SENNA_B_1_010...Ayrton Senna da Silva...
SENNA_B_1_011...Born on the 21st of March 1960, the eldest son of Milton and Neide..
SENNA_B_1_012...As a child, he was given the nickname "Beco"....
SENNA_B_1_020...His sister Viviane remembers him as being a child who was full of energy....
SENNA_B_1_030...As a young child, Senna was obsessed with driving...
SENNA_B_1_040...When he was four years old, he pestered his father for a go-kart....
SENNA_B_1_050...By the time he was seven, he was driving commercial racing karts....
SENNA_B_1_060...His glittering career began at the Interlagos kart track....
SENNA_B_1_061...He made his debut aged 13, winning his first race, and setting a track record in the process....
SENNA_B_1_070...Senna was totally obsessed by his kart. He'd stay up all night tinkering with its setup.....
SENNA_B_1_080...It was around that time that Senna started to seriously apply himself to mastering the art of driving in wet conditions.....
SENNA_B_1_090...In 1974, Senna won the São Paulo Junior Championship...
SENNA_B_1_091...The following year, 1975, he came second in the Brazilian Championship..
SENNA_B_1_100...In 1978, Senna moved to Europe, where competition in motorsport was at its most fierce..
SENNA_B_1_101...He joined the leading DAP kart team, based in Milan, Italy..
SENNA_B_1_110...The world of karting was blissfully free of any behind-the-scenes intrigue..
SENNA_B_1_111...Senna once reflected that this was the happiest period of his life..
SENNA_B_1_120...This is the DAP kart in which Senna contested the World Championship....
SENNA_B_1_121...Get behind the wheel and give it a spin!....
SENNA_CP_ASE....© ASE..
SENNA_CP_ASE_CARLOS.Carlos Heitor Baracy © ASE.
SENNA_CP_ASE_FABIO..Fábio Corrêa © ASE...
SENNA_CP_ASE_FRED_SCATLEY...Fred Scatley © ASE.
SENNA_CP_ASE_JAIME..Jaime Souzza © ASE.
SENNA_CP_ASE_KOIKE..Norio Koike © ASE..
SENNA_CP_ASE_ROBERTO....Roberto Fulgêncio © ASE...
SENNA_CP_ATSUTA.© Mamoru Atsuta/CHRONO GRAPHICS....
SENNA_CP_KANEKO.© Hiroshi Kaneko...
SENNA_CP_SUTTON.© Keith Sutton/Sutton Images:
www.sutton-images.com....
SENNA_P_1_010...Ayrton Senna da Silva...
SENNA_P_1_020...Born on the 21st of March, 1960. The eldest son of Milton and Neide.....
SENNA_P_1_030...His hometown was São Paulo, Brazil - the largest city in the southern hemisphere...
SENNA_P_1_040...As a child, he was given the nickname "Beco". He had a sister called Viviane, two years his senior, and a brother called Leonardo, who was six years younger....
SENNA_P_1_050...Viviane remembers him as follows:...
SENNA_P_1_060..."He was so full of energy. He was always on the move - at home and in school - and was always getting himself hurt."....
SENNA_P_1_070...Senna showed an interest in cars from an early age. He would regularly climb behind the wheel of his father's car and pretend to drive it...
SENNA_P_1_080...When he was four years old, young Ayrton pestered his father to build him a go-kart with an engine..
SENNA_P_1_090...His father was a fan of cars as well, and in response to his son's pleading, spent six months building him a go-kart which was fitted with a lawnmower engine...
SENNA_P_1_100...As soon as the go-kart was finished Ayrton fell in love with it, racing it up and down the slope in front of the family home, completely oblivious to the passage of time...
SENNA_P_1_110..."I was just following my instincts, driving around for fun. I never thought about racing or entering championships."....
SENNA_P_1_120..."I just loved pressing the accelerator and stepping on the brake... It was the best thing ever." Senna said.....
SENNA_P_1_130...This experience was what ignited Senna's passion for driving....
SENNA_P_1_140...Interlagos is Brazil's most famous racing circuit, and right next to the Formula 1 track is its kart course.....
SENNA_P_1_150...This is where the young Senna honed his karting skills. He got his licence at the age of 13, and so his career began....
SENNA_P_1_160...On the 1st of July 1973, with his father looking proudly on, Senna won his debut race at Interlagos, breaking the track record in the process...
SENNA_P_1_170...In the following year, Senna won the Sao Paolo Junior Championship, and the year after that, he came second in the 1975 Brazilian Championship..
SENNA_P_1_180...It was around this time that Senna developed a reputation as a tenacious driver in the wet. As the rain came down and his rivals fell away, he would keep going, delicately dealing with the wet surface, lap after lap.....
SENNA_P_1_190...In 1977, Senna won the South American Kart Championships, which were held in Uruguay. His name was starting to become known around the world....
