He was regarded as one of the best of all times, and who knows where he could get to, if that fatal moment did not happen there, in Tamburello corner on 1st May 1994…
Ayrton Senna would have been 60 today.
The Brazilian boy was born to race. He started karting at the age of 4, then he did his first race with the starting number Nr. 1 at the age of 13. Certainly, he won it. Wherever he went, his career was paved with victories. He climbed up the ladder, and he had straight path towards Formula 1.
Toleman, Lotus, McLaren… – as a driver of the latter, he had memorable battles with Alain Prost. The French was like calm, relaxed and precise, while Senna never hesitated to take some risk. He claimed three world championship titles as a McLaren, he won and lost incredible battles, with his head always high, then he joined Williams in 1994.
On 1st May 1994, in corner 7 at around 310 km/h Senna, who was leading the race, went off the track and hit the concrete wall. Via television millions or even tens of millions were watching with fear that the medical staff fought for his life and he was airlifted to hospital. However, his heart was restarted there, he passed early in the evening, however, 14.17 was registered as the official time of his death.
In Brazil one and a half million people went to his funeral, three days of morning was declared in the country.
Ayrton Senna was a humble and nice person in his private life, however, his winning spirit made him a ruthless fighter on the track. Besides his three world championship titles he claimed 41 race wins, 80 podium places, 65 pole positions and 19 fastest laps.
He was very successful on our circuit, at the Hungaroring as well, he won the Hungarian GP in 1988, 1991 and 1992.
Many has written many things on him, but his own words might describe him better than anything else, and they have given inspiration for several future drivers, and not only after his death.
‘Racing, competing, it’s in my blood. It’s part of me, it’s part of my life. I have been doing it all my life, and it stands above everything else.’
‘I do not know driving in another way which isn’t risky. Each one has to improve himself. Each driver has its limits. My limit is a little bit further than other’s.’
‘If I ever happen to have an accident that eventually costs me my life, I hope it is in one go. I would not like to be in a wheelchair. If I’m going to live, I want to live fully, very intensely, because I am an intense person.’
‘You’ll never know the feeling of a driver when winning a race. The helmet hides feelings that cannot be understood.’
‘Winning is the most important. Everything is consequence of that.’
