Formula One news: Remembering Ayrton Senna - GPUpdate.net Formula One



Friday 1 May 2009 marks the fifteenth anniversary for the death of Ayrton Senna. The São Paulo-born driver, who claimed 41 Grand Prix wins, 65 pole positions and 3 World Championship titles between 1984 and 1994, was killed tragically on this day in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix when leading the race for Williams. With work beginning on a feature film dedicated to the great man this month, GPUpdate.net takes a moment to celebrate the life of a sporting legend.

A man of great mental strength as well as physical, Senna's clear overall determination and will to win a motor race was only strengthened by his aggressive driving on-track and seemingly eternal mystique off it. Never shy to make his feelings known, the Brazilian will forever be remembered for his ultra-cool approach to dominating races combined with an outspoken character when expressing a point of view.

Born Ayrton Senna da Silva on 21 March 1960, he grew up in his beloved São Paulo where, as a toddler, he was given his first go-kart. After winning the South American Karting Championship at the age of 17, he went on to finish runner-up in the World Championship in both 1979 and 1980.

Having beaten Martin Brundle to the British Formula 3 title after a year-long duel in 1983, Senna immediately progressed to the Toleman team in Formula 1 the next season; the highlight of the year came with a hypnotic drive in an underpowered car to second overall in the soaking Monaco Grand Prix, rapidly closing in on Alain Prost's McLaren before the race was finally stopped. Senna's first win came for Lotus a year later in Portugal, sailing away from the field in yet more torrential conditions.

Mentally driven, Senna also showed signs of controversy amidst the heat of the intense battle on circuit; his title decided incidents with Prost at Suzuka are marked in history as two of the most poignant memories in the sport. Having moved to McLaren to join the Frenchman in 1988, Ayrton clinched his first title in Japan after a storming drive following a stall at the start.

A year later came the infamous collision between the two team-mates at the chicane; Senna went on to win the race but Prost was declared Champion after the Brazilian's disqualification. In 1990, the same circuit hosted the penultimate round of the season for which Senna asked for pole position to be moved to the opposite side of the track. Although Prost agreed, the organisers did not and Senna - starting from pole - threatened to drive his former team-mate's Ferrari off the road if ahead by the first corner. Sure enough, the Frenchman was ahead at Turn 1 as Senna, throttle wide open, duly removed both cars from the race in a dramatic and symbolic collision.

There was another side to Senna, though - a comical one. Laidback and mellowed away from the racing circuit, the incomparable Paulista was particularly recognised for his tomfoolery whilst working with McLaren team-mate Gerhard Berger, creating a joy for his team, the media and viewing public. He was also a successful businessman in creating Senninha, his cartoon companion, thoroughly popular with children across his home nation of Brazil as well as globally.

His third and final title came in 1991 for McLaren although, with dominant Williams cars heading the field for the next two seasons, Senna knew where his aspirations lay. Finally signing for the Didcot-based team in 1994, Senna was leading the third round at Imola when a tragic San Marino Grand Prix weekend claimed its second fatality in a high speed accident. Brazil was brought to a standstill as a nation came to realise the loss of a hero; Formula One's seemingly immortal figurehead was gone, leaving an irreplaceable hole in the sport.

" Given the circumstance, you think you have a limit. And you then go for this limit and you touch this limit and you think 'okay this is the limit'. And so you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further.

With your mind power, your determination, your instinct and the experience as well, you can fly very high. "

- Ayrton Senna

 

I almost forgot! Important milestone; the sport has become significantly safer since.

 

in those days, you could see a drivers shoulders...crazy.

 

Definitely pouring one out for him tonight.

 

It's changed so much now; I would be surprised if every driver on the grid could heel-and-toe with precision these days.

 

As if I needed an excuse to get hoffed!

 

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Senna remembered

"Michael Schumacher may statistically be the greatest Grand Prix driver who ever lived, but to many who watched Ayrton Senna's career no-one can equal the brilliant Brazilian.

Senna's greatness does not lie in statistics, impressive though his career record is. It is embodied in the irresistible force with which he dominated an era of Formula One.

Senna's death on 1 May 15 years ago changed F1 forever, but his life also had an indelible effect.

In many ways, it was a negative one.

Senna's single-minded pursuit of success led to an uncompromising driving style that verged on dangerous, an approach since followed with conspicuous success by Schumacher.

But, to many, Senna also redefined what was possible in an F1 car..."

 

Wow, that slipped my mind too. Hopefully F1 cars are allowed to race on the Nordschleife in Heaven.

 

Some good stuff right here. Aired a week after the accident. RIP

YouTube - Ayrton Senna Tribute by Williams Team