SENNA_P_1_200...1978 was a watershed year for Senna. At 18 years old, he left South America for the first time, coming to Europe to compete in kart races...
SENNA_P_1_210...Senna ended up at the DAP kart team, which was based in Milan, Italy. He joined the team as a driver, and started competing at the very highest level of kart racing....
SENNA_P_1_220...In 1978, Senna took part in the Karting World Championship, which was held in Le Mans, France...
SENNA_P_1_230...At the time, taking part in this race against the top drivers from Europe and beyond was Senna's ultimate ambition..
SENNA_P_1_240...He felt that if we were to win the World Racing Championship, he would consider retiring from motorsport altogether.....
SENNA_P_1_250...Though he eventually finished sixth, he did manage to win the Brazilian Championship and South American Championship that year, and came fourth in the Japan Kart Grand Prix....
SENNA_P_1_260...1978 was also the year that Senna entered university to study business, though he continued to race karts...
SENNA_P_1_270...In 1979, he entered his second Karting World Championship. This time it was held in Portugal, and he finished second. He would have won if it weren't for the complex championship rules, and his failure to achieve victory left Senna distraught..
SENNA_P_1_280...Senna also entered karting events in Switzerland and Italy that year. He won the San Marino Grand Prix, and impressed everyone by finishing second in the Swiss and Italian events..
SENNA_P_1_290...Politics and behind-the-scenes intrigue were completely absent from the world of kart racing....
SENNA_P_1_300...Senna looked back at his karting career and called it "the happiest period of my racing life"...
SENNA_P_1_310...Around this time, Senna was thinking about his future, and considering what he was going to do with his life....
SENNA_P_1_320...His father tried on several occasions to get him to take over the family business. The Senna family had a number of discussions about Ayrton's career...
SENNA_P_1_330...Senna turned 20 in 1980, and headed to his third Karting World Championship. Alas, despite having prepared more thoroughly than ever, he finished second once again.....
SENNA_P_1_340...The time had come for him to make a decision about his future...
SENNA_P_1_350...Then, one day, Senna was contacted by fellow driver Chico Serra. They had been contemporaries, but Serra had taken the plunge and was now racing in Europe. He recommeded that Senna try his hand at Formula Ford racing....
SENNA_P_1_360...Senna initially rejected the proposal, but a sense of regret over his unfulfilled dreams still gnawed away at him...
SENNA_P_1_370...After a long period of consideration, Senna eventually decided to relocate to England in order to drive formula cars....
SENNA_P_1_380...He entered the Karting World Championship for a fifth and final time, but he was unable to secure victory, and ended up moving on to the next stage of his career without this title under his belt....
SENNA_B_2_010...In 1981, Senna started driving in the Formula Ford 1600 Championships...
SENNA_B_2_020...Being an entry-level category, the cars did not have much grip, and were difficult to control...
SENNA_B_2_021...Senna came fifth in his debut race, and third in his second.....
SENNA_B_2_030...The best was yet to come, however...
SENNA_B_2_031...He secured his first victory in his third race, and ended the season with 12 wins from 20 races.....
SENNA_B_2_040...The following year, Senna moved up to the Formula Ford 2000 category....
SENNA_B_2_050...His record in the Formula Ford 2000 Championships was beyond reproach: 22 wins in 28 races..
SENNA_B_2_060...In November 1982, Senna made his debut in a Formula 3 car...
SENNA_B_2_061...He revealed his genius to the world of racing when he won the race, setting a track record in the process...
SENNA_B_2_070...As a result of this success, Senna was given a chance to drive in the 1983 British Formula 3 Championship...
SENNA_B_2_071...He had joined an up-and-coming team called West Surrey Racing...
SENNA_B_2_080...He drove a Ralt RT3, powered by a Toyota 2T-G engine....
SENNA_B_2_081...Senna learned a great deal about motor development and setup from driving this car..
SENNA_B_2_090...Senna was unstoppable in the first half of the season, achieving breathtaking speeds, and racking up nine consecutive victories.....
SENNA_B_2_091...In the 10th race at Silverstone, however, Senna suffered a crash which badly affected his pace..
SENNA_B_2_100...Standing between Senna and the Formula 3 title was his great rival Martin Brundle...
SENNA_B_2_101...It came down to the final race, where Senna displayed incredible concentration to claim the victory, and with it the British Formula 3 Championship.....
SENNA_B_2_110...The inaugural Macau Grand Prix, in which national Formula 3 champions from all over the world competed against each other, was held in 1983. ...
SENNA_B_2_111...Senna secured victory in Macau, and thus became the first ever Formula 3 world champion.....
SENNA_B_2_120...Now you too have the chance to drive Ayrton Senna's Toyota-powered Ralt Formula Three car!..
SENNA_P_2_010...After relocating to England permanently, Senna entered the world of formula car racing..
