Playlist: Remembering Ayrton Senna

We still struggle to understand that it’s been a long 21 years since Ayrton Senna’s death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. In that time, much has been said about the influential Brazilian, but this week we prefer to remember him through a number of video clips that help to show the different sides to his character.

The highly-regarded documentary Senna takes a look at the Brazilian champion’s life, and is a must-watch for every car enthusiast. Thankfully, it’s available just about anywhere, from DVD rental to Netflix to digital download.

Formula 1 produced this very quick retrospective on Senna’s monumental first win in just his second season of top level competition. Little did the world know that taking the treacherous, rain-soaked 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix would be just the first of his many accomplishments.

What was Senna’s best lap? In qualifying, probably the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix when he was more than 1.5 seconds faster than his McLaren team mate Alain Prost. In a race, many say his fifth-to-first lap of Donington at the 1993 European Grand Prix.

XCAR takes a Mercedes-Benz to the Nürburgring in order to recreate one of Senna’s greatest races, a 1984 contest featuring a grid full of the world’s best drivers driving wheel-to-wheel in identical Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16s. 

People reflecting on past experiences is always fascinating, and here, Alain Prost reflects on his battles with the champion. In period, we also have an interview with Senna conducted by Jackie Stewart that doesn’t go so well…

Even though, in the words of people in the office that “everyone” has seen Senna’s technique in the Honda NSX, we’re posting it again. For a more dramatic display, how about the 1993 Canadian Grand Prix, where Senna went from 8th on the grid to 3rd…by the end of the second lap(!)

Cover Image Source: fanpop.com