Ayrton Senna, whose photo is given in the article, is a Brazilian race car driver famous for risky maneuvers on Formula 1 tracks. He dominated the sport, winning three times in the 1988, 1990, and 1991 championships, finishing 41 first. Senna won prizes 80 times and won the pole position 65 times. He became one of the most successful racers in the history of Formula 1 and the national hero of Brazil. However, the accident of Ayrton Senna in 1994 at the San Marino Grand Prix tragically interrupted his sports career. He crashed, leading the race, and instantly died from numerous head injuries after hitting a concrete wall at a speed of 210 km / h.
During her career, Senna earned more than $ 100 million and had an annual income of $ 10 million.
Early biography
Ayrton Senna was born on March 21, 1960 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was the second child of a successful businessman and landowner Milton da Silva. Senna's family lived in Santana, a wealthy neighborhood of São Paulo. The boy was awkward, and later he was diagnosed with a problem with coordination of movements. A loving father who was a fan of motorsport noticed how his little son was also attracted to cars. Elder da Silva believed that they would be the key to developing the potential of his son, and gave 4-year-old Ayrton cards with a capacity of 1 liter. from. At the wheel, he became completely different: not helpless, but focused and self-confident. The problem was solved, and every weekend the family went to local parks, where Senna could ride on his map. He was indifferent to school, but with the threat of losing his “driver's” privileges, he did everything in his power, although his soul was clearly in another place.
Young talent
At the age of 8, Senna drove a family car and his idols were Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart. At this time, the first great Brazilian racer Emerson Fittipaldi began to create a name for himself, playing for Colin Chapman's Lotus. On Ayrton’s 10th birthday, his father gave him a new full-sized card with an engine capacity of 100 cubic meters. see. Since Brazil is allowed to participate in races on maps since the age of 13, Ayrton had to be content with practicing on the local track in Anhembi Park. In 1972, Brazil had the first world champion Fitipaldi, and the next year, near the São Paulo, on the Interlagos circuit, the first Grand Prix took place. The race was won by the current world champion and all Brazilians celebrated this event. Among this glee was a boy who did not dream of becoming the next Fittipaldi or Jackie Stewart, but wanted to surpass them.
Go-kart star
Ayrton turned 13, and he finally could race legally. His first competition took place the same year on the go-kart track, which was part of the Interlagos complex. His opponents were all local stars, including Mausicio Sala. Ayrton Senna, using all the energy that he saved up to this point, won the race. He later said that karting was a great platform for the future rider. In 1977, he won the South American Championship and repeated this result the following year.
The goal of any novice kartist was Europe and the Le Mans World Cup. In conditions of much stronger competition, Ayrton managed to finish sixth, which was considered sensational for the driver with his experience, but he was disappointed not having won any of the three races that made up the final. In 1979, he returned to Europe for further struggle and finished second in the World Championships in Estoril. The following year, in the Belgian Nivelles, he repeated this result.
Relocation to the UK
Ayrton Senna came to England in 1981 to win the Formula Ford 1600 with Ralph Firman Van Diemen. He married Liliane Vashkonselush, lived in a rented bungalow near Snetterton, and quickly got used to cars with an engine capacity of 1,600 cubic meters. see. Races were held almost every weekend, and in Brands Hatch, Ayrton made his debut in 8th place. A week later in Traxton he was third.
In the same year, 3 episodes took place in parallel, 2 of which he disputed, and soon he again ended up in Brands Hatch. “Van Diemen,” seeing the potential of his young driver, gave Senna a new car, which he quickly prepared for the start. The race took place in humid conditions, and few could compete with the Brazilian rider. In her first year in England, Senna won both episodes.
Despite success, his parents put pressure on Ayrton, demanding that he run a family business. In addition, to continue his racing career, he needed a sponsor. When other Brazilian drivers were ahead of him in higher formulas, the flow of funds dried up. Frustrated, Senna announced his retirement from the sport, saying that a bad driver with money can always get a better car, but a good driver will be left without money. He returned to Brazil and worked in his father's building materials business. After 4 months, the passion for racing, which he could not extinguish, continued to torment him, and he decided to return without a wife. Growing up in luxury, Lilian knew that living with Ayrton would be difficult and would require great sacrifices while he struggled to rise to the forefront. They decided to disperse, and his father, together with a Brazilian bank, provided him with financing for another year.
Senna accepted the offer to participate in Formula Ford 2000. In 1982, he won 15 of 17 European races and 6 of 8 British championships.
Formula 3
The next step was Formula 3, which was the last step before Formula 1. The British championship consisted of 20 separate races and was a convincing test of man and machine. The favorites of the 1983 season were two drivers: the already well-known Ayrton Senna and the great hope of Britain Martin Brandle. The Brazilian rider, speaking at Ralt RT3 for the West Surrey Racing team, quickly won 9 consecutive wins. But during practice before the next race Brandl won. Now the series has turned into a competition between the two favorites, while none of them retreated. The fate of the championship was to be decided in the final race in Trakston. Senna, demonstrating determination and attention to detail, which was his hallmark, reconfigured the engine with the help of masters from the Italian Novamotor. He took the pole position, won the race and the title.
The end of the Formula 3 season was held in Portuguese Macau. The Grand Prix was attended by racers of all national series. Senna won, and a number of Formula 1 teams began serious negotiations with him. At the same time, he became acquainted with the politics of the older Formula. Ayrton wanted to play for Brabham, but Pico vetoed it, so Toleman was his only option. This second-level team managed to sign a three-year contract with the most promising driver of their generation.