SENNA_P_2_020...Before starting his new life in Europe Senna, had married Lilian, his childhood sweetheart. Unfortunately, the stress of living in a foreign country proved to be too much for their relationship, and they soon announced their separation.....
SENNA_P_2_030...In 1981, Senna was given a chance to drive in the Formula Ford 1600 Championships with the Van Diemen team..
SENNA_P_2_040...That year, he raced in three different Formula Ford competitions....
SENNA_P_2_050...His debut came on the 1st of March, at Brands Hatch. Senna finished fifth. At Thruxton the following week, he finished third....
SENNA_P_2_060...Formula Ford 1600 cars have little grip, and are difficult to control. As he got more races under his belt, however, Senna began to find his feet...
SENNA_P_2_070...He secured his first victory in the third race, back at Brands Hatch, and would go on to finish the season with 12 wins from 20 races...
SENNA_P_2_080..."Winning is the important thing. That's true of everything, always. If you think simply taking part has any meaning, you're always going to fail." - Ayrton Senna...
SENNA_P_2_090...By this point, Senna was widely expected to make the step up into F3. However, he was unable to find sponsors in the UK, and returned to Brazil temporarily.....
SENNA_P_2_100...Now unable to rely on support from his father, Senna spent all his time looking for sponsors back in Brazil. The search proved to be fruitless, however, and the year ended with Senna's future looking uncertain...
SENNA_P_2_110...Just before the start of the 1982 season, Senna decided to abandon his plans to step up to F3, and instead accepted an offer to drive with a team called Rushen-Green in the top-ranked Formula Ford 2000 Championships.....
SENNA_P_2_120...FF 2000 cars are notably different from FF 1600 cars in a number of ways. For example, they have more grip and power, as well as adjustable wings...
SENNA_P_2_130...After winning the first race of the season at Brands Hatch, Senna never looked back. He won 22 of 28 races, and looked simply peerless..
SENNA_P_2_140...In a race held on the 9th of April at Snetterton, he managed to win even though his front brakes weren't working....
SENNA_P_2_150...Senna knew there were only two braking points on the entire track, and astonished his rivals by allowing them to overtake him at these points before speeding up, overtaking them again, and reclaiming the lead....
SENNA_P_2_160...Senna's speed became a hot topic in the racing world, and in June 1982, Eddie Jordan gave him his first drive in an F3 car..
SENNA_P_2_170...Senna did 38 laps of Silverstone's southern circuit, achieving a fastest lap time of 54.03 seconds. This was faster than the fastest lap recorded in that year's F3 championship (54.04 seconds)....
SENNA_P_2_180...In November, Senna received an offer from the leading West Surrey Racing team, and drove in the final race of the F3 season. He won the race, and set a track record in the process.....
SENNA_P_2_190...Senna's involvement in the 1983 British Formula 3 Championship was sealed that day. The young man who just one year earlier had considered quitting motorsport due to lack of funding had been given the chance of a lifetime...
SENNA_P_2_200...Senna came to realise, however, that victory in motorsport was not only a matter of talent and effort. It was during this period that a dark shadow began to appear on his usually smiling face.....
SENNA_P_2_210...At the start of the 1983 season, Senna changed the name by which he was known in the sport from "Ayrton da Silva" to "Ayrton Senna".....
SENNA_P_2_220...At West Surrey Racing, Senna drove a Ralt car with a Toyota engine. Through his involvement with this car, he came to learn things about motor development and setup that he had not come across in the lower racing categories.....
SENNA_P_2_230...Senna's first F3 season started on the 6th of March 1983. It was to be a season notable for his fierce battle with the English driver Martin Brundle....
SENNA_P_2_240...Senna was absolutely dominant in the first half of the season, winning nine consecutive races...
SENNA_P_2_250...In the 10th race at Silverstone, however, Senna's tyre selection backfired, and he crashed. His pace was seriously affected as a result, and by the 19th race, Brundle had overturned Senna's points advantage..
SENNA_P_2_260...It all came down to the final race at Thruxton. But Senna rose to the occasion, dominating the race from start to finish, scoring a stunning victory, and becoming the British Formula 3 Champion in the process....
SENNA_P_2_270...After the race, Senna told Brundle, who had finished third, that he was the best British driver since Jim Clark!....
SENNA_P_2_280...1983 was also the year that Frank Williams would give Senna his first drive in an F1 car....
SENNA_P_2_290...It took place in July, at Donington Park. Senna drove 83 laps of the track in the Williams car, recording faster times than Jonathan Palmer, Williams's test driver.....
SENNA_P_2_300...1983 was also a big year for Formula 3, as the first Macau Grand Prix was held - an event in which national F3 champions from all over the world were given the chance to compete against one another...
SENNA_P_2_310...Despite it being Senna's first race on a street circuit, he secured pole position, and won the two-heat event with a huge lead over his nearest rival...
