Lando Norris’ recent confusion over engine modes brought back memories of Formula 1’s raw turbo era, where driver skill mediated immense, unpredictable power delivery. Nigel Mansell detailed how cars producing well over 1000bhp arrived violently, forcing drivers to anticipate power delivery seconds before corner exit. This crude delivery contrasts sharply with the smoothed power delivery of the hybrid years.

Turbo lag, mostly erased by the MGU-H before its 2014 removal, plagued drivers like Mansell, who described dangerous delays where power simply wouldn't arrive, only to surge mid-corner. Mansell recalled horrendous accidents in 1985 due to this unpredictable nature, requiring drivers to earn their pay by constantly wrestling the machine. Nigel Mansell found the experience thrilling but incredibly dangerous.

Early Honda turbo experiments, like the 1983 RA163E, suffered frequent engine failures due to oversquare designs and poor heat dissipation, sometimes melting pistons. Mansell referenced an event where Williams reportedly blew six engines in one Monaco weekend due to fuel and detonation issues. The sheer mechanical brutality required a level of anticipation modern drivers simply do not need.

Despite contemporary F1 cars being aerodynamically superior and generally faster on lap times, the sheer, raw horsepower available in the mid-1980s—sometimes reaching 1,500 horsepower—meant drivers were constantly managing impending wheelspin, even in sixth gear. Mansell’s description of ignoring fuel readouts to win at Silverstone in '87 remains legendary, culminating in his FW11B Honda running dry.