Today, one of, if not the greatest driver of all time, Ayrton Senna, would be 65 years old. One can only guess how many world championship titles he would have collected in addition to the three he already has, if it weren't for Formula 1's black weekend in Imola...
But even during his short journey on earth, his existence gifted us with countless fantastic moments and interesting facts, the impact he had on fans, fellow athletes, and the media. For example, did you know that…
A luxury skyscraper in Brazil has been named after him? The sky-high Senna Tower, built on the beautiful beach of Balneário Camboriú, will be 509 meters high, and its name is not the only connection to the legend. The sensational building is being designed by none other than Ayrton's niece, Lalalli Senna!
Did you know that his great rival Alain Prost offered him McLaren? At that time, there was no sign of what would later become known as the greatest rivalry ever seen in Formula 1.
Did you know that, by a coincidence, the last driver to see him alive was Erik Comas, whose life Senna had saved two years earlier? On that ominous sad day, the track was closed immediately after the accident, but Comas drove onto the track due to a communication error and the chaos. By the time he reached Tamburello, he could "only feel Senna's soul flying away..." After the incident, Comas burst into tears and repeated that he would never race again. He retired at the end of the season...
They say the “spirit of the place”: Well, the exact spot where Senna died really does have one. The writer of these lines walked onto the Imola track, felt the silence embracing fate, the wind of passing away, Senna’s soul.
Happy birthday, and a long road on the celestial racetracks, Ayrton !
Photo: McLaren