SENNA_P_2_320...Senna's record in the 1983 season was beyond reproach. His decision to leave his home country and learn a new language was being handsomely rewarded....
SENNA_P_2_330...Towards the end of the 1983 season, Senna tested for a number of F1 teams. The only team that would offer him a place the following season, however, was an up-and-coming outfit called Toleman.....
SENNA_P_2_340...On the 9th of December 1983, Senna signed a contract with Toleman. He had finally reached the pinaccle of formula racing....
SENNA_B_31_010..In 1985, Senna competed in the F1 World Championships for Lotus - the same team that his childhood hero Jim Clark had raced for.....
SENNA_B_31_020..The age of telemetric monitoring in motorsport was just beginning...
SENNA_B_31_021..Nevertheless, Senna had a way of communicating with his car without the need for technology.....
SENNA_B_31_030..Before going out onto the track, Senna would close his eyes, concentrate, and predict what his lap time was going to be.....
SENNA_B_31_031..More often than not, he'd come off the track having actually matched or beaten his predicted time...
SENNA_B_31_040..Senna would not trouble the podium for a long time after his maiden victory in Portugal.....
SENNA_B_31_041..He was finally able to vent his frustration at the 13th Grand Prix of the season, in Belgium....
SENNA_B_31_042..At Spa-Francorchamps, a circuit which would become one of his favourites, Senna once again proved that rain was his ally....
SENNA_B_31_050..After starting second on the grid, Senna took the lead on the Eau Rouge section of the track....
SENNA_B_31_051..Senna managed to hold on and win a tough race, despite having engine trouble....
SENNA_B_31_060..In total, Senna recorded seven pole positions in the 1985 season, finished on the podium six times, and came fourth in the Drivers' Championship....
SENNA_B_31_070..In the second half of the 1985 season, he showed particularly impressive driving skills during the 14th race, held at Brands Hatch..
SENNA_B_31_071..During qualifying for that race, he smashed the lap record for winged cars - there were even those who said his record would never be beaten....
SENNA_B_31_080..Now it's your chance to see how you match up. Can you beat Senna's time of 1:07:169?....
SENNA_B_3_010...Senna made his Formula 1 debut in 1984, representing the relatively new Toleman team....
SENNA_B_3_020...The rookie driver first made his presence felt at Monaco, the sixth Grand Prix of the season....
SENNA_B_3_021...In torrential rain, Senna qualified in 13th place, then drove like a man possessed, moving all the way up the field.....
SENNA_B_3_030...Somewhere in the back of his mind must have been the days he spent racing his kart in the wet so many years previously..
SENNA_B_3_031...Eventually he made his way to second place. He had the leader, Alain Prost, in his sights...
SENNA_B_3_040...Just before this most unexpected turnaround could be completed, however, the race was stopped due to the rain..Senna could not help but cry at this devastating conclusion..
SENNA_B_3_050...Senna recorded his second podium finish of the season when he came third in the 10th race - the British Grand Prix at Silverstone...
SENNA_B_3_051...He celebrated by linking arms with the great Niki Lauda, who had won the race...
SENNA_B_3_060...In 1985, Senna transferred to the legendary Lotus racing team...
SENNA_B_3_070...That season, he would drive a Lotus 97T, designed by Gérard Ducarouge..
SENNA_B_3_071...It was a distinctive jet-black colour, and fitted with a Renault V6 turbocharged engine.....
SENNA_B_3_080...Senna's transfer to Lotus bore fruit almost immediately, at the second race of the season, the Portuguese Grand Prix....
SENNA_B_3_081...It was here that Senna would achieve the first of his record-breaking 65 pole positions.....
SENNA_B_3_090...The rain was so bad that the race might as well have been held underwater, but Senna produced a repeat of his performance in Monaco the previous season.....
SENNA_B_3_091...It was an overwhelming debut victory: he lapped every car from third place downwards, and was over a minute ahead of his nearest rival..
SENNA_B_3_100...Senna had the same three goals in every race: to secure pole position, to record the fastest lap, and to win....
SENNA_B_3_101...He would prove to be extremely successful at the first of these, landing seven pole positions in 1985 alone.....
SENNA_B_3_110...Now it's your turn to see how your speed compares to Senna's! Can you beat the lap time of 1:25:084 he set at the Monza circuit?....
SENNA_P_3_010...Senna's Formula 1 career started in 1984, when he represented the Toleman team. His car number was 19...
SENNA_P_3_020...Senna placed great importance on discussions with his team. Every matter was discussed thoroughly, until everyone was satisfied that they had a clear understanding of it...
SENNA_P_3_030...Senna's first Grand Prix was held on the 25th of March, in his native Brazil. He waved at his family from the pit lane, the joy on his face plain for everyone to see...
SENNA_P_3_040...Senna finished 16th in qualifying, and his debut race ended with a whimper when he was forced to retire with turbo trouble on the 8th lap...
