Ayrton Senna - Life of a Three-Time Formula 1 World Champion

Twitter reminded me that today, 21 March 2017, was Ayrton Senna's 57th birthday if he was still alive. As a racing driver, he built teams, captured impossible wins, and inspired the future generation of fans and racers alike. As a Brazilian, his charity and love for his Country can be seen with his contributions and efforts via the Ayrton Senna Institute. As a man, he taught all those paying attention how to think about life and pursuing your dreams.

His career starts from humble beginnings in Go-Karting, which lead him to compete on the highest level in Europe, progressing to British Formula 3 and becoming a Champion to be noticed and awarded a drive in Formula 1 with the Toleman Team.

Toleman is where his skills in the Wet became very apparent as he was catching the then Formula 1 superstar, Alain Prost, during Monaco GP before Race Officials stopped the event due to excessive foul weather. Lotus took notice and offer him a drive the following year and he spent his next three Seasons with Lotus crescendoing into the Formula 1 spotlight before signing into McLaren to join his future Arch Rival Alain Prost as a team mate.

McLaren-Honda relationship allowed Senna to showcase the world his talent for racing and he took home Three Driver's World Championships before Williams and electronics warfare in Formula 1 changed the game forever and a very dominant Nigel Mansell of the Williams Team took the crown in 1992. Prost retired already from racing but returning in 1993 to drive for Williams, after Nigel's contract expired, with an exclusive veto clause that barred Ayrton Senna as a team mate. Senna stayed fiercely competitive in 1993 but, with the lack of a competitive car, he could not bring a proper fight to Prost except on rare occasions when it rained such as the European Gran Prix at Donnington Park with a brilliant opening lap where he started 5th and passed all four individuals in front of him to include: Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, Damon Hill and Alain Prost.

Electronics wizardry was banned in 1994 as Senna secured his drive with Williams and Alain Prost departed the team after winning his 4th World Championship as Senna chases his 4th. Without the electronics, which the car was designed around, the car Williams fielded for 1994 was a total disaster which undoubtedly frustrated Senna as he was predicted to walk the Championship.

1994 San Marino Gran Prix was a very different kind of weekend. Austrian Roland Ratzenberger died during weekend practice and Rubens Barrichello went off track and hit barriers to what seemed like a fatal accident but survived. These events no doubt made the situation very tense and was deeply felt by Senna before Race day. As the story goes, a mechanical failure Senna's Williams race car on Race Day during the Tamburello corner sent him into a concrete wall at full racing speed of 190mph. A steering component hit his helmet which cause the traumatic brain injury that took his life.

He was worshipped in his native homeland of Brazil and his funeral was befitting that of a King. The Japanese adored him and his Samurai spirit. Being stationed in Japan for two years, I had the pleasure of seeing his photographs of him and his McLaren-Honda Formula 1 car all over the place. One night I took my then girlfriend to get some Sushi at a rather small town and as the Chef prepared our dinner I saw Senna's picture of him with his Yellow and Green helmet in the McLaren. Although I spoke terrible Japanese and the Chef did not speak much English, I looked and pointed to the picture on the wall and said 'Senna!' and the warmest smile that could be worn adorned this gentlemen's face as he replied 'Hai, Senna!'

RIP Senna. You will never be forgotten!