Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian Formula 1 driver who won three World Drivers’ Championships, all with McLaren, in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
Discover Who Ayrton Senna Was
Ayrton Senna Da Silva was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 21st, 1960.
Ayrton’s parents were Milton Guirado da Silva and Neide Joanna Senna da Silva. He had an older sister and a younger brother, Viviane and Leonardo.
At 4 years old, Ayrton was already fond of racing cars, thus, his career as a driver was filled with passion from a very early age. Senna’s first karting race came when he was a 13-year-old, and he was in Pole Position for that first race.
After winning South American kart competitions, Senna competed in the Karting World Championship. Already driving in open-wheel racing, Senna won the 1981 British Formula Ford. Then, he won the European Championship and drove in the British Formula Three in 1983, famously beating Martin Brundle to the title.
By the end of 1983, Senna also won the Macau Grand Prix.
Senna’s F1 Career and Teams
Although he had some other offers, Senna joined Toleman to drive in Formula 1 in the 1984 season, with former motorcycle World Champion Johnny Cecotto as his teammate.
Senna went on to record podiums for the small team, famously finishing second in Monaco in the wet. The race was cut short right before Senna was looking to take first place from Alain Prost, his eventual rival.
After three podiums in 1984 and a ninth place in the World Drivers’ Championship, Senna joined Lotus for 1985. In only his second race with the team, Senna started from Pole Position and won a wet 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril. Those were both his first pole and first win in Formula.
He won another race in 1985, at Belgium, and finished fourth in the standings. He repeated those numbers in 1986, winning at Spain and Detroit, and finishing fourth in the WDC. Moreover, his first win at Monaco came in 1987, and he won again at Detroit before finishing third in the 1987 F1 championship.
Ahead of the 1988 F1 season, Senna joined McLaren-Honda, with Alain Prost as his teammate.
How Many Championships Did Ayrton Senna Win?
Senna won three World Drivers’ Championships, all with McLaren. His first title came in 1988, and then he followed it up with triumphs in 1990 and 1991.
Most Memorable Races
Some of Ayrton Senna’s greatest races came in the rain. In the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, Senna showed the world that his skills in the rain were unmatched.
He finished the race in second place, driving a Toleman car that was not that competitive. Moreover, he should’ve won the event if it hadn’t been cut short due to race leader Alain Prost’s request.
In the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix, Senna took his first home win despite battling gearbox problems with his car. His celebration after the race was emotional and iconic.
Williams dominated the 1992 and 1993 seasons, but when rain came down, Senna was there again. At Donington Park, in the 1993 European Grand Prix, Senna started the wet race in fourth, but lost a place right at the beginning.
Moreover, Senna performed arguably the greatest first lap ever, surpassing four cars and taking the lead. Eventually, he won the race by over 83 seconds, ahead of the dominant Williams’ cars of Damon Hill and Alain Prost. Senna lapped every car behind P2.
Senna’s Relationship With Each Team
What teams did Ayrton Senna race for? Ayrton Senna drove for Toleman, Lotus, McLaren and Williams in his F1 career.
Why is Ayrton Senna considered the best? The Brazilian driver is widely regarded as the greatest and most iconic driver in F1 history. He inspired champions like Lewis Hamilton throughout his F1 career.
Senna remains an iconic figure in motor racing even 30 years after his death. His relationships with teams were mostly fine, with many who worked with him admiring his work ethic and intensity.
He had some issues with Toleman after he signed for Lotus and was suspended for a race. He also had a heated rivalry with Alain Prost when they were teammates at McLaren in 1988 and 1989, fighting for the title in both seasons.
Ayrton Senna’s Iconic Helmet
Ayrton Senna’s Formula 1 helmet is arguably the most iconic and symbolic design in the history of the series. His yellow helmet with blue and green stripes has inspired many drivers in F1 and other racing categories.
It’s arguably the most popular F1 helmet among racing fans.
The colors represent movement, aggression and youth, according to historic helmet designer Sid Mosca.
What Happened at Imola in 1994
Ayrton Senna died on May 1st, 1994. The Brazilian passed away after a crash when he was leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.
That same weekend, Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger lost his life after a crash, too.
The tragic weekend marked a before and after in Formula 1 safety and a state funeral took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, his hometown.
Why Ayrton Senna Still Matters
Even 30 years after a tragic weekend at Imola, Ayrton Senna’s name remains one of the most important in Formula 1, whether with those who saw him compete and even with new generations of motor racing fans.
Today, Senna’s legacy continues and it’s hard to imagine a Formula 1 that isn’t linked to Senna’s name.
His passion for motor racing will always inspire generations of drivers and fans and his legacy will remain untouched in F1 history.
