By Matt Majendie

Mansell was delighted to be back in front-line racing again

Nigel Mansell cannot wait to return to racing in the Grand Prix Masters in Qatar on Saturday if only to get away from his sons Leo and Greg.

The 1992 Formula One world champion admits the Formula BMW pair now have the making of him on the track.

"It'll be a relief for the GP Masters to start again," he said, "as they enjoy pushing dad off the track too much.

"We've raced in karts already and they beat me hands down. It doesn't matter what you've done in your lifetime, anybody's children will give their parents a hard time.

"We're a very close family and have a good laugh, although more when they push me off the track than at any other time!"

The 52-year-old, though, proved last November he has lost none of his racing acumen after winning the inaugural GP Masters - for ex-F1 drivers over the age of 45 - in Kyalami, South Africa - the scene of two of his 31 career Grand Prix victories.

The Isle of Man racer will return to action in round one of the 2006 series at Losail International Raceway, ahead of further rounds at Monza, Silverstone and Kyalami.

GP MASTERS 2006 CALENDAR 29 April: Losail International Raceway, Qatar 18 June: Monza, Italy 13 August: Silverstone, UK 12 November: Kayalami, South Africa

But predictably it is one race that stands out head and shoulders above the rest.

"It would be absolutely great to see tens of thousands of fans turning up at Silverstone - the crowds are second to none in the world," said Mansell, who boasts four F1 GP career wins at the Northamptonshire circuit. "It'll make all the memories flood back.

"People power used to pull me around that place - giving me about half-a-second a lap to my rivals. The thought of going back makes me want to pinch myself - at the moment it seems so unreal.

"And driving what is effectively an old-style F1 car in full racing spec is like a dream come true."

The notoriously competitive Mansell fails to convince when he says his only goal of the season is to finish all four races.

But he added: "A lot of drivers have been taking it a lot more seriously than the initial race in Kyalami. They're all a lot fitter while I'm not, with businesses to deal with and two young lads going into racing.

If I mess up racing I'll get a ribbing from my sons Nigel Mansell

"I haven't done enough training so to finish would be enough and to win another race would be fantastic. It'd be amazing to do that at Silverstone, although I think I might have to sneak in a more powerful engine!"

There were accusations the inaugural race had not been competitive enough, with Mansell and two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi dominating proceedings at the front of the field.

But Mansell rubbished those claims and tipped the series to be "here to stay for a long time yet".

"Drivers are queuing up for race seats right now," he said, "and the only problem I can envisage is that we might have too many drivers and too many races."

Mansell admitted he was surprised how competitive he had remained in the cockpit and how the politics and fighting talk of F1 had been replaced in the GP Masters by "complete camaraderie".

"Everything's transparent with all the garages and drivers sharing information," he said. "Kyalami was very, very special and showed motor racing doesn't have to be complicated or expensive to draw in the crowds and be competitive."

Despite opening with a win, the Briton said it had been difficult for every one of the 30 laps in South Africa simply to keep his race car on the track.

"It's like riding a bike - in that you don't forget," he said, "but that's not to say it's easy. All I know is if I mess up I'll get a ribbing from my sons."

Leo and Greg will undoubtedly have their eyes peeled come Saturday.