Remembering Ayrton Senna

We’re approaching the 25th anniversary of that tragic accident during a race involving an F1 driver who, in my eyes, remains the greatest to ever sit in a cockpit. I’ve never encountered anyone with more complete skill or character than him...

Here is a really honest, grounded documentary from 1995 about his life:



🙂

If Ayrton Senna had actually disrespected the sport, he wouldn't have died doing his job. 🐔

Alright, now that the trolling is out of the way... He was an incredible driver. 🙏 A massive loss—not just for Formula 1, but for sports in general, I suppose.

This might come across as tasteless—which isn't my intention—but I can't help thinking his death was perhaps the catalyst for the massive leaps we've seen in racing safety. It’s why we have drivers like Robert Kubica and Charles Leclerc today, who can hit a wall head-on and walk away with nothing more than some minor car damage—compared to how that would have looked back in the early '90s. Even though Roland Ratzenberger's accident was tragic, his profile wasn't quite at the level of Ayrton Senna's—he was a globally recognized superstar, even in the pre-internet era—and without that kind of impact, I doubt we would have seen such rapid progress in safety protocols.

On a different note—unrelated to the above or Formula 1, but certainly related to what only Ayrton Senna could pull off:

"No helmet. Moccasins with white socks. Ayrton Senna!"

crimsonhawk23 said:If Ayrton Senna had actually disrespected the sport, he wouldn't have died doing his job. 🐔

Alright, now that the trolling is out of the way... He was an incredible driver. 🙏 A massive loss—not just for Formula 1, but for sports in general, I suppose.

This might come across as tasteless—which isn't my intention—but I can't help thinking his death was perhaps the catalyst for the massive leaps we've seen in racing safety. It’s why we have drivers like Robert Kubica and Charles Leclerc today, who can hit a wall head-on and walk away with nothing more than some minor car damage—compared to how that would have looked back in the early '90s. Even though Roland Ratzenberger's accident was tragic, his profile wasn't quite at the level of Ayrton Senna's—he was a globally recognized superstar, even in the pre-internet era—and without that kind of impact, I doubt we would have seen such rapid progress in safety protocols.

On a different note—unrelated to the above or Formula 1, but certainly related to what only Ayrton Senna could pull off:

"No helmet. Moccasins with white socks. Ayrton Senna!"

Regarding that claim about "only Ayrton Senna being capable"... wasn't Mikael Vatanen doing the exact same thing? Driving a car far more powerful than any of Senna's Formula 1 machines, out on some dirt track, sliding sideways right along the edge of a cliff at 13,000 feet, steering with one hand while using the other just to block the sun from blinding him...

But sure, let's go with Senna. 🙂

Jason Campbell70 said:Regarding that claim about "only Ayrton Senna being capable"... wasn't Mikael Vatanen doing the exact same thing? Driving a car far more powerful than any of Senna's Formula 1 machines, out on some dirt track, sliding sideways right along the edge of a cliff at 13,000 feet, steering with one hand while using the other just to block the sun from blinding him...

But sure, let's go with Senna. 🙂

I think you might have missed my point—I wasn't actually referring to his driving skill. I was just quoting a comment from YouTube, which is probably why the view count on that specific video looks the way it does. Besides, Ayrton Senna is still alive. This. His video is probably my favorite—mostly because of those three wheels.

