The accident that killed driver Ayrton Senna turns 30 this Wednesday . On May 1, 1994, the Brazilian crashed into the wall at the Tamburello curve of the Imola GP, in Italy, and ended up dying.
Senna died as one of the country’s most decorated drivers, having won the Formula 1 title on three occasions (1988, 1990 and 1991), as did Nelson Piquet .
All of his achievements were with McLaren , the team he played for from 1988 to 1993, before signing with Williams .
Remember Ayrton Senna’s achievements in Formula 1
1988
Ayrton Senna ‘s first title in Formula 1 was precisely in his debut season with McLaren. The victory in the Japanese GP, in Suzuka, marked the driver’s consecration in a season decided hand in hand against the Frenchman Alain Prost, his teammate and who would become his great rival in motorsport.
In qualifying, Senna secured pole. However, on the day of the race, his car didn’t move at the start and he lost 16 positions. With 15 overtakes, the Brazilian completed an epic victory to celebrate, with his fist raised, his first world conquest.
On the last lap of the race, on the lap that was going to give me victory, I started to be grateful, grateful, because I couldn’t believe that I was going to win the championship, the race. That tremendous anxiety, that tension, and I felt His presence, I visualized it, I saw it, it was a special thing in my life, a huge feeling. I think it’s a privilege that I had, and that few people have had
Senna on the triumph in Japa
nineteen ninety
After seeing Prost win the championship in 1989, Senna came back strongly to regain the title in 1990. With the Frenchman at Ferrari, both fought for the World Championship until the end of the season.
At the Japanese GP, the Brazilian arrived with an advantage in qualifying and started in pole position, but saw Prost take the lead at the start. Senna reacted and, right at the first corner, they crashed. The abandonment of both men from the race gave Senna his second championship.
The previous year, in which Prost had won the title, the Frenchman had collided with the Brazilian in the same Japanese GP, which Senna needed to win to remain with a chance in the final stage. The collision took them both off the track and made it impossible for Senna to react, giving the title to Alain Prost.
1991
In 1991, his biggest competitor was not Prost, but Nigel Mansell. That season marked the first time that Ayrton Senna took the highest place on the podium at the Interlagos GP in Brazil.
Once again, the victory was decided at the Japanese GP. Senna started second, but saw Mansell abandon the race on the tenth lap. With the title guaranteed, he made way, on the last lap, so that his colleague Gerhard Berger, from McLaren, could win his first triumph in the team.
Comments are closed.