Tell us if you met Ayrton Senna - share your stories
Discussion
There is obviously loads of stuff around given the 25th anniversary is today, but I find most of it either dwells too much on Imola 1994 or I've read or heard it before.
So, I thought I'd start this topic and urge people to share their stories of how they met Ayrton Senna - however trivial, brief, unexpected or otherwise, just tell your tales...
I'll start things off...I 'met' him several times, the first being slightly bizarre in that he walked into the public toilets in the paddock at Silverstone, when the toilet block was near the pedestrian bridge on the 'old' start/finish straight. This was during F1 testing in June 1990.
So Senna walked into the toilet block, wearing his McLaren Honda race suit...I was already standing doing my business...I didn't speak to him as I wouldn't normally start talking to someone in the toilets.
I met him again in 1991 during June F1 testing when he autographed a photo I'd taken of him in 1990. My pen didn't work properly but never mind. I wished him luck for the race and shook his hand. He said thanks, which was nice as there was a sea of people all trying to get him to sign things too.
Then I met him again the next day when he was driving a silver Honda NSX around the circuit, first with a journalist, then with a photographer. This was for an article in Autocar magazine which came out a week or 2 later.
One thing that struck me each time I met him (apart from when in the toilet) was he would always pose for photos/sign autographs with children first.
So my brief 'meetings' with Senna are maybe a bit dull...hopefully there are some interesting tales to be told.
So, I thought I'd start this topic and urge people to share their stories of how they met Ayrton Senna - however trivial, brief, unexpected or otherwise, just tell your tales...
I'll start things off...I 'met' him several times, the first being slightly bizarre in that he walked into the public toilets in the paddock at Silverstone, when the toilet block was near the pedestrian bridge on the 'old' start/finish straight. This was during F1 testing in June 1990.
So Senna walked into the toilet block, wearing his McLaren Honda race suit...I was already standing doing my business...I didn't speak to him as I wouldn't normally start talking to someone in the toilets.
I met him again in 1991 during June F1 testing when he autographed a photo I'd taken of him in 1990. My pen didn't work properly but never mind. I wished him luck for the race and shook his hand. He said thanks, which was nice as there was a sea of people all trying to get him to sign things too.
Then I met him again the next day when he was driving a silver Honda NSX around the circuit, first with a journalist, then with a photographer. This was for an article in Autocar magazine which came out a week or 2 later.
One thing that struck me each time I met him (apart from when in the toilet) was he would always pose for photos/sign autographs with children first.
So my brief 'meetings' with Senna are maybe a bit dull...hopefully there are some interesting tales to be told.
Thanks to everyone for all the memories and tales etc so far!
The photos are brilliant too, including the photos of June testing - they bring back so many memories.
I also find the small details really interesting, such as Senna actually wearing a Tag Heuer watch whilst driving, not just putting it on when about to go on the podium as happens now.
Keep those tales and photos coming please, it is so nice to see and read new things.
The photos are brilliant too, including the photos of June testing - they bring back so many memories.
I also find the small details really interesting, such as Senna actually wearing a Tag Heuer watch whilst driving, not just putting it on when about to go on the podium as happens now.
Keep those tales and photos coming please, it is so nice to see and read new things.
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