RE: Ayrton Senna 1960-1994
Thursday 1st May 2014
There's nothing we can say about Ayrton Senna today that hasn't been said numerous times over the past two decades. Here we hope to pay tribute to a fantastic racing driver and great man simply with a selection of images from throughout his magnificent career. To detail Senna's life in a short news story would be patently unsuitable given the scope of his achievements.
Ayrton Senna 1960-1994
PH remembers a motorsport legend 20 years after his passing
Please use the forum thread to tell your memories and anecdotes of Senna; hopefully a few great stories can be shared. Today the motorsport community mourns one of its heroes. Rest in peace Ayrton.
[Images: LAT]
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Discussion
For me it's not just that he died... but at the time you almost felt like he couldn't die. It seemed unreal that someone with his level of control and natural ability would crash in such a way. It couldn't happen to him... he was Senna!?
The reason I am still such a huge fan and will always remain so is very very simple (and I think the same for all of us fans)... Watching him in a car, any car, was just magical. The way he would 'dance' beyond the line of what seemed possible was just hypnotic. You just knew when you saw him starting a pole lap that you WERE going to see something exceptional. And when he did have a race on his hands again, it was a master class.
Yes his win at all costs persona was dam right scary at times and nobody would ever say he was clean or fair, but even so, his utter brilliance in anything with wheels will always overshadow any other memories I have of him.
It gets rolled out constantly but Donnington 1993.... that opening lap... that race... a master class. He made the entire field look like rank amateurs such was his dominance.
I still remember a quote from Patrick Head in the late 90's (think it was on a BBC tribute programme?). Talking about the first few races of the 1994 season and how rubbish the Williams was that Senna was given.
"We (Williams) were not on pole for those races at the start of the 94 season... Ayrton was"
The reason I am still such a huge fan and will always remain so is very very simple (and I think the same for all of us fans)... Watching him in a car, any car, was just magical. The way he would 'dance' beyond the line of what seemed possible was just hypnotic. You just knew when you saw him starting a pole lap that you WERE going to see something exceptional. And when he did have a race on his hands again, it was a master class.
Yes his win at all costs persona was dam right scary at times and nobody would ever say he was clean or fair, but even so, his utter brilliance in anything with wheels will always overshadow any other memories I have of him.
It gets rolled out constantly but Donnington 1993.... that opening lap... that race... a master class. He made the entire field look like rank amateurs such was his dominance.
I still remember a quote from Patrick Head in the late 90's (think it was on a BBC tribute programme?). Talking about the first few races of the 1994 season and how rubbish the Williams was that Senna was given.
"We (Williams) were not on pole for those races at the start of the 94 season... Ayrton was"
Civpilot said:
Yes his win at all costs persona was dam right scary at times and nobody would ever say he was clean or fair, but even so, his utter brilliance in anything with wheels will always overshadow any other memories I have of him.
It's the opposite way round for me unfortunately. His lack of sportsmanship over shaddows his brilliance for me. I'm the same about Michael Schumacher. I admired Senna's talent, but I never liked him. A shame we didn't get the opportunity to see if that extreme ruthlessness changed as he got older.
king love it.
VladD said:
It's the opposite way round for me unfortunately. His lack of sportsmanship over shaddows his brilliance for me. I'm the same about Michael Schumacher. I admired Senna's talent, but I never liked him. A shame we didn't get the opportunity to see if that extreme ruthlessness changed as he got older.
Senna could certainly dish it out but I think he stopped short of blatant cheating...
blade7 said:
VladD said:
It's the opposite way round for me unfortunately. His lack of sportsmanship over shaddows his brilliance for me. I'm the same about Michael Schumacher. I admired Senna's talent, but I never liked him. A shame we didn't get the opportunity to see if that extreme ruthlessness changed as he got older.
Senna could certainly dish it out but I think he stopped short of blatant cheating...blade7 said:
VladD said:
It's the opposite way round for me unfortunately. His lack of sportsmanship over shaddows his brilliance for me. I'm the same about Michael Schumacher. I admired Senna's talent, but I never liked him. A shame we didn't get the opportunity to see if that extreme ruthlessness changed as he got older.
Senna could certainly dish it out but I think he stopped short of blatant cheating...Edited by FWDRacer on Thursday 1st May 12:09
Brilliant story about Ratzenberger from a Sky F1 program I saw yesterday for you...
He sent a beautifully written fax back to the team one morning regarding the previous test but it made little sense to any of the engineers. All very confusing. It stated it was quite slippery out there when it was nothing but dry out on track.
Of course the report was not about the actual driving, he was bragging about his night shagging an MTV reporter that'd be sent over to follow the Simtek team
He sent a beautifully written fax back to the team one morning regarding the previous test but it made little sense to any of the engineers. All very confusing. It stated it was quite slippery out there when it was nothing but dry out on track.
Of course the report was not about the actual driving, he was bragging about his night shagging an MTV reporter that'd be sent over to follow the Simtek team
Civpilot said:
For me it's not just that he died... but at the time you almost felt like he couldn't die. It seemed unreal that someone with his level of control and natural ability would crash in such a way. It couldn't happen to him... he was Senna!?
As an 8 year old at the time, I remember looking out into the back garden after hearing the news, thinking exactly the above. Strange how I remember it so clearly.English people saying Senna was a cheat and the bullsh!t....what else to expect, stfu there was a championship taken off him a year before and given to Prost for that accident in Suzuka which Senna still continued and won,he returned the favour the next time,and there was no contest between him and Prost for that matter,he handed his ass on a plate when he was in a a sh!t car ,in the same cars there really was no contest not only with Prost but with every driver in F1.
FWDRacer said:
Read the Rubython book.
Ah yes. Tom Rubython, the 'journalist' who's career is typified by a string of libel suits, failed companies and massive debts.A fine example of an upstanding, honest citizen (not!)
If you are going to do sensationalism there at least has to be grains of truth in what you say, which is why Rubython is a complete failure at it, so basing your opinions on anything he has written is madness.
Hoygo 2 said:
English people saying Senna was a cheat and the bullsh!t....what else to expect, stfu there was a championship taken off him a year before and given to Prost for that accident in Suzuka which Senna still continued and won,he returned the favour the next time,and there was no contest between him and Prost for that matter,he handed his ass on a plate when he was in a a sh!t car ,in the same cars there really was no contest not only with Prost but with every driver in F1.
I'm not sure how old you are, but that's not a very mature post.Senna got disqualified at Suzuka in 89 because he received a push start from the marshalls, which breached the rules.
His collision in 90 was driven by Senna's unhappiness at which side of the track pole position had been put. He deliberately crashed into Prost.
To say there was no contest between Senna and Prost is ridiculous. I think it was Jackie Stewart that has been quoted in saying that "Senna was faster, but Prost was better". Didn't Prost beat Senna in identical cars in 89?
As for me being English, what has that got to do with it? Prost was French, so if I was going to pick a side based on nationality it would be Senna's surely?
Edited by VladD on Thursday 1st May 12:47
Jesus - not all this crap again! Everything that is being said is mostly pure conjecture and opinion so why just leave it alone?
For my part...I 'grew up' watching Senna and when everything is said and done he is a legend in F1 and greatly missed by most fans. His driving skills were god like. I was devastated when it happened and whilst I have drivers I have liked since non have had the same impact as Senna which is a shame really.
RIP AS & RR.
For my part...I 'grew up' watching Senna and when everything is said and done he is a legend in F1 and greatly missed by most fans. His driving skills were god like. I was devastated when it happened and whilst I have drivers I have liked since non have had the same impact as Senna which is a shame really.
RIP AS & RR.
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