The Life of Senna

by Rubython, Tom

  6. 1985 European Grand Prix; Brands Hatch

  Gap: 0.313s

  A lap that impressed many of the Formula One fraternity with its maturity and style. Only Nelson Piquet’s Brabham BMW and Nigel Mansell’s Williams were within a second of the Brazilian. His team-mate Elio de Angelis was left 2.845s behind in ninth.

  7. 1985 Australian Grand Prix; Adelaide

  Gap: 0.694s

  The seven-10ths gap to Nigel Mansell’s Williams in second was large but paled into insignificance compared to the margin between Senna and the rest of the field – Mansell’s team-mate Keke Rosberg in third was 2.044s behind.

  8. 1986 Brazilian Grand Prix; Jacarepagua

  Gap: 0.765s

  Senna’s determination to beat his compatriot Nelson Piquet at their home race saw him emerge exhausted from the cockpit after setting his fastest lap in the closing minutes of qualifying. Predictably he stuffed Piquet.

  9. 1986 Spanish Grand Prix; Jerez de la Frontera

  Gap: 0.826s

  An impressive gap over second placed compatriot Nelson Piquet’s Williams Honda at a usually close circuit with a short lap-time. Senna’s pole time was 1m 21.605s in a season where the Williams Honda was clearly the fastest car.

  10. 1986 San Marino Grand Prix; Imola

  Gap: 0.519s

  Senna makes it three out of three for the first trio of races of the 1986 season. It was impressively his fourth pole in a row, overlapping from 1985. Made even more extraordinary by the fact that the Williams Honda was easily the best car.

  11. 1986 USA Detroit Grand Prix; Detroit

  Gap: 0.538s

  Senna dominated the American street circuit as usual. He shone in qualifying and then topped his performance off with a win. He was particularly dominant at the tight tricky street circuits where driving skill was at a premium.

  12. 1986 French Grand Prix; Paul Ricard

  Gap: 0.229s

  Senna took pole from the Williams Honda of Nigel Mansell with a car that was far off the pace. He struggled in the latter half of the season as Lotus concentrated all development on making the new Honda car ready for 1987.

  13. 1986 Hungarian Grand Prix; Hungaroring

  Gap: 0.335s

  Senna took pole from Nelson Piquet’s Williams Honda in his Lotus 98T with the Renault engine despite the lack of grip he continually complained of to his Lotus mechanics – who struggled to solve problems that Senna simply drove around.

  14. 1986 Portuguese Grand Prix; Estoril

  Gap: 0.816s

  An impressive lap at one of Senna’s best circuits, with only Nigel Mansell’s Williams staying within a second of the Brazilian. Despite the short lap time, 20 of the 27-strong grid could not get within two-and-a-half seconds of pole.

  15. 1986 Mexican Grand Prix; Mexico City

  Gap: 0.289s

  A good pole in which Ayrton Senna put his Lotus Renault 98T 1.431s between himself and the sixth-placed man, eventual champion Alain Prost in his TAG McLaren. Only the car stopped Senna winning the 1986 world championship.

  16. 1987 San Marino Grand Prix; Imola

  Gap: 0.120s

  Senna’s only pole of the year, at the track where he later scored a record eight. Only Nigel Mansell’s Williams Honda and Alain Prost’s McLaren were within a second of Senna. The active suspension Lotus Honda 99T was hopeless in qualifying.

  17. 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix; Jacarepagua

  Gap: 0.536s

  Pole for Senna at his home race and the beginning of a six-race run. Only five cars were within two seconds of his time but this became completely irrelevant when he was forced to start from the pitlane after trouble selecting gears.

  18. 1988 San Marino Grand Prix; Imola

  Gap: 0.771s

  The gap of 0.771s to team-mate Alain Prost in second was impressive, but the gap of 3.352s to Nelson Piquet’s Lotus Honda in third was amazing. It was a true testament to the combined skills of Senna and McLaren Honda.

  19. 1988 Monaco Grand Prix; Monte Carlo

  Gap: 1.427s

  Considered by many to be the greatest qualifying lap of all time. Senna was in a trance-like situation on his fastest lap, driving his car round the narrow streets on another plane. No one came remotely close to him that weekend.

