Make your mind up

Sir,

What is it about modern-day racing drivers that makes them so fickle? A couple of years ago, amid much ballyhoo, Nigel Mansell announced that he was to quit motor racing. A few months later, he signed for Williams, and I read he’s been talking about returning to F1 when his IndyCar contract expires.

Now, Alain Prost (above) appears to be on the verge of changing his mind, after having stated his intention to retire at Estoril last year.

Why?

I can’t believe that money’s the root cause. How come a man who has perfected the art of making split-second decisions on the track can’t make up his mind whether or not he wants to race?

l accept that the attraction of taking on, and maybe beating, Senna must be tempting, though I’d rather see a driver of Prost’s class bow out at the top. I’d hate to see him race on beyond his sell-by date, and I find all this petty will-he, won’t-he business so irritating.

As a secondary point, Prost’s departure, for once and for all, would open the door for someone else to have a go in a competitive chassis. I know that Schumacher and Hill have joined the ranks of GP winners in the past couple of years, but they are rare exceptions in a discipline that has been dominated by all too few real stars in recent years.

Colin Green, Perth.