Brands Hatch will welcome two very special Williams Formula 1 cars, raced to victory by Nigel Mansell in Grands Prix at the Kent circuit in 1985 and 1986, to the Masters Historic Festival on 30/31 May. This forms part of the circuit’s ongoing ‘Century of Power’ centenary celebrations.

First among these is the Williams FW10, as raced by Mansell to his first Grand Prix victory in the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. Designed by Patrick Head and Frank Dernie, the FW10 was a significant car for the team, combining an all-new carbon-fibre composite monocoque chassis, with Honda’s turbocharged 1.5 litre V6 engine. This car was a technical step forward and began to push Williams back towards title contention.

Visually, the FW10 is notable for introducing the yellow, blue and white Canon livery, the colours with which the team would become so synonymous through the remainder of the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s. At Brands Hatch, the car is best remembered for delivering home hero Mansell to a first-ever Grand Prix win, crossing the start/finish line with his arm aloft. The FW10, in Keke Rosberg's hands at the British Grand Prix, also set a lap which stood as the fastest in F1 history for almost two decades, despite a slow puncture. Later that year, it was awarded the title of Racing Car of the Year by Autosport magazine.

The second car appearing, the Williams FW11, also holds a special place in the heart of long-time Brands Hatch visitors, as it was the circuit’s final Grand Prix victor. Once again penned by Head and Dernie, the FW11 was one of the powerhouse cars of the era, and undeniably the machine to beat in 1986 with Mansell and Nelson Piquet at the wheel. A comfortably-won constructors’ title, the first for Honda which underlined the manufacturer's status as a turbo frontrunner, could have been paired up with a drivers’ crown were it not for Mansell’s infamous tyre blowout in Adelaide.

In Brands Hatch folklore, the FW11 is looked back on especially fondly for Mansell’s heroics in the 1986 British Grand Prix, hunting down Piquet before going on to win in front of an adoring crowd. It was a classic clash between two titans and a fitting way for the woodland circuit to bow out of F1.

The Williams FW10 and FW11 will appear in a special display area throughout the Masters Historic Festival weekend. The entire event is slated to act as a celebration of Brands Hatch’s F1 heritage, with 3-litre DFV era cars taking centre stage in the Masters Racing Legends. There’s also Masters Demo Legends, showcasing iconic Formula 1 Cars from the ’90s and beyond. A full programme of events for sports cars, GTs and touring cars is planned too.

Jonathan Kennard, Williams Heritage Director, said: ''It is a real privilege for us here at Williams F1 Heritage to support the celebrations of 100 years of Brands Hatch in 2026. There is no circuit quite like Brands Hatch, which has hosted incredible motorsport moments over the years, and for us, moments like our 1985 victory with Nigel in the FW10 and our 1-2 finish in 1986 stand out.

“In fact, one of our favourite Williams moments was the image of Ginny Williams, holding aloft the race-winning trophy on the Brands Hatch podium in 1986. If there was one image which sums up the pride, determination and success of Williams, this was it. Brands will always be a special place for the Williams F1 Team, and we are delighted to have on display the wonderful race-winning FW10 and Championship-winning FW11.''

David Willey, MSV Group Motorsport Event Manager, added: “We’re hugely excited that two of the most famous race cars ever to grace Brands Hatch will return to the venue during its centenary year. The circuit has played host to countless special moments, but there’s no doubt that the two Mansell wins for Williams rank very close to the top!”

Tickets for the main Sunday race day at the Masters Historic Festival on 30/31 May are available in advance for £33 with further reductions for 13-15-year-olds and free entry for under-13s. Saturday and full weekend options are also available. For more information, click here. 

Photo: Getty Images