Well, there it is—Mikael Vatanen is absolutely killing it. 🙂

Look, here’s the reality... Ayrton Senna wasn't even remotely responsible for his own death. His steering rack snapped while he was hitting that long left-hander at Tamburello at nearly 200 mph. He lost all control over the front wheels instantly. And in that race? There were no tire barriers or hay bales protecting the track—just raw, naked concrete walls right there. A piece of the front right suspension broke off from the massive impact and pierced his helmet, hitting his temple; at that point, medical help couldn't do anything. He wouldn't have survived if he hadn't bled out right then and there. Once the helicopter cleared, the pool of blood left on the ground was the undeniable sign of how tragic this really was. Nobody was held accountable for those two deaths or the other crashes; the track was old, bumpy, and frankly neglected. They didn't bother updating the asphalt or adding basic safety like tire walls or straw bales—stuff you'd see at local amateur races in the States just to keep people safe. But Ayrton died a hero—leading the race after taking pole and setting the fastest lap, even though he was wrestling an "unstable" car. It had been dominant last season because of all the electronic driver aids like active suspension and traction control, but they stripped all that away at Williams Racing. The engine was still a beast, but the car was basically undriveable. It would snap left, then snap right, and they couldn't find a fix for Ayrton. He came from a completely different environment and driving style, and from his very first seat fitting, he was unhappy with the comfort and how the car handled. They swapped the seat, but they couldn't fix the instability. Ayrton even asked them to check the steering rack specifically because it felt off in the cockpit. Turns out, that rack was hollowed out because a whole mess of cables ran through it, so they likely thinned the metal too much, causing it to snap. There's plenty of evidence for that—you can see in the footage that while his steering wheel was turned left, the wheels themselves were going straight, which proves the connection between the wheel and the tires was gone. This isn't an isolated incident either; steering racks have failed before, but for Ayrton, it happened at the worst possible moment at max speed... and he hit a bare concrete wall because the tiny sand trap did nothing to slow him down. Gerhard Berger had an almost identical crash a few years prior at nearly the same spot, but he walked away without serious injury. Even though there were no tire barriers back then either, the angle of impact was slightly different, so the suspension didn't pierce his helmet. Though, honestly, Berger's crash was arguably more terrifying because the car caught fire afterward and he nearly burned alive.🤦🙏So yeah...

GERHARD BERGER - IMOLA 1989. TAMBURELLO CRASH



AYRTON SENNA - IMOLA 1994. - TAMBURELLO CRASH

crimsonhawk23 said:I think you might have missed my point—I wasn't actually referring to his driving skill. I was just quoting a comment from YouTube, which is probably why the view count on that specific video looks the way it does. Besides, Ayrton Senna is still alive. This. His video is probably my favorite—mostly because of those three wheels.

Well, there it is—Mikael Vatanen is absolutely killing it. 🙂

The core issue is the myth-making.
And maybe the YouTube view counts.
I'm not sure.

Jason Campbell70 said:The core issue is the myth-making.
And maybe the YouTube view counts.
I'm not sure.

And why take things out of context when we're discussing the same topic? It isn't as if I didn't write:

crimsonhawk23 said:If Ayrton Senna had actually disrespected the sport, he wouldn't have died doing his job. 🐔

Alright, now that the trolling is out of the way... He was an incredible driver. 🙏 A massive loss—not just for Formula 1, but for sports in general, I suppose.

This might come across as tasteless—which isn't my intention—but I can't help thinking his death was perhaps the catalyst for the massive leaps we've seen in racing safety. It’s why we have drivers like Robert Kubica and Charles Leclerc today, who can hit a wall head-on and walk away with nothing more than some minor car damage—compared to how that would have looked back in the early '90s. Even though Roland Ratzenberger's accident was tragic, his profile wasn't quite at the level of Ayrton Senna's—he was a globally recognized superstar, even in the pre-internet era—and without that kind of impact, I doubt we would have seen such rapid progress in safety protocols.

On a different note—unrelated to the above or Formula 1, but certainly related to what only Ayrton Senna could pull off:

"No helmet. Moccasins with white socks. Ayrton Senna!"

Around that same period, Mikael Vatanen was mainly known by hardcore fans—mostly rally enthusiasts, rather than general motorsport followers. With Senna, however, people knew him who had never even watched a single Formula 1 race.

crimsonhawk23 said:And why take things out of context when we're discussing the same topic? It isn't as if I didn't write:

Around that same period, Mikael Vatanen was mainly known by hardcore fans—mostly rally enthusiasts, rather than general motorsport followers. With Senna, however, people knew him who had never even watched a single Formula 1 race.

What exactly did I take out of context? 🙂

And you actually decided to pick a fight about Ayrton Senna with me,
as if I hadn't already found another Jason Campbell70, a self-proclaimed Senna devotee, to argue with.

A true legend—whenever I think about Formula 1, I immediately picture that iconic red and white McLaren paired with the bright yellow helmet..

Rest in peace, legend. Even twenty-five years after your passing, you remain the ultimate inspiration for drivers all over the world, and people are still quoting your words today

What's going on? Is anyone even here?

Jason Campbell70 said:What's going on? Is anyone even here?

His fanbase has completely evaporated. Who was even Ayrton Senna, really?

@ Dana Perez6

Who was this guy actually?

Was he even a legend?

Who was he?

Why is there such an endless amount of threads and posts about this guy if he was actually a legend?

Time moves on, but memories don't just evaporate into thin air.
What's up, big man!

Timothy Castillo6 said:Time moves on, but memories don't just evaporate into thin air.
What's up, big man!

