50 Today - Remembering Ayrton Senna

- Published on Mar 21st, 2010 by Riccardo Monza

Happy Birthday to Ayrton Senna, the brilliant Brazilian three times F1 World Champion. Ayrton Senna Da Silva (to quote his full name) was born in São Paulo, Brazil on 21st March 1960, and would have been 50 today had he not died after tragically crashing at Imola in 1994. Ayrton burst on to the scene in 1984 driving for the small Toleman team, and scored a point in each of his second and third races, before shocking the world with his incredible drive in the rain to second place at Monaco, in only his sixth race! Lotus hired him rather sharpish, and with it came six victories, before a switch to the more competitive McLaren brought him three World Championships in four years. Ayrton's final races were with Williams who at the time were the dominant force, and sadly we can only guess at how much more success he would have achieved.

Ayrton is pictured here prior to the Austrian GP at the high speed Österreichring, in 1987, the scene of the mighty Honda engine's 100th race. Whether driving with Honda, or Renault, Ford or Hart power for that matter, the skilled Ayrton drove them all with a will to win. Sometimes controversial, yet always quick, he duelled relentlessly with the top drivers of his time -Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet (Snr), and Nigel Mansell, providing races that are highly memorable and that are still endlessly discussed. Who can forget the two McLarens of Ayrton and Alain locked together after colliding at the chicane at Suzuka in 1989, or again the following year when they both collided at the first corner in Suzuka, or the amazing way that Ayrton overtook car after car in the race at Donington Park in 1993? Generally recognised by other F1 drivers as the greatest ever, he often gave a master-class in how it's done, especially over one lap in qualifying, or when the rain lashed down.

Happy Birthday Ayrton wherever you are. We'll always remember your great talent.