SENNA_P_3_050...F1 cars in those days featured a mixture of naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines. Senna struggled to adapt to turbocharged engines when he first used one, but before long he was using them to his advantage, and becoming even faster.....
SENNA_P_3_060...The second Grand Prix of the season took place in South Africa. Senna started 13th on the grid, but steadily moved up through the field during the race to finish in 6th place and earn his first F1 point..
SENNA_P_3_070...The race had taken place in intense heat, and Senna had felt himself reaching the limits of his natural stamina. From that moment onwards, he began to undertake rigorous physical training.....
SENNA_P_3_080...The fourth race of the season was the San Marino Grand Prix. Due to a contractual dispute, Senna's car could not be supplied with tyres, and he failed to qualify for the only time in his F1 career....
SENNA_P_3_090...Senna first made the world stand up and take notice at the sixth Grand Prix of the 1984 season, held in Monaco. In torrential rain, he qualified 13th, but turned in a series of super-quick laps to close in on the leader, Alain Prost....
SENNA_P_3_100...Senna made careful use of his turbo and displayed extremely delicate handling skills - no doubt thinking back to all the wet weather training he did during his karting days....
SENNA_P_3_110...Despite being in a relatively underpowered car, Senna was soon in second place. Just as he thought he was on the verge of a momentous victory from behind, however, the race was stopped....
SENNA_P_3_120...The stoppage proved very controversial, and Senna could not hide his disappointment on the podium. Still, no one could deny how quick he was after this performance.....
SENNA_P_3_130...Senna achieved his second podium finish at the tenth race of the season, the British Grand Prix. Niki Lauda won the race, and Senna celebrated his victory by holding the great champion's hand and raising it aloft....
SENNA_P_3_140...Senna's single-minded will to win soon saw him part company with Toleman, however, and at the 13th race of the season in the Netherlands, he announced that he had signed a contract with Lotus for the following season....
SENNA_P_3_150...Driven by a fierce desire to suceed, in 1985 Senna signed a contract with the legendary Lotus team - the same team that his hero Jim Clark had raced for....
SENNA_P_3_160...His teammate at Lotus was the Italian Elio de Angelis. Nigel Mansell lost his position at the team as a result of Senna's arrival, and moved to Williams....
SENNA_P_3_170...Senna's car for the 1985 season was the Lotus 97T, designed by Gérard Ducarouge. It had a jet-black body decorated with gold lettering, and was powered by a turbocharged Renault engine...
SENNA_P_3_180...Senna's transfer to Lotus bore fruit in the second race of the season, the Portuguese Grand Prix. Senna recorded an overwhelmingly quick time during qualifying, and achieved the first of his 65 pole positions....
SENNA_P_3_190...The race took place in heavy rain, and Senna never looked back from pole position, leading all the way through and finishing over a minute ahead of the car in second place and lapping every other car. He had won his first Grand Prix....
SENNA_P_3_200..."Danger's a part of the way I drive, I don't know any other way. If I have to overtake someone, I'll overtake them, simple as that." - Ayrton Senna.
SENNA_P_3_210...Remote monitoring of cars using telemetry was just starting to enter motorsport around this time, but Senna had a way of understanding the condition of his car even without any such devices...
SENNA_P_3_220...He could remember his engine RPM and turbo pressure at every corner, and could freely access this data whenever he was racing...
SENNA_P_3_230...After Portugal, Senna's second victory eluded him for a long time, even though he continued to qualify well.....
SENNA_P_3_240...The breakthrough finally came in the 13th race of the season, the Belgian Grand Prix, as Senna once again proved that rain was his ally. He clung on to win a tough race, despite suffering from engine trouble.....
SENNA_P_3_250...Senna ended the season with six podium finishes and 38 points. He came fourth in the Drivers' Championship, which was won by Alain Prost for the first time.....
SENNA_P_3_260...By the following year, 1986, there was no doubt that Senna was one of the sport's top drivers...
SENNA_P_3_270...The opening race of the season was the Brazilian Grand Prix. Senna qualified in pole position, but was no match for Williams's Nelson Piquet during the race itself, and victory on home soil eluded him....
SENNA_P_3_280...The 1986 season was dominated by Honda engines, and the Williams cars which featured them proved to be a real thorn in Senna's side.....
SENNA_P_3_290...He did manage to win the second Grand Prix of the season in Spain, however, squeaking home ahead of Williams's Nigel Mansell by just .014 of a second...
SENNA_P_3_300...Senna failed to win any of the next four races, though he did finish in the points on most occasions. His second victory of the season came in the seventh race, the Detroit Grand Prix, and the win took him to the top of the Drivers' Championship standings.....
SENNA_P_3_310...The Lotus struggled to compete for the rest of the season, however, and Senna would have to wait a long time for his next victory...
