After a stunning debut year in Formula 1 with Toleman, Ayrton Senna joined Lotus in 1985 and continued to show his greatness for the iconic racing team.
The Beginning of Ayrton Senna’s Time with Lotus
Senna’s arrival at Lotus was not going to be easy. The Brazilian driver was not entering into the Lotus of the 1960s, which collected titles and wins with the legendary founder Colin Chapman and two-time F1 champion Jim Clark.
Still, the team remained iconic and offered a solid chance for the Brazilian.
Ayrton Senna’s First Victory with Lotus
With Lotus, Senna took the first Formula 1 victory of his career, at the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix with a solid drive on a wet track.
Then, he took five more wins between 1985 and 1987 and also achieved 16 Pole Positions and 22 podiums with the team.
Ayrton Senna’s Lotus Helmets: A Style Statement
Senna’s helmet looked incredible with the JPS cars of 1985 and 1986, as the yellow helmet created a beautiful contrast with the black and gold of the cars.
Obviously, Senna kept his usual design throughout his career with Lotus, although some small changes on the yellow tone were noticeable.
31 May, 1987 ️
The great Ayrton Senna’s love affair with Monaco starts, as he wins there for the first time
Five more victories in the principality would follow for the Brazilian #F1 #MonacoGP #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/RaOrANQG2h
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 31, 2020
Then, in 1987, the car was painted yellow due to a new sponsor, and it all fit perfectly with Senna’s helmet livery.
Historic Achievements with Lotus F1
Senna finished fourth in the 1985 World Drivers’ Championship, fourth in 1986, and third in 1987 with Team Lotus.
You can see a helmet from Senna’s days with Lotus by clicking here.
The Brazilian achieved 22 podiums in 48 races with Lotus. His 22 podiums for Lotus are second in team history, behind Jim Clark’s 32 podiums in 72 races.
His six wins with Lotus are fifth in the history of the team, behind Clark (25), Mario Andretti (11), Ronnie Peterson (9) and Emerson Fittipaldi (9).
Senna also had 16 Pole Positions in 48 races for Lotus, the third-highest in team history (Clark and Andretti had 33 and 17, respectively.)
Senna also gave Lotus its last F1 win in the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix.
Lotus F1: A Milestone in Senna’s Career
Throughout his three years with Lotus, Senna showed his skill and proved that he was among the best drivers in the series.
Clearly, it helped him shape his driving style which eventually led him to winning three Formula 1 World Championships with McLaren-Honda between 1988 and 1991.
Driving the iconic MP4/4, Senna won eight of the 15 races of the 1988 F1 season to beat his teammate Alain Prost and win his first title.