Formula 1
Ayrton Senna racer made his debut in Formula 1 in 1984 in his homeland, speaking for Toleman, but everything was different than in Formula 3. Here, even the best driver without the right car and engine could not provide significant resistance to the leaders. In the end, the team became the basis for the “Bennetton”, which then lagged behind, and the best that the Brazilian rider could do - qualify eighth. The next Ayrton Senna race in San Marino was a new test for him: he could not pass the qualification.
The results of the initial series of competitions of the first season were disappointing. For the French Grand Prix, he received a new car, but nothing has changed - the results were the same when he experienced turbocharging problems.
Fantastic Grand Prix of Monaco
The next stage of the competition was held in Monaco, and the Ayrton Senna car started 13th. Forecasters promised rain, and he felt that he had the first real opportunity to prove himself. Wet track, as has always been the case in races, is a great leveler, and on the 7th lap Senna was already in 6th place. On the 11th circle, he almost crashed when, jumping over the curb, flew for a moment into the air. Leading Prost stumbled upon Theo Fabi, who turned and stopped in the middle of the track. As soon as he passed this car, he hit the car of one of the marshals. Not knowing if he had killed him, Prost was shocked by this incident.
Mansell, much less sentimental, saw the passage and took the initiative. Once in front, he began to quickly build up his advantage. Too fast: he soon hit the Armco barrier. Lauda, who was second, made a small mistake, and his car also turned around. On the 20th lap, Prost was ahead of the advancing Brazilian by 33.8 s. At lap 31, the lag was reduced to 7.4 s. Weather conditions were still difficult, and every time Ayrton Senna's opponent crossed the finish line, he signaled the end of the race. On the 31st lap the competition was stopped. Senna was deprived of his first victory, but thanks to this performance, a new legend of auto racing was born.
The Monaco Grand Prix was a highlight of the season, but for the Brazilian rider this was not enough. He understood that he would need a stronger team if he wanted to challenge the championship.
Transition to the Lotus
Ayrton Senna was secretly negotiating with Lotus for the next season, and although he had a three-year deal with Toleman, it contained a clause on the possibility of a ransom. The team of Clark and Fittipaldi seemed the youngest race car driver the best, but after the death of their founder Colin Chapman, she was on the decline. For Lotus, Senna was a man who could bring her back to the top. In Monaco, he demonstrated his capabilities to the entire racing world, and had more than ever before determination to break through.
Senna missed the first race because he was suspended for violating his contract with Toleman by signing an agreement with Lotus without informing his current employer.
Speaking on the wet track, he first won in Estoril. Then followed the triumph in the Belgian Spa and another 4 prizes. Ayrton finished the championship 4th.
Victories with McLaren
But even Senna could not return the “Lotus” to its former glory, and in 1988 he moved to McLaren. Ironically, instead of abandoning a new teammate, Prost initially welcomed the Brazilian.
For Senna, finally, everything turned out as it should, and that year he won 8 races and his first championship. In 1989, Ayrton took second place after his teammate, despite the fact that he had more victories. Relations with Prost worsened until he left McLaren to join Ferrari.
Senna dominated the 1990 season with 6 wins against 5 at Prost with a margin of 9 points and only 2 remaining competitions. He prematurely became a champion when, in the first round of the Japanese Grand Prix, he crashed into a car of his main rival, taking him and himself out of the race.
In 1990 and 1991, Senna, now playing for McLaren with Gerhard Berger, won titles by participating in fierce battles with Prost and Nigel Mansel. Ultimately, the loss of Honda power and the rise of Renault led to the decline of the McLaren.
Senna planned to leave the team and move to Williams in 1992, but the head of Honda personally asked him to stay. Ayrton won only 3 races (Monaco, Hungary and Italy) and took 4th place, being behind the Williams deuce Mansel-Patrese and rising star Michael Schumacher.
Ayrton Senna by the end of 1992 was without a contract and negotiated with many teams. He even went to the USA to try in the IndyCar test session, supported by Brazilian racer Emerson Fittipaldi, but was not impressed enough to make a positive decision.
Senna decided to stay with McLaren for another year, when Ron Dennis agreed with Ford to use his V8 engine. The car turned out to be competitive (the driver finished first 5 times), but it’s not enough for Senna to defeat her main rival Alain Prost, who became the champion on the Williams FW15C with Renault engine.
The 1993 season ended with Ayrton winning the Australian Grand Prix. Prost announced his retirement and the Brazilian driver warmly greeted the Frenchman on the podium.
Tragic death
Ayrton Senna, by the 1994 season, had finally moved to Williams. He pursued this goal for a long time and at some point even offered to play for the team for free. Senna began the new season by taking pole positions in the Grand Prix of Brazil and the Pacific Ocean (in Japan), but in the first case he went on gravel and left the race after 55 laps, and in the second he had an accident at the start. Then, on May 1, 1994, the San Marino Grand Prix began, which ended in the death of Ayrton Senna.
Formula 1 has not yet recovered from the death of the young Austrian Roland Ratzeberger and the serious accident of Rubens Barrichello during the qualification session. The race also began with a collision, and after clearing the track, it started again. Soon after the green flag, Senna was unable to overcome the Tamburello turn. At a speed of 210 km / h, the car crashed into a concrete wall, and the driver died instantly.
This tragedy has haunted Formula 1 for many years. After the Ayrton Senna accident, the International Automobile Federation imposed a ban on the installation of electronics and other auxiliaries in Formula 1 cars, although many regarded it as a move that only increased the danger of competition.
The Brazilian rider seemed to have unlimited talent and an irresistible will to win. As a faithful Catholic, he was fully aware of his mortality and the danger of his driving style. However, his passion and talent pushed him even further, so he became one of the greatest legends of Formula 1.