SENNA_P_3_320...Though he qualified in pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix, the 14th race of the season, Senna ran out of fuel, and eventually finished fourth. The result meant that his dream of winning the World Championship was over for another year.....
SENNA_P_3_330...There was some good news for Senna, however, as Lotus announced a collaboration with Honda, and revealed that they would be using their engines the following season....
SENNA_P_3_340...Lotus started the 1987 F1 season with a new engine supplier, Honda. Their car for the season was the 99T, which drew attention for its innovative use of active suspension..
SENNA_P_3_350...When the season started, however, it soon became apparent that the active suspension was not yet ready for use at the top level.....
SENNA_P_3_360...The first race of the season was once again held in Brazil. Senna qualified in third place, but had to retire midway through. In the next race in San Marino, he finished second, but in Belgium two weeks later, he collided with Nigel Mansell, and was forced to retire for the second time in three races...
SENNA_P_3_370...The fourth and fifth races, in Monaco and the USA, both took place on street circuits, and their bumpy surfaces were a perfect match for the Lotus cars' suspension.....
SENNA_P_3_380...In Monaco, Nigel Mansell suffered turbo trouble which forced him to retire, allowing Senna to take the victory. Then, in Detroit, Senna seized upon further difficulties experienced by the Brit to claim his second win in a row...
SENNA_P_3_390...After four races, therefore, Senna was level with Alain Prost at the top of the Drivers' Championship standings. However, he failed to win any more races, and the Championship became a two-horse race between the Williams drivers....
SENNA_P_3_400...The disappointments of 1987 left Senna once again wondering where his future lay....
SENNA_P_3_410...At the 11th race of the season, the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren made an earth-shattering announcement: "In 1988 we will be using Honda engines. Our drivers will be Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna."..
SENNA_P_3_420...The 1987 season would be Senna's last with Lotus, therefore. He raced 16 times, finishing in the points 11 times and winning two races..
SENNA_P_3_430...Senna was 27 years old when he transferred to McLaren. Joining the strongest team in Formula 1 appeared to place a great strain on him. The smile disappeared from his face, and he often looked sad and gloomy.....
SENNA_P_4_010...The 1988 McLaren team was something close to perfection. They had the best designers, the fastest engine, and the most talented drivers.....
SENNA_P_4_020...The second race of the season was the San Marino Grand Prix, and everything went to plan as Senna beat his teammate Alain Prost into second place. At the following race in Monaco, however, Senna displayed an uncharacteristic fragility..
SENNA_P_4_030...He got off to a flying start, and looked all set for victory. Under pressure from Prost, however, Senna crashed on his way into the tunnel on lap 67. Senna was so shocked that he went straight home without contacting anyone on the team.....
SENNA_P_4_040...Senna would later refer to this race as an important learning experience. He resolved to face his weaknesses, and vowed to develop into a driver who would not buckle under pressure, no matter what....
SENNA_P_4_050...From the fifth race in Canada onwards, Senna went on a run of six wins and one second place, storming to the top of the Drivers' Championship. He then failed to win three consective races, however, and let Prost back into contention. The battle for the championship peaked at the penultimate race in Japan...
SENNA_P_4_060...Senna made a terrible start in Japan, dropping to eighth place. However, thanks to the incredible tenacity he showed afterwards, he eventually managed to overtake Prost, proving once again that he was the master of the wet. Senna even said that he saw God while on the last lap...
SENNA_P_4_070...Just five years after making his Formula 1 debut, Senna was World Champion, having notched up a record eight wins during the course of the season...
SENNA_P_4_080...Turbocharged engines were banned ahead of the 1989 Formula 1 season, with all cars required to have a naturally aspirated engine. Despite this alteration to the rules, McLaren continued to be an imposing presence in the sport...
SENNA_P_4_090...At the second race of the season, in San Marino, Senna and Prost had a disagreement about their approach to the first corner, and the level of antagonism between the two drivers became apparent...
SENNA_P_4_100...Senna was faster than Prost throughout the season, yet Prost proved to be more accomplished at accumulating points. Once again, the fate of the championship would be decided at the Japanese Grand Prix....
SENNA_P_4_110...Prost led from the start, but Senna gradually gained on him as the race wore on. On the 47th lap, their cars collided on a chicane. Senna continued driving and finished the race, but was eventually disqualified for not properly traversing the chicane in question..
SENNA_P_4_120...Senna would finish the season with six wins, two more than Prost. However, Prost also managed to record six second-place finishes, meaning he racked up more points than Senna, and won the championship....
SENNA_P_4_130...A dramatic change took place ahead of the 1990 season, when Alain Prost transferred to Ferrari, and Senna found himself with a new teammate in Gerhard Berger...
SENNA_P_4_140...The unfortunate way that the 1989 season had ended meant that Senna endured a difficult off-season, but having Berger - an old friend from his Formula 3 days - join the team seemed to rekindle his fighting spirit....
