explained<\/a>. \u201cBut when something takes what\u2019s theirs, they fight back, and I think that was sort of like my alter ego when I got behind the wheel.\u201d<\/p>\nInspector Seb<\/p>\n
Sebastian Vettel\u2019s ambition and ruthlessness went a long way in a career that included four Drivers\u2019 Championships, but so did his intelligence. The German had a penchant for analysing cars around him in parc ferme, frequently seen wandering up and down to peer at the intricate details of his rivals\u2019 challengers. It was less than subtle, and the habit led to his lighthearted nickname of \u2018Inspector Seb\u2019.<\/p>\n
The Iceman<\/p>\n
Long before Chelsea\u2019s \u2018Cold\u2019 Palmer, F1 had Kimi \u2018The Iceman\u2019 Raikkonen, a cool character both on and off track. It was Ron Dennis who christened him with the nickname during his McLaren days, but the Finn carried it throughout the years and is still remembered for his nonchalant approach to his on-track and media duties.<\/p>\n
Britney<\/p>\n
Although most people would love the reputation that comes with being called \u2018The Iceman\u2019, you probably can\u2019t say the same for Nico Rosberg\u2019s equivalent of \u2018Britney\u2019. When the German first rocked up to the paddock with Williams in 2006, his striking blond hair and youthful appearance prompted team mate Mark Webber to liken him to pop star Britney Spears in talks with his engineers.<\/p>\n
The pair tangled at the season finale in Brazil and Rosberg crashed on his way back to the pits, leading the Aussie to relish over the radio that \u201cBritney\u2019s in the wall\u201d. By the time he secured the 2016 drivers\u2019 title, Rosberg was likely thankful that he had largely shed the nickname.<\/p>\n
The Flying Finn<\/p>\n
Similar to his compatriot Raikkonen, Mika Hakkinen was a man of few words during his years in F1. Seemingly unflappable behind the wheel, he possessed a relentless desire to drive flat-out at all times, which was obvious from the first moment he sat in a race car.<\/p>\n
Mentored by another Finn in Keke Rosberg, Hakkinen was one of Michael Schumacher\u2019s greatest challengers and came out on top to clinch two titles in 1998 and 1999. His laid-back yet focused attitude in the car, as well as his immense speed, helped him to win 20 Grands Prix and receive the title of \u2018The Flying Finn\u2019.<\/p>\n
Il Leone<\/p>\n
Nigel Mansell rapidly endeared himself to fans with his pure aggression and passion on the track, which further increased when he joined Ferrari in 1989. He kicked off his debut at the legendary team with a win in Brazil and continued to push his car to the absolute limit, demonstrated by a breathtaking charge from 12th to victory at the Hungaroring. The Briton\u2019s sheer grit was lapped up by the Italian tifosi, who dubbed their newfound hero \u2018Il Leone\u2019 (The Lion).<\/p>\n
The Professor<\/p>\n
While Alain Prost undoubtedly had raw talent, it was his logical, cerebral approach to racing that made him such a force to be reckoned with. He needed that brainpower to take on Ayrton Senna during their intense rivalry, adopting a methodical stance that would result in four Drivers\u2019 Championships and the respectable nickname \u2018The Professor\u2019.<\/p>\n
The Rat<\/p>\n
Niki Lauda was another highly admired racer \u2013 but his nickname \u2018The Rat\u2019 doesn\u2019t reflect that very well. Initially known by a slightly kinder version, \u2018The Mouse\u2019, due to his teeth, the Austrian was later identified by derivatives like \u2018King Rat\u2019 and \u2018Super Rat\u2019.<\/p>\n
Others chose to reference his systematic and slightly detached aura in the cockpit with the moniker \u2018The Computer\u2019, but it was \u2018The Rat\u2019 that stuck around best.<\/p>\n
Hunt the Shunt<\/p>\n
James Hunt\u2019s nickname is quite self-explanatory \u2013 before his run of success, he had a tendency to get involved in sensational crashes and accidents. Never one to back out, \u2018Hunt the Shunt\u2019 went through a phase of destroying his cars for the sake of racing \u2013 something that he tamed over the years as he went on to claim the 1976 Drivers\u2019 Championship.<\/p>\n
Mr Monaco<\/p>\n
With his trimmed moustache and terse manner of speech, Graham Hill was the perfect embodiment of the 1960s gentleman racer, making him the ideal candidate to be crowned \u2018Mr Monaco\u2019. But it wasn\u2019t just his image that resulted in him being forever linked to the Principality \u2013 after six years of trying, he stood on the top step there in 1963 and claimed another four victories around the iconic street circuit in 1964, 1965, 1968 and 1969. Senna ultimately went one better to beat Hill\u2019s record, but the Briton remains the original \u2018Mr Monaco\u2019.<\/p>\n
Black Jack<\/p>\n
You may think his nickname suggests otherwise, but Jack Brabham was far from a careless gambler \u2013 rather, he was an intellectual, uncompromising driver who possessed an enviable ability to pinpoint the issues with a car after just a couple of laps. He was bestowed with the alias of \u2018Black Jack\u2019 because of his dark locks and mysterious air, and remains the only individual in history to win a championship in a car bearing his own name.<\/p>\n
El Maestro<\/p>\n
Still one of the sport\u2019s greatest legends, Juan Manuel Fangio was aptly named \u2018El Maestro\u2019, notably by one of his biggest fans in Stirling Moss, who also happened to be his team mate. With five drivers\u2019 titles and a superlative track record \u2013 including 48 front row starts in his 51 Grands Prix \u2013 the Argentine racer was certainly a master of his craft and flourished in the early seasons of F1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nicknames can range from the endearing and silly to the ridiculous and borderline insulting, but they immediately conjure…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":844720,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[572],"tags":[64,63,806,805,803,804,85],"class_list":["post-844719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-motosport","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-motor","tag-motor-sports","tag-motosport","tag-motosports","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/844719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=844719"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/844719\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/844720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=844719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=844719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=844719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}