Friday 25th November 2011

Time for tea? Senna makes his mark

A dot matrix printout of some race results isn't an obvious hook but just have a look at the names...

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Just how exciting can some scanned in race results be? Well, going by the number of dropped jaws when this was spotted in the PH offices quite a lot. So we thought we'd share them with you.

Worth a closer look - unbelievable!

It dates from May 12 1984 and the opening of the new Nurburgring GP track. This coincided with the launch of the Mercedes 190E 2.3-16, perhaps the most un-Mercedes car ever to bear a three-pointed star. Bear in mind most Mercs of the era still had lashings of chrome and velour. And still make Garlick come over a bit funny. This one had a bodykit and a high revving 16-valve four-cylinder tweaked, famously, by Cosworth.

Car and track met in memorable style with a Nurburgring Champions Mercedes-Benz Cup. The weather was filthy, the track barely finished and bordered by mud. Hardly anyone was apparently there to watch. Which is criminal when you look at the list of names on the sheet. Pretty much any F1 driver of note and alive in 1984 was there. So you had Moss versus Hunt. Phil Hill and Jack Brabham. Jody Scheckter and Keke Rosberg. And two young upstarts, one called Prost and another called Senna.

Senna used all the new track and more

The printout alone tells an amazing story and is worth studying in detail. Scheckter was clearly on a flier and was the only one to break into the 2:12s but didn't get near the podium. Old dog Jack Brabham was faster than Prost, De-Angelis, Hunt and many others. Carlos Reutemann beat the lot and was on the podium. Niki Lauda, the man whose terrible accident inspired the building of the new circuit, was in second. But at the top, having beaten quite possibly the most incredible field of drivers ever assembled in one place, was a young Brazilian. Senna. You may have heard of him.

And having gazed at the time sheet it's worth a look at this video too. In conditions more akin to rallycross than saloon car racing Senna dominated - check out John Surtees' assessment. Enzo should have listened.

[Turbo Harry]

Jody Scheckter wasn't slow was he?

Maybe Senna was just more ruthless at overtaking.

[Daaaveee]

Turbo Harry said:

Maybe Senna was just more ruthless at overtaking.

I guess that explains how he was still pulling away when in first? Awesome footage, thanks for sharing.

[Frances The Mute]

said:

Niki Lauda, the man whose terrible accident inspired the building of the new circuit, was in second.

His accident didn't really inspire the creation of a new circuit.

As a result of his accident, the Nordschleife was boycotted once and for all by F1 after several years of difficulties between the operators and the F1 administration.

The GP Strecke was separate to this and was updated years later to attract F1 back to the region.

[Vocal Minority]

Without wanting to widdle all over a great story, and not disputing the credentials of a Mr A Senna for a moment, but this always gets blown a smidge out of proportion, as the other drivers were rather startled by how seriously Senna was taking it compared to them...

[pSyCoSiS]

Senna was absolutely amazing at what he did.

You guys seen his film / documentary?

He was on a totally different level.....

[Podie]

Wasn't Senna a replacement driver for someone else who dropped out?

[Turbo Harry]

How times have changed. At 24, Senna was just looking to get into the F1 big league. By the same age now, Seb Vettel has two world championships in the bag.

[Oddball RS]

Vocal Minority said:

Without wanting to widdle all over a great story, and not disputing the credentials of a Mr A Senna for a moment, but this always gets blown a smidge out of proportion, as the other drivers were rather startled by how seriously Senna was taking it compared to them...

+1

[a11y_m]

Vocal Minority said:

Without wanting to widdle all over a great story, and not disputing the credentials of a Mr A Senna for a moment, but this always gets blown a smidge out of proportion, as the other drivers were rather startled by how seriously Senna was taking it compared to them...

That's how I've always understood it too: that the majority were out for a bit of fun (BTCC-style door banging) but Senna took it very seriously, as you would if you were aspiring to break into F1. It doesn't take away from his pure talent though, pure genius IMO.

Some bugger had better get me the Senna DVD for Christmas or there'll be hell to pay...

[soad]

Bloody nice find there.

[pwrc]

Podie said:

Wasn't Senna a replacement driver for someone else who dropped out?

yep, emmo.
And as others have said, senna saw it as an opportunity to further his career whereas the others, retired or established gp drivers, saw it as a laugh.

[M666 EVO]

pSyCoSiS said:

Senna was absolutely amazing at what he did.

You guys seen his film / documentary?

He was on a totally different level.....

It is the one film I am gagging to see at the moment. The missus says no though so I am going to have to send her out for a night... Maybe tomorrow

[DLovett]

"This Senna just beat the lot of you by a mile. Any comments?"

"Oh, we weren't taking it seriously!"

[dave stew]

M666 EVO said:

It is the one film I am gagging to see at the moment. The missus says no though so I am going to have to send her out for a night... Maybe tomorrow

She needs a good spanking. Then send her out and watch the film...

[Oddball RS]

DLovett said:

"This Senna just beat the lot of you by a mile. Any comments?"

"Oh, we weren't taking it seriously!"

"nothing to prove, not worth dying for"

[Midgster]

Oddball RS said:

DLovett said:

"This Senna just beat the lot of you by a mile. Any comments?"

"Oh, we weren't taking it seriously!"

"nothing to prove, not worth dying for"

I don't believe this for one second....you take some of the best drivers in the world and put them on a track together all in exactly the same car and you think they are not going to take it seriously? They were ALL trying their best, but just like Schuey used to (and still does sometimes), Senna would always push things just that little step further, perhaps into the realms of dangerous driving. But like it or loathe it, that's what made Senna (and Schuey) the man he was.

[Robmarriott]

M666 EVO said:

It is the one film I am gagging to see at the moment. The missus says no though so I am going to have to send her out for a night... Maybe tomorrow

Make her watch it. My missus who has no interest in motorsport was glued to the TV for the whole extended cut.

[will261058]

I find it hard to believe that a group consisting of the most competitive drivers of that time would not give their all. Its amazing how many people that dont win "were not taking it seriously". I prefer to think that Senna was the one on top of his game. And what a field to come first in!

[andoverben]

I have been reading the Senna Book (I forget who it is by, it is in the Loo at home) And the comment was made in it that the other Drivers were generally arsing around, cutting corners, driving through the Pits and noticably showing off to an audience whereas Senna and Prost were out to prove something. Interestingly as they were both new drivers (to F1) they shared a Hire Car from the Airport to save costs - which considering how much they hated each other other a few years later made me smile when I read it.

It doesn't take away what was a fantastic drive - would love to watch the whole thing does anyone have a link to it somewhere?

[Life Saab Itch]

Any mention of the almighty punt Senna gave Prost at the first corner?