The Big Interview - Mats Nilson

Words - PAUL LINDSAY

MATS Nilsson is a man who exudes supreme confidence. The strength of his personality not only lit up our meeting, but his common grasp of the English language, and the use of taboo words normally reserved for ‘colourful conversations’ after the watershed, also turned a few heads in the yuppie Holywood pub I suggested for the interview. Needless to say, we’ve had to include a few asterisks in the body of the feature, but I think you’ll understand where he’s coming from!

The 32-year-old from Gothenburg in Sweden has become one of road racing’s brightest new stars, but the self confessed adrenalin junkie also loves his cars, bringing his 500hp AMG Mercedes Black Series to this year’s TT. So if you were on the Mountain during TT week and thought you heard faint screams coming from a flying Mercedes – you were correct. Mats’ friend Lars and Ivan Morrell [Ryan Farquhar’s mechanic] were clinging on for dear life as Mats recorded 185mph along the Mountain Mile on four wheels!

“I normally don’t drive fast when I have people in the car but I knew where I was going. I could have went faster, but I don’t think the boys liked doing 185mph over the Mountain in my car. Lars was really screaming – it was pretty funny!”.......