Ayrton Senna F1 Profile & Career Stats

Ayrton Senna Biography

Ayrton Senna

Widely regarded as the greatest driver of all time, Ayrton Senna’s name will forever live amongst the sporting greats such as Pele, Nicklaus, Tendulkar and Federer. The Brazilian may have only won three world championships, four short of the record held by Michael Schumacher, but he competed during the sports most gifted era and was the most gifted driver.

Senna's premature death in 1994, after a crash at Imola, put the whole of Brazil in a state of mourning. In a country where football rules, it was the death of a racer which brought it to a standstill. Senna was by no means perfect, a trait amongst the sport's elite. He drove on the limits, and often beyond, he argued and he fought and was a part of the sport’s most bitter rivalry with Alain Prost.

1984 Monaco F1 GP Senna driving the Toleman TG184 Hart

Born to a wealthy family in suburban Sao Paolo in 1960, Senna was driving custom-built go-karts from the age of four. His talent and enthusiasm were embraced and by the age of 13, he was racing competitively in junior go-karting.

After a successful period in Britain, winning junior formula championships, he signed for low key Formula One team Toleman in 1984. The first sign of his great talent came in Monaco where he started 13th but quickly rose to second before closing in on leader Alain Prost fast. Unfortunately, the race was stopped due to the adverse weather, but the name of Senna was on everyone’s lips (1984 Monaco F1 GP result).

Ayrton Senna driving the Lotus 97T in Belgium (1986)

After an impressive induction to Formula One Senna signed for Lotus, where he would spend the next three years. At the second race in Portugal, he took his first Pole Position and then his first race victory, winning by over a minute in wet weather. Several more poles followed but he had to wait until another wet race in Belgium to claim win number two. Fourth in the championship was accompanied with seven poles and two wins.

Lotus’s famed poor reliability cost the Brazilian the next season despite two wins and eight poles. Senna was beginning to establish himself as the fastest driver on the grid and in 1987 he won his first race around Monaco, the first of six, and finished third in the standings. The following year saw him leave Lotus and move to McLaren as the teammate to double world champion Alain Prost, thus sparking a rivalry that is still seen as the biggest in the history of the sport.

Teammates Senna & Prost worst moment in Japan 1989

The 1988 McLaren was an all-conquering car and the two squabbled all season, often with underhand tactics. In Portugal, Prost attempted to pass Senna, who responded by almost driving Prost into the wall in an attempt to block him, Prost completed the move and Senna was left with a warning from the FIA. Senna won eight races that season, and with Prost winning only seven he claimed his first World Championship.

In 1989 the pair’s rivalry escalated out of control as McLaren once again had an unbeatable car. Senna led for much of the way after a superb run of victories early on in the season, but poor reliability and a return to form from Prost saw the Frenchman lead the championship in the penultimate round in Japan, the location for one of the sport’s most infamous incidents.

With Senna needing to win and trailing Prost, he dived up the inside into the famous chicane. However the Frenchman’s frustration with Senna’s behaviour that season saw him turn in on the Brazilian resulting in an inevitable crash. Senna went on to win the race but was disqualified by the FIA for cutting the chicane when returning to the track. That penalty saw Prost win his third World Championship before he moved to Ferrari for 1990.

Ayrton Senna driving the McLaren MP4-6 Honda (1991)

1990 followed in the same trend as 1989, with Senna pulling away early with several wins but Prost coming back strongly in the second half of the season. Japan was the location again for the pair's next controversial incident. Senna took pole in Japan and requested Pole Position to be moved back to the clean side of the track, a standard position on all other tracks. When the FIA president declined, Senna saw this as a coalition between Prost and the French FIA president Jean-Marie Balestre. As Prost, starting second, instantly took the lead at the start of the race Senna deliberately crashed into the side of him, retiring both cars and claiming his second World Championship in the process.

Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher racing each other (1993).

In 1991, at the age of 31, Senna became the youngest ever triple world champion as he dominated the season with seven wins. This was due to be his last year with the team as he planned to move to Williams, but stayed on for the 1992 season, after a personal request from engine suppliers Honda. Senna’s loyalty may have prevented him from winning a fourth world championship as the Williams car, at the hands of Nigel Mansell, dominated the 1992 season. Senna, in response, could only muster three wins. As Prost joined Williams for 1993, Senna could no longer complete the move as the Frenchman had a clause in his contract which said Senna could not be his teammate.

Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen (1993 Japan)

Senna had offered to drive there for free and subsequently called Prost a ‘coward’. Senna stayed at McLaren and finished second after an impressive season. The Williams pair of Prost and Damon Hill dominated for much of the season. The following season Senna got his move to Williams as Prost retired. However, a young German named Michael Schumacher showed his class by unexpectedly leading the championship after two rounds. At the third, the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, the race controversially went ahead after the death of Roland Ratzenberger in qualifying despite Senna’s concerns. On race day he crashed early on at Tamburello corner, which proved to be fatal. Ayrton died aged 34 (Senna  video).

The world of sport mourned a true great. The fastest and most competitive driver in the sport's history has left a lasting legacy on the sport.

Ayrton Senna (1st of May 1994)

His records may have gone, many of which to Schumacher, Vettel or Hamilton, but his track record is still amazing. When you sort the number of races in our all-time F1 driver rankings and compare the figures to F1 drivers with the same amount of races, you can see he clearly stands out and even doubles the results of Mika Hakkinen!

Until this day he is still idolised globally and he also will live on because of the Ayrton Senna Foundation (https://institutoayrtonsenna.org.br/). In today’s era of Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso and even Raikkonen the name of Senna still rings true.

Ayrton Senna F1 Cars

Ayrton Senna Championship Results

Ayrton Senna F1 Seasons Summary

Year	Team	Engine	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	Laps	FL	Avg Pts	Points
1994	Williams	Renault	3	0	0	0	0	3	60	0	0.00	0
1993	McLaren	Ford	16	5	2	0	7	1	861	1	4.56	73
1992	McLaren	Honda	16	3	1	3	7	1	698	1	3.13	50
1991 🏆	McLaren	Honda	16	7	3	2	12	8	934	2	6.00	96
1990 🏆	McLaren	Honda	16	6	2	3	11	10	895	2	4.88	78
1989	McLaren	Honda	16	6	1	0	7	13	781	3	3.75	60
1988 🏆	McLaren	Honda	16	8	3	0	11	13	988	3	5.88	94
1987	Team Lotus	Honda	16	2	4	2	8	1	956	3	3.56	57
1986	Team Lotus	Renault	16	2	4	2	8	8	739	0	3.44	55
1985	Team Lotus	Renault	16	2	2	2	6	7	775	3	2.38	38
1984	Toleman	Hart	14	0	1	2	3	0	549	1	0.93	13

Latest Ayrton Senna News

• 

  6 days ago

  Who Has the Most Pole Positions at the Italian Grand

• 

  25 Aug

  Remembering Zandvoort's Previous Farewell From F1 in 1985

• 

  16 Aug

  LEGO Recreates Senna's 1988 Helmet in 931 Pieces

• 

  25 Jul

  F1 drivers with the most pole positions in the Hungarian

• 

  10 Jul

  On This Day in F1 History: Senna Wins in Wet

• 

  9 Jul

  Ollie Bearman Drives Ayrton Senna's F1 Car at Silverstone!

• 

  4 Jul

  On This Day in F1 History: Prost's Sixth Home Win

Read more Ayrton Senna News »

Ayrton Senna Merchandise