Ayrton Senna, a Brazilian racing driver, is arguably one of the greatest F1 drivers who left an indelible mark on the sport of Formula One,
Senna won the World Drivers’ Championship three times during his illustrious career, in 1988, 1990, and 1991. With 41 Grand Prix wins and 65 pole positions, Senna cemented his place in the history of Formula One, holding the latter record until 2006. Unfortunately, the possibility of more records would never be realised as Senna’s untimely death during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix while driving for the Williams team shook the racing world to its core.
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Born | Ayrton Senna da Silva 21 March 1960 São Paulo, Brazil |
|---|---|
| Died | 1 May 1994 (aged 34) Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy |
Senna’s journey to the top began with karting, and he quickly moved up the ranks to open-wheel racing, winning the 1983 British Formula Three Championship. He made his Formula One debut with Toleman-Hart in 1984 before joining Lotus-Renault and winning six Grand Prix in the following three seasons.
In 1988, he joined forces with Frenchman Alain Prost at McLaren-Honda, and together, they dominated the competition, winning all but one of the 16 Grand Prix that year. Senna claimed his first World Championship that year, while Prost won the title in 1989. Senna won his second and third championships in 1990 and 1991, respectively.
As the Williams-Renault team began to dominate Formula One in 1992, Senna could only finish the 1993 season as runner-up for McLaren while winning five races. With the Williams team looking to dominate again the following season, Senna decided to move to Williams for the 1994 season, a season where he would meet an untimely death at the San Marino Grand Prix held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit.
Remembered as one of F1’s greats, Senna’s ability to qualify quickly over one lap and his incredible wet-weather performances saw wins at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the 1993 European Grand Prix, which demonstrated his skills as one of the best drivers of his generation. Senna’s six victories at the Monaco Grand Prix remain unmatched today.
While Senna was widely recognised as one of the most talented drivers in F1 history, he was also known for courting controversy, particularly during his contentious rivalry with Alain Prost. Senna and Prost collided at the Japanese Grand Prix of 1989 and 1990, ultimately determining the championship winner each year. Nevertheless, Senna’s incredible legacy and impact on Formula One cannot be denied. He remains the sixth-most successful driver of all time in terms of race wins and holds the record for the most wins for McLaren.
Ayrton Senna Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1984–1994 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Toleman, Lotus, McLaren, Williams |
| Entries | 162 (161 starts) |
| Championships | 3 (1988, 1990, 1991) |
| Wins | 41 |
| Podiums | 80 |
| Career points | 610 (614)1 |
| Pole positions | 65 |
| Fastest laps | 19 |
| First entry | 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| First win | 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1993 Australian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1994 San Marino Grand Prix |
Ayrton Senna Formula One records
Senna holds/held these Formula One records:
| Record | # | Achieved |
|---|---|---|
| Most consecutive pole positions | 8 | 1988 Spanish Grand Prix – 1989 United States Grand Prix |
| Most consecutive front-row starts | 24 | 1988 German Grand Prix – 1989 Australian Grand Prix |
| Most consecutive wins at the same Grand Prix | 5 | Monaco Grand Prix 1989–1993 |
| Most consecutive pole positions at the same Grand Prix | 7 | San Marino Grand Prix 1985–1991 |
| Highest percentage of front row starts in a season | 100% | 1989 |
