Mansell had earned the respect of the Tifosi by taking a victory in his very first race for Ferrari at the 1989 season-opening Grand Prix of Brazil. Now, in his second year with Ferrari, the pressure was on with Alain Prost joining Scuderia Ferrari!
A gearbox failure ended his efforts the previous year at the Grand Prix of Mexico, one of the most demanding circuits on the F1 calendar with its bumpy surface and high altitude atmosphere. But in the 1990 event, Mansell would execute one of the most memorable and unlikely passes in F1 history on the way to a 2nd place finish!
Despite a poor start that dropped Mansell from 4th place on the grid to 7th, the gritty and determined Englishman fought his way to 2nd before his teammate, Prost, took over the place. Ayrton Senna was leading the race until a deflating right rear tire exploded and forced his retirement - Prost and Mansell suddenly found themselves in 1st and 2nd positions, to the delight of the Tifosi!
The drama was not quite over, however. With just two laps remaining, Gerhard Berger squeezed his McLaren-Honda past Mansell and into second place. Mansell refused to give up without a fight and he filled Berger's mirrors with the scarlet Ferrari. In a move that remains a legend in motorsport, Mansell retook his place, sweeping by Berger through the spectacular 180-degree banked Peralta corner - on the outside!
