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Senna - the movie of his life and death
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I watched the film, Senna, just recently and I have to say, whilst awfully sad, it was also very inspiring.
His determination to not only succeed, but to be the best at his art was, at times, awkward viewing and, to say that he was driven would be something of an understatement, as well as a pun.
A three time Formula 1 world champion, Ayrton Senna was also a successful businessman and benefactor to the many starving children in Brazil, raising millions with his own charitable trust.
At a press conference at the 1993 Australian Grand Prix, when asked which driver he had the most satisfaction of racing against, Senna cited Terry Fullerton, his Karting team mate where it all started before he moved on to racing cars and Formula 1, above his arch-rival Alain Prost.
Senna drove for both Toleman and Lotus before Ron Dennis took him on at McLaren in 1988. He was the second driver to Alain Prost but his performance over that season pushed the Frenchman hard, causing arguments.
At the Monaco Grand Prix, he qualified faster and then led for most of the race, before crashing on lap 67. In Portugal, there were some high speed shenanigans between the two which resulted in a warning for the Brazilian from the FIA and an apology by Senna. Between them they won 15 of the 16 races that year and Senna won his first World Championship.
In 1989, the struggle between them for pole position intensified and it all came down to the penultimate race of the season in Japan, where Prost collided with Senna but the Brazilian was able to restart his car and rejoin the race - meaning that he had won the title. Prost appealed and the FIA disqualified Senna for being on a part of the track that was not included in the race. Senna was disgusted by the politics coming into the sport.
Prost left the team to join Ferrari but he was still going head to head with Senna for the World Championship and again it came down to the penultimate race in Japan. Senna won pole position only to be told by the FIA that this would now be on the dirty side of the track, with his rival, Prost, getting second place but on the clean side.
Senna was livid and, when they arrived at the first corner, he tried to pass the Frenchman, who cut him up. The two collided at 170mph and spun off the track, making Senna world champion.
In 1991, he won the title for the third time, the youngest person to have done so but 1992 and 1993 proved a far more testing time with the rise of the Williams cars, through their superior technology.
Senna signed for Williams-Renault in 1994, ending his long association with Ron Dennis of McLaren but changes to the rules for that season had prohibited the active suspension, ABS and traction control which had combined to make the cars so invincible.
Sadly, the removal of the technology also made the cars hard to control and Senna had his worst ever start to a season in terms of points gained - even though he had managed pole position for each of the first two races.
The fateful race at San Marino was held over the weekend at the end of April/beginning of May.
First the Jordan of Senna's friend, Rubens Barrichello flew through the air and hit the fence and protective tyres giving him a broken nose and arm.
On the Saturday, young driver, Roland Ratzenberger was killed during qualifying when his front wing broke off whilst he was driving at full speed around a bend forcing him into a wall.
It was after this that Senna's friend, Professor Sid Watkins proposed that they stop racing and just go fishing but Senna replied that he couldn't.
During the film, you can see Senna preparing for the race. He appears pensive.
There was a huge crash right at the start with injuries to in the grandstand from a stray tyre.
Senna took the lead on the restart and built up a lead. You can watch the final moments of his life on the in-car camera as he does the thing he loves most - driving.
And then, as he entered Tamburello corner on lap 7, his car does not make the turn. He crashes straight into a retaining wall at around 135mph.
For two minutes, you can see him sitting in his car and twitching and then the medics arrive, including his friend, Professor Sid.
Later Watkins said that he knew that there was no hope because of the neurological damage.
It is thought that, in the impact, the steering column were forced back into the cockpit piercing his helmet.
What actually caused the accident is still unknown although there is talk that the steering column may have broken off or the power steering failed.
The FIA Expert Advisory Safety Committee was set up in 1994 following the race and Watkins was appointed as its chairman.
There has not been a driver fatality in Formula 1 ever since.
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