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Over 30 years ago on May 1, 1994, Ayrton Senna died after crashing at the San Marino Grand Prix. The death of the Brazilian F1 legend shocked the sport and provoked an outpouring of grief around the world. During an illustrious career, Senna clinched 41 Grand Prix wins and three Drivers' Championships. Three decades on since that fateful day at Imola, he is still considered one of the best F1 racing drivers of all time.
To celebrate his extraordinary achievements behind the wheel, click through this gallery and take a commemorative look back at the life and times of Ayrton Senna.
Ayrton Senna da Silva was born on March 21, 1960, in São Paulo, Brazil.
Senna discovered his love of racing at the age of four when his father introduced him to the world of go-karting. The budding driver began racing as soon as he was legally allowed, at age 13. He went on to win the South American Kart Championship in 1977, and contested the Karting World Championship each year from 1978 to 1982, finishing runner-up in 1979 and 1980. He's pictured here in 1993 taking part in the Masters Karting event at Bercy, Paris.
In 1981, Senna moved to England to begin single-seater racing. By 1983, he was competing in Formula Three. He's pictured at the wheel of a Ralt RT3 at Thruxton on March 3, 1983.
In fact, 1983 proved to be a watershed for Senna. He won the British Formula Three Championship and later triumphed at the inaugural Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix (pictured). By the end of the year, he was testing for Formula One.
Senna began driving F1 in 1984, for Toleman-Hart. Suitably, he made his F1 debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro (pictured). The Brazilian's meteoric career in F1 was in gear and ready to accelerate.
Senna's best result of the season was second place at the rain-lashed Monaco Grand Prix. In fact, the race was stopped on lap 13 for safety reasons. Alain Prost took first place, with René Arnoux third.
Seeking change and a better car, Senna moved to Lotus in 1985. It proved a wise move. At the second round of the season, at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Senna took the first pole position of his Formula 1 career, doing so in dire conditions.
Besides converting his pole position in Portugal into his first F1 win, Senna clocked the fastest lap of the race. The Brazilian is pictured on the podium celebrating his historic victory.
Seven pole positions in 1985 cemented his reputation as F1's foremost qualifier. He's pictured leading the cars at the Grand Prix of Europe at Imola on May 5, 1985.
Senna remained with Lotus throughout 1986 and 1987. In '86, he clinched eight pole positions and eight podiums.
The 1987 season was Senna's last with Lotus. McLaren had already expressed interest in poaching the Brazilian—and Honda's class-leading engines. Throughout the year, Senna had built a deep relationship with Honda, which paid big dividends, as McClaren ultimately secured Honda's V6 turbo engines for 1988.
Senna, now driving for McLaren in the impressive McLaren MP4/4, began the 1988 season by being disqualified on a technicality at home in Brazil. It was an ignominious start. But in his first season with his new team, Senna won a then record eight races and captured his first Formula One championship.
But 1988 would ultimately be remembered for the intense rivalry between Senna and McLaren teammate and already two-time world champion Alain Prost, a personal competition between the two that would endure for the next five years.
Tensions between Senna and Prost boiled over on several occasions during the 1988 season. But the experienced pair realized that, despite their personal rivalry, they had to work together, especially in testing, to keep ahead of their main opposition from Ferrari, Williams, Benetton, and Lotus. Rarely looking over their shoulders at rivals, the pair claimed 15 wins out of 16.
The 1989 world championship saw the animosity between the Brazilian and the Frenchman deepen.
During the penultimate race of the 1989 season at Suzuka in Japan, which Senna had to win in order to retain his title, Prost provoked a collision that sent both men sliding to a standstill. While the Frenchman decided to abandon the race, Senna urged marshals for a push-start, which he received. The Brazilian went on to win the race, only to be disqualified, thus handing the championship to his rival.
The incident at Suzuka marked a new low in relations between the two former teammates. In 1990, Prost, the world champion and now driving for Ferrari, was eager to retain his title. Senna, however, had different ideas and, demonstrating typical determination, resilience, and passion, took a commanding lead in the championship with six wins. But in a replay of the previous year's shenanigans—and ironically at the same circuit in Japan—Senna deliberately crashed into Prost. The pair are pictured walking towards their pit after the collision.