Time passes, memories don't fade, all that remains are the hectares left behind!

Hey Jason Campbell70, sleeping soundly?

Acres?

honestly, I’m pretty sure Juan Manuel Fangio and Prost are on a whole different level

darkmarlin16 said:honestly, I’m pretty sure Juan Manuel Fangio and Prost are on a whole different level

The son of Brazilian industrialist Milton da Silva was already sitting in his own go-kart at age four. He had everything handed to him on a silver platter to become a legend—he even took his mother's last name, Senna, just because it sounded better. He had the money, the gear, and the connections, all aimed at one goal: becoming a Formula 1 world champion. His path was "Europe-first," heading straight to England to start racking up wins. Let’s be real: he could chase those dreams because he came from old money. He was a daddy's boy. Just like Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, and pretty much every other driver on the Formula 1 grid today. Personally, I have way more respect for someone like James Hunt. He didn't have the cash; he basically stumbled into the sport by accident. He was so broke he couldn't even finish fixing up a used Mini; he was out there driving half a car without even a windshield. And so on. But if we're talking about the GOAT, Juan Manuel Fangio takes it. The guy raced in short sleeves, without a helmet, without seatbelts, and zero safety gear. Back then, any crash meant serious injury or death. He still managed to snag five titles and stay alive through it all—even doing it well into his fifties.

Juan Manuel Fangio was the greatest driver of all time, period. Perhaps I could consider Jim Clark, but no one else. Fangio stands above because he won in a wide variety of machines.

Ayrton Senna was the greatest pilot in history!

There is driving a car, and then there is piloting an automobile. They are not the same thing.

The only historical instances where Senna can even be mentioned in the same breath as a true driver are that wild stint in the NSX with Suzuki and that magnificent victory at the Nürburgring in the Mercedes-Benz 190.

People need to learn how to distinguish drivers from pilots. Those guys racing NASCAR today are drivers; those people behind V8 supercars are drivers. The principle is similar, but it is nowhere near the same.

Pilots react on the edge of instinct—they react digitally. Drivers operate analogously, and you simply cannot grasp the difference.

Just because someone is a Formula 1 champion does not mean they will be the best driver; history has shown us that many times over.

Senna proved he was the superior driver among the Formula 1 pilots of his era.

The only time pilots can truly showcase their driving skill—the only time they are forced to react analogically—is when it rains. A downpour, wet tracks, that sort of thing.
That is when true driving ability surfaces, and lo and behold, Senna was actually a driver. Only then can we draw some loose parallels with Fangio and Jim Clark.

I am not sure if your limited minds can even process this.

To understand this, you would have to be born a natural leftist. Right-handers, for some reason, are less capable of abstract thought. Everything for them boils down to numbers and math; they rank everything by points and reduce everything to a mathematical level.
Their entire existence revolves around material wealth, believing that being rich is the ultimate goal, failing to grasp the actual depth of life.

That is why specific forums exist, where you can ask someone who thinks differently than the masses.

Any decent leftist could prove to you that 1>5.

For instance, Tbf and crimsonhawk23 likely need a mountain of aids during a race just to figure out what is happening around them: PC, Tablet, mobile phone, a hundred different types of live timing, and so on.
Right-handers can track massive amounts of information. We leftists cannot. We just watch, tune everything out, and see only the racing and the braking zones. We know everything without any assistance.

darkmarlin16 said:honestly, I’m pretty sure Juan Manuel Fangio and Prost are on a whole different level

The son of a Brazilian industrialist, Milton da Silva, was already sitting in his own go-kart at age four. He had every single advantage needed to become a legend, even taking his mother's surname, Senna, just because it sounded better. He grew up with everything handed to him—the gear, the engines, the lot. He set his sights on becoming an F1 World Champion and took the "Europe-first" route to the United Kingdom, where he started racking up wins. The bottom line is that he had the cash to chase his dreams because he came from money. Just a daddy's boy. That’s the reality for Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, and pretty much every other F1 driver out there. Personally, I have the most respect for James Hunt. He didn't have the bankroll; he basically stumbled into the sport by accident. He barely had enough money to finish fixing up a used Mini Cooper, let alone race professionally... and so on. But look, Juan Manuel Fangio was the undisputed GOAT. The guy raced in short sleeves, without a helmet, seatbelts, or any actual safety gear. Back then, any rollover meant serious injury or death. He still managed to grab five titles and stay alive to tell the tale. And he did all that while in his fifties...