circuit I've personally ever driven on," Mansell told autosport.com.

"I can't remember a circuit I've worked on where you have a 1 minute 30 seconds of continuous left-right, left-right, flat-out, stopping, braking, accelerating, pulling solid G and changing direction.

"For a minute 30 seconds of a lap it really resembles the work rate of Monte Carlo. Except it is some way harder than Monte Carlo because the G loading is much higher.

"As the track gets quicker we're going to pull more G. We're not going to go quicker down the straight but we are going to go quicker round the corners and to do that we are going to pull even more G.

"And I think at the end of this week, a lot of people, including the drivers, are going to be very impressed. But it is a fantastic venue for Grand Prix Masters - I really mean wow.

"The safety on the circuit is fantastic. The run off brilliant. The Astroturf around the edge is a brilliant idea. It is the only definition we have got - otherwise it would just be the same colour."

Ambient conditions tested the drivers this morning, with high winds battering the circuit and the track temperature reaching 46 degrees Celsius, Mansell spun more than once as he learned the 5.43-km track.

"The temperature as well is incredible and its close to hottest thing I've ever experienced," Mansell added. "The other thing is learning the circuit. I don't think anybody knows where the circuit is going.

"I've certainly been caught by surprise on how tough it is. We're working on our car because I've spun a few times this morning and I rarely spin a car.

"You get off line here just a little bit coming out of a corner and you feel like you are on oil but it's not - you're on sand which is in all the grains in the asphalt. And when a tyre goes over it. It pulls it out and all of a sudden you get wheel spin and it is really quite tricky when you go off line.

"Because there are no aids on the car I've caught myself flying into corners scrambling for a gear and it won't give it to me.

"The whole body is feeling it.  My neck is pretty strong, it always has been, but I think it is going to be a wake up call for everybody."