Senna, now aged 30, won his second Drivers' Championship in 1990, taking the title from Prost.
Senna won the 1991 season-opening United States Grand Prix with the new Honda V12-powered McLaren MP4/6.
Senna, seen here with teammate Gerhard Berger and the McLaren team, won seven of the 16 races; his main challenger for the title was Nigel Mansell. Prost, meanwhile, failed to win a race with Ferrari.
Ayrton Senna crowned the 1991 season by winning his third and last Drivers' Championship.
The 1992 season saw Nigel Mansell emerge as a serious threat to Ayrton Senna, compounded by the fact that Mansell was driving the Williams' all-conquering FW14B car, a machine McLaren simply couldn't match in terms of power and performance. Senna is pictured being given a lift back to the pits by Mansell after he had run out of fuel during the British Grand Prix on July 14, 1991.
And 1992 was also the year German rising star Michael Schumacher began to make his mark. Senna saw Schumacher as a threat to his supremacy in Formula One, and the relationship between the two was never good. In fact, at a test session for the German Grand Prix, Senna and Schumacher had a confrontation in the pits (pictured), with Senna grabbing Schumacher by the collar and accusing him of endangering him by blocking him on the track.
Despite scoring wins in Monaco, Hungary, and Italy that year, Senna failed to retain his F1 crown, with Mansell ultimately winning the 1992 Drivers' Championship. Furthermore, Senna didn't have a contract with any team by the end of that year, and speculation was rife about the Brazilian's future.
Senna eventually agreed to a race-by-race deal to drive McLaren's Cosworth-powered cars, his old rival Alain Prost having already secured a place at Williams.
With Prost in the more powerful car, most commentators were expecting the Frenchman to gear up and motor ahead of the Brazilian. But against all expectations, Senna matched Prost win-for-win over the first six races and led the drivers' standings. One outstanding victory was at the Grand Prix of Europe at Donington Park in England, when Senna took the checkered flag under a rain-lashed circuit. Senna and Prost are pictured battling it out on the day.
The 1993 season concluded in Australia, with Senna winning his 41st F1 career win, but Prost crowned world champion for the fourth time. No one realized at the time, but this would be the Brazilian legend's last appearance on the podium.
For 1994, Senna was able to finally join the Williams team after Prost retired. Speaking on the eve of the season, Senna eerily predicted the events of May 1, 1994. "The cars are very fast and difficult to drive. It's going to be a season with lots accidents and I'll risk saying we'll be lucky if something really serious doesn't happen."
The 1994 world championship commenced in Brazil. Senna quickly expressed dissatisfaction with his car's performance and found himself in close running with the Benetton B194 of Michael Schumacher. Senna, Jean Alesi, Damon Hill, and Michael Schumacher are pictured at the start of the Grand Prix of Brazil at Interlagos on March 27, 1994.
On the eve of the race at Imola, Senna reported, "My car reacts a bit nervously on this kind of surface. It stems from the special aerodynamics but it's also got to do with a difficulty in the suspension." Then after being advised to withdraw from the race after Roland Ratzenberger's fatal crash during qualifying, he said: "There are certain things over which we have no control. I cannot quit. I have to go on."
On May 1, 1994, Ayrton Senna was fatally injured after his car crashed into a concrete barrier while he was leading the San Marino Grand Prix. He later died at the Maggiore Hospital in Bologna. On speaking previously about fear, Senna mused: "To survive in Grand Prix racing, you need to be afraid. Fear is an important feeling. It helps you to race longer and live longer."
Sources: (Formula 1) (Britannica) (RaceFans) (Medium) (Senna) (ESPN)
Ayrton Senna: 31 years since tragedy struck
The Brazilian F1 driver left this world on May 1, 1994
LIFESTYLE Formula 1
Over 30 years ago on May 1, 1994, Ayrton Senna died after crashing at the San Marino Grand Prix. The death of the Brazilian F1 legend shocked the sport and provoked an outpouring of grief around the world. During an illustrious career, Senna clinched 41 Grand Prix wins and three Drivers' Championships. Three decades on since that fateful day at Imola, he is still considered one of the best F1 racing drivers of all time.
To celebrate his extraordinary achievements behind the wheel, click through this gallery and take a commemorative look back at the life and times of Ayrton Senna.