Today would have been the 65th birthday of one of the greatest drivers of all time, if not the greatest, Ayrton Senna. One can only guess how many world championship titles he would have accumulated, along with the three he already has, if not for Formula 1's black weekend at Imola...
However, during his brief journey across the land, he gave us countless fantastic and interesting moments, including how he affected fans, his fellow athletes, and the media. For example, did you know that…
Has a luxury skyscraper been named in his honor in Brazil? The impressive Senna Tower, being built on the beautiful beach of Balneário Camboriú, will stand 509 meters tall, and its name isn't 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 the McLaren? At that time, there was no trace of what we would later call the greatest rivalry ever seen in Formula 1.
Did you know that, thanks to a coincidence, the last driver to see him alive was Erik Comas, whose life Senna had saved two years earlier? On that tragic day, immediately after the accident, a track closure was imposed, however, Comas entered the track due to a communication error and the chaos. By the time he arrived at Tamburello, he "only felt Senna's flying soul..." After the incident, Comas burst into tears and repeatedly stated that he would never compete again. At the end of the season, he retired...
It's said that the "spirit of the place": Well, the exact spot of Senna's death certainly has something of that about it. The author of these lines walked the Imola track, felt fate embraced by the silence, the sunset wind, Senna's soul.
Happy birthday, may you have a wide path on the heavenly tracks, Ayrton !
Photo: McLaren
