Catalogue entry · Lot 0021
Alan Stammers’ Senna Taxi: Nigel Mansell giving Ayrton Senna a lift back to the pits at Silverstone, signed print 15 of the 15 hand signed by Nigel Mansell, a limited signed run within the wider edition.
Background
The 1991 British Grand Prix at Silverstone belonged to Nigel Mansell. He led in the Williams Renault FW14 and won in front of his home crowd, his third British Grand Prix victory. Behind him, Ayrton Senna’s McLaren ran dry on the final lap at Club and coasted to a halt.
On the slowing down lap Mansell stopped, Senna climbed onto the sidepod of the Williams, and the two great rivals rode back to the pits together, Senna holding on and Mansell waving to the crowd. It became one of the most affectionate images in Formula One history, and collectors have called it the Senna Taxi ever since.
The artist
Alan Stammers grew up with the sight and sound of motor racing: the family farm bordered Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk. With no formal artistic training, he turned a long held hobby into a full time career in the late 1980s, and he has worked exclusively in pencil ever since, from his studio in East Harling. His work has been endorsed by many of the greatest names in the sport, and in 2003 British Airways chose three of his drawings to mark the end of Concorde’s supersonic service.
His long partnership with Peter Ratcliffe’s Legends in Time began in 1988, when Ratcliffe commissioned a drawing of that year’s Le Mans winning Jaguar. Legends in Time went on to publish one of the largest collections of signed, limited edition motor sport prints of its kind, and Ratcliffe himself became a close friend of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Sir Stirling Moss, and Damon Hill’s first sponsor and mentor.
The lot
A black and white Legends in Time drawing by Alan Stammers. The Williams Renault, number 5, wears its Canon, Labatt’s and Elf colours; Mansell raises a gloved hand from the cockpit while Senna, in his Nacional helmet, rides on the sidepod. Alan Stammers’ signature is at lower right with 15/15 written beside it, numbering this example within the signed run. Nigel Mansell has signed in blue ink in the upper left of the sheet.
It comes with a handwritten Peter Ratcliffe Legends in Time certificate of authenticity. The certificate records the signed run: print number 15 of 15 hand signed by Nigel Mansell, noting that only 15 copies were signed by him and that this is the last. The total limited edition released is larger than those 15 signed examples; the certificate states the signed count rather than the full edition size. It describes the image as Mansell giving Senna a lift to the pits after Senna ran out of fuel on the last lap, and names Alan Stammers as the artist.
The print is offered unframed. One photograph shows it in a wooden frame; that frame is not included.
Condition
There is a small crease in the lower margin, below and to the left of the artist’s signature, outside the image area, shown in the close photograph. Otherwise clean.
Provenance notes (the honest bit)
From the seller’s collection of Legends in Time prints, with the publisher’s certificate pictured in the gallery. One small correction for the record: the certificate heading reads Nigel Mansell / Ayrton Senna Silverstone 1992, but the moment shown took place at the 1991 British Grand Prix, which is the year the race records give. The signature has not been the subject of an independent handwriting opinion.
This lot is offered under Opening Stint’s Premium Catalog seller attestation: the seller has confirmed in writing that the account given to us is true, and a summarised copy of that attestation goes with the item to the buyer.
Summary
The last of the fifteen copies signed by Mansell, within a wider edition, of the most generous lift in Grand Prix history, drawn by the artist whose pencil has followed both men since the 1980s.
It will not carry a passenger. It will, however, make everyone who sees it smile, which is more than most taxis manage.
Collection and delivery
Located in Worthing, West Sussex. Available for collection, or the buyer may arrange shipping directly with the seller.