SENNA_P_4_150...Senna won the first race of the year, the US Grand Prix. As the season unfolded, it became clear that Senna would be facing a tough battle against Prost and Mansell in their Ferraris..
SENNA_P_4_160...Senna won the ninth, eleventh, and twelfth races of the season. Prost never stopped racking up points, however, and yet again the championship looked set to be decided at the Japanese Grand Prix..
SENNA_P_4_170...Immediately after the race began, both Prost and Senna flew off the grid, colliding on the very first corner. Both cars left the track, and with Prost now unable to win the race, Senna sealed the World Championship..
SENNA_P_4_180..."Europeans don't seem troubled by loneliness and isolation. I'm different. I miss Brazil. I miss my family." - Ayrton Senna.
SENNA_P_4_190...In 1991, McLaren revealed its new car, the MP4/6, and also switched from using V10 Honda engines to V12s....
SENNA_P_4_200...Senna won the first race of the season in the US. For the second race of the season, he returned to race in his native Brazil for the eighth time. He suffered gearbox trouble, however, and by the end of the race he had to rely exclusively on sixth gear....
SENNA_P_4_210...However, the Senna of 1991 was not a quitter. There were six laps to go, and he managed to use his clutch and ocassionally slide his car around corners to make it to the finish line and win the race..
SENNA_P_4_220...Senna broke down in tears as he crossed the finish line, and his screams of joy and relief could be heard around the world. He was so exhausted that he could barely lift the trophy when it was awarded to him on the podium...
SENNA_P_4_230...Senna finished the 1991 season with seven victories, and claimed his third World Championship. Lurking in the background, however, was an impending generational shift in Formula 1.....
SENNA_P_4_240...The following year, the pace was set by the Williams cars, which featured all-new active suspension system. Senna found himself having to chase throughout the season, and his driving became ever more frantic....
.SENNA_P_4_250...The sixth race of the season, in Monaco, was led by Nigel Mansell from the start. Towards the end of the race, however, one of Mansell's wheel nuts came loose, and he had to make a pit stop. This allowed Senna to take the lead, and the two drivers engaged in a fierce battle over the last few laps...
SENNA_P_4_260...Senna's tyres had lost all their grip by the end of the race, but he held off Mansell to earn a hard-fought victory. He would only win two more races all season, however, and would end up in fourth place in the Drivers' Championship....
SENNA_P_4_270...Senna's slump coincided with Honda's announcement to withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of the 1992 season. It was to be the end of a glorious partnership..
SENNA_P_4_280...1993 saw the beginning of Senna's sixth season at McLaren, who announced that they would now be using cars fitted with Ford HB V8 engines...
SENNA_P_4_290...While Williams were once again the team to beat in 1993, Benetton had also started to make great strides. It became clear that McLaren could not compete. Senna, however, continued to believe that he always had a chance of winning in the wet....
SENNA_P_4_300...Sure enough, as torrential rain soaked the track for the third race of the season - the European Grand Prix - a near-miracle occured. From fourth place on the grid, Senna overtook Schumacher, Hill and Prost to take the lead before the first lap had even been completed....
SENNA_P_4_310...Despite driving an underpowered car, Senna won the race, finishing 1 minute and 23 seconds ahead of Damon Hill in 2nd place, and managing to lap Alain Prost. It was a race where he reaffirmed his genius to the world.....
SENNA_P_4_320...Prost won his final championship in 1993, and retired from the sport. Senna finished the season strongly, winning in Japan and Australia, but these would prove to be his parting gifts to McLaren. He announced his decision to join Williams for the 1994 season..
SENNA_P_4_330...The 1994 season was Senna's 11th as a Formula One Driver. The one-time rookie had become a veteran, the weight of his experiences etched on his face....
SENNA_P_4_340...He was driving for Williams, the team that had won the previous two World Championships, and the team that had first given him the chance to try driving a Formula 1 car 12 years previously....
SENNA_P_4_350...A number of rule changes were announced for the 1994 season, banning high-tech equipment, and re-introducing mid-race refuelling. Williams introduced the FW16 car, which complied with these rules by not having active suspension or ABS..
SENNA_P_4_360...These changes increased the burden on the driver, and meant that cars were lighter as a result of having to carry less fuel. With Senna passing his physical peak, there was no doubt that the changes would put him at a disadvantage..
SENNA_P_4_370...The season opened in Brazil, where Senna claimed the 63rd pole position of his career. He would not finish the race, however, spinning off while trying to catch up with Schumacher, and being forced to retire.....
SENNA_P_4_380...The next race was the Pacific Grand Prix in Aida, Japan. It was the first time the track had been used as a Formula 1 circuit, but this did not trouble Senna, who grabbed another pole position....
SENNA_P_4_390...In the race itself, however, Schumacher got off to a perfect start, and Senna got involved in a multi-car pile-up at the first corner. His race was over almost before it had began.....
