At the question of who is the greatest Formula 1 race car driver of all time, the debate takes a halting pause when you realise that if Ayrton Senna hadn’t passed away in the horrific racing accident 30 years ago today, on 1 May 1994, the sport probably would have had a different history.
He would continue his legacy of being the symbol of joy and national pride of Brazil.
Senna was only 34 when the tragic accident took his life. If the Williams FW16 car engine hadn’t failed him at the San Marino Grand Prix, he could have been running for the World Championship, and if he had won, that would have been the fourth World Champion title to his name.
In Senna (2010), a documentary based on his life, Senna was shown to have been shaken after Roland Ratzenberger’s death during qualifying. Who knew Senna would meet the same end only the next day?
The racetrack doctor at the time, neurosurgeon Sid Watkins, better known as Professor Sid in the Formula 1 fraternity, told Senna before his last race, “You’re a three-time world champion, you’re the fastest rider. What else do you want to do? Leave everything, and let’s go fishing.” Senna replied, “There are certain things over which we have no control. I can’t leave. I have to move on.”
Oftentimes, Senna was called aggressive–but perhaps that’s an attribute common to all motorsport champions. But Senna’s style was different. He was different.
He is still cherished and remembered 30 years after his untimely death.
His infamous rivalry with his former teammate and the four-time World Champion, Alain Prost, is still spoken about to this day, who, when asked about the best driver he raced against, responded, “Senna, by a long way.”
The great seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher breaking down crying on the press conference table having tied with Senna’s record– speaks volumes of the legacy Senna has left behind.
He was a master in the rain. The Lap of Gods is only one incident that proves Senna’s grandeur, but is possibly the greatest. During the European Grand Prix at Donington Park in 1993, Senna started from the fourth position and managed to overtake the greats of Formula 1—Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, Damon Hill, and Alain Prost, all within a span of one incredible lap in the pouring rain. This lap is celebrated as one of the most incredible laps in Formula 1 history.
During his funeral, a fan told the camera, “The people of Brazil need food, education, health, and a little joy. And now that joy is gone.” Senna drove for the best teams in Formula 1. His career expanded from driving for Toleman, Lotus, McLaren, and finally, Williams, the last team he drove for before his demise.
Senna’s importance in Formula 1 will eternally be vital. He will be remembered and celebrated as long as the sport exists. As a tribute to Senna, the Williams team used to manufacture their cars with Senna’s logo, with a slogan in Portuguese, “Ayrton Senna Sempre,” which translates to “Ayrton Senna Forever.”
The debate ends where it begins when the question of the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of Formula 1 comes up because if only Senna had been alive, the scene could have been entirely different. For Formula 1 fans, old and new, the generation that is gone, and new F1 fanatics are emerging thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive—Senna was and remains a household name. The Brazilian symbol of joy, Ayrton Senna da Silva, is forever loved and cherished. Senna Sempre.