SENNA_P_4_400...As the season gradually unfolded, Senna continued to prove that he was the king of qualifying, while Schumacher had to have the upper hand in the races themselves. After just two races, Schumacher was 20 points ahead of Senna...
SENNA_P_4_410...Formula One's European debut that season was the San Marino grand prix. It was to prove a tragic event, with a series of accidents taking place from the very first day of qualifying...
SENNA_P_4_420...On Friday, the first day of qualifying, Senna's young compatriot Rubens Barichello was involved in a huge accident when his car hit a kerb and span around in mid-air...
SENNA_P_4_430...On the second day of qualifying, the Saturday, Roland Ratzenberger, who had just made his Formula One debut, failed to negotiate the Villeneuve curve, and crashed into a concrete wall. Tragically, he would not survive the accident..
SENNA_P_4_440...The remainder of qualifying was cancelled. Senna had already claimed his 65th pole, with Schumacher right behind him in second place on the grid....
SENNA_P_4_450...Senna had considered walking away from the race after the events of the previous day, but eventually changed his mind, and made his way onto the track..
SENNA_P_4_460...It was Sunday the first of May, 1994....
SENNA_P_4_470...The cars took part in a formation lap, then the race was started, only to be stopped again almost immediately after yet another accident....
SENNA_P_4_480...Pedro Lamy crashed into the back of J.J. Lehto's stalled Benetton, with pieces of debris from the cars flying into the crowd and injuring spectators. The safety car was introduced.....
SENNA_P_4_490...After driving five laps behind the safety car, the race was restarted. Senna got off to a flying start, leaving Schumacher in his wake..
SENNA_P_4_500...On the second lap, Senna was leading Schumacher going into the Tamburello corner, a high-speed left turn, when his car veered off the racing line, leaving the track....
SENNA_P_4_510...He would not be seen again..
SENNA_P_4_520...It was 2:17 pm. Time at Imola stood still...
SENNA_P_4_530...Despite reaching the very pinnacle of motor racing achievement, Senna never showed any interest in the gaudy and transient trappings of fame....
SENNA_P_4_540...Senna had always been a foreigner in the world of Formula 1. What is more, he always held his home country dear, along with all its problems....
SENNA_P_4_550...He once said in an interview: "Wealthy men can't live on an island that is encircled by poverty."...
SENNA_P_4_560...Nearly 200 million people live in Brazil, and most of them still live lives that are ravaged by crime and poverty...
SENNA_P_4_570...Children are particularly affected..
SENNA_P_4_580...For example, Brazil's infant mortality rate is several times higher than that of other developed nations, and there are millions of children without access to food or education....
SENNA_P_4_590...Senna said "We must give a chance to everyone - at least a basic chance", and took steps to put this idea into practice.....
SENNA_P_4_600...Two months before his accident, he had told his sister Viviane that he would like to do something to help the people of Brazil. The two agreed to discuss it the next time they spoke...
SENNA_P_4_610...They would never have a chance to speak again, but the initial discussion had planted a seed in the consciousness of Senna's family, and they decided to set up an institute in his name....
SENNA_P_4_620...This was to become the Ayrton Senna Institute, established in November 1994.....
SENNA_P_4_630...The aim of the institute is to have as many children as possible learn skills required for living successfully in today's society. With the support of major corporations and global organisations, its name is becoming known all over the world...
SENNA_P_4_640...It provides textbooks for children who cannot go to school, and organises computer lessons to improve young people's chances of finding employment..
SENNA_P_4_650...With the support of the University of São Paulo, the Institute also gives athletically gifted children opportunities to display and develop their talents. These children are also provided with meals, transport and emotional support....
SENNA_P_4_660...Another key element of what the Institute does revolves around the cartoon character Senninha, based on Senna himself. Licensing fees for this popular character are used to support the work of the Ayrton Senna Institute.....
SENNA_P_4_670..."We want to give every child the same chances that Ayrton had." - Viviane Senna.
SENNA_P_4_680...Senna's legacy lives on in other ways, too..
SENNA_P_4_690...The GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers' Association) was re-established after his death, giving drivers a chance to make their views on race safety known.....
SENNA_P_4_700...The karting track at Interlagos has been renamed the Kartódromo Ayrton Senna in his honour.....
SENNA_P_4_710...The track itself itself has not changed, however, and remains exactly the same one on which he began his illustrious driving career.....
SENNA_P_4_720...From the tall grass that grows on the side of the track, one almost feels as if that young boy, driving for the pure, unadulterated joy of it in the kart his father made him, could come careering around the corner at any moment.....
SENNA_P_4_730...A huge grin of satisfaction on his face.
And as Squatch240 pointed out, Turn 10 didn't exactly shine in their other TG content either, so what was left was... hot laps? Woo, so much bedder than what PD gave us. 