  20. 1988 Mexican Grand Prix; Mexico City

  Gap: 0.629s

  A modest time gap to the next best by Senna’s 1988 standards but substantial by anybody else’s. Team-mate Alain Prost was never any threat in second. The McLaren Honda MP4 car was the class of the field that year

  21. 1988 Canadian Grand Prix; Montreal

  Gap: 0.182s

  Alain Prost gave Senna a run for his money at the Montreal track where he was usually the star. The Frenchman still could not wrestle away pole from his team-mate driving an identical car, the McLaren Honda MP4/4 which took 15 poles from 16 races.

  22. 1988 USA Detroit Grand Prix; Detroit

  Gap: 0.858s

  A magnificent performacne on a rough track that suited the Ferraris rather than the McLarens. Senna’s sixth pole in a row equalled the record set by Stirling Moss in 1959-60 and Niki Lauda in 1974. He couldn’t quite get the record.

  23. 1988 German Grand Prix; Hockenheim

  Gap: 0.277s

  After losing out twice in a row to Alain Prost and Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari, Senna was back in form at Hockenheim setting his fastest lap on Friday, before the weekend’s share of rain nullified the last qualifying session.

  24. 1988 Hungarian Grand Prix; Hungaroring

  Gap: 0.108s

  A rougher than usual qualifying session for the McLarens. Senna just managed to edge pole from Nigel Mansell’s Williams but Alain Prost could only manage seventh spot on the grid in his identical McLaren Honda MP4/4.

  25. 1988 Belgian Grand Prix; Spa-Francorchamps

  Gap: 0.410s

  Times were set in the dry Friday session. Senna believed he could have gone quicker after Gabrielle Tarquini’s Coloni Ford crashed impairing his fast lap. Then he didn’t get a quick run on the rainy Saturday but he was still miles ahead.

  26. 1988 Italian Grand Prix; Monza

  Gap: 0.303s

  Senna complained of traffic but still took pole from Alain Prost. It was his 10th pole of the season, beating the record of nine set by Ronnie Peterson in 1973, Niki Lauda in 1974 and 1975, and Nelson Piquet in 1984.

  27. 1988 Spanish Grand Prix; Jerez de la Frontera

  Gap: 0.067s

  Senna snatched pole away from Alain Prost by the smallest margin of the year at this circuit famous for its tight finishes at a very difficult track to lap well. The circuit has very short straights where the Honda engine could not stretch itself.

  28. 1988 Japanese Grand Prix; Suzuka

  Gap: 0.324s

  Senna took pole only to discover that the grid layout gave an advantage to the second-placed man, Alain Prost, something that was to rankle with him for years to come. Third-placed Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari was 1.5s behind.

  29. 1988 Australian Grand Prix; Adelaide

  Gap: 0.132s

  Senna once again pipped Alain Prost at the last minute, taking his 13th pole of the season. Nobody else was within a second-and-a-half of the brilliant Brazilian on the challenging and demanding street circuit where he excelled as usual.

  30. 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix; Jacarepagua

  Gap: 0.870s

  Senna once again showed a considerable pace at his home event and never looked to be in any danger of losing pole position. His second fastest time would have also blown the field away, by 0.602s. It was staggering.

  31 1989 San Marino Grand Prix; Imola

  Gap: 0.225s

  Senna’s fifth consecutive pole in San Marino broke the record of four consecutive poles at a single circuit set by Juan Manuel Fangio at Monte Carlo. Apart from Prost only Mansell’s Ferrari and Patrese’s Williams Renault were within two seconds.

  32. 1989 Monaco Grand Prix; Monte Carlo

  Gap: 1.148sr />
  Senna was once again devastating, with over a second back to Prost and 2.024s to Thierry Boutsen’s Williams in third. Some thought the timing system had a glitch. Senna was a staggering 1.690s faster than his 1988 time.

  33. 1989 Mexican Grand Prix; Mexico City

  Gap: 0.897s

  A substantial gap to team-mate Alain Prost in second meant that no one on the grid, close as they were to each other, could come near Senna’s time. His normally aspirated McLaren Honda MP4/5 was far faster than the turbo of the previous year.

  34. 1989 USA Grand Prix; Phoenix

  Gap: 1.409s

  Senna’s record eighth pole in a row, a tally that Michael Schumacher came close to but could not surpass earlier this year. It was also Senna’s 34th pole, taking him past Jim Clark’s record 33. On the Arizona street circuit no one else stood a chance.

  35. 1989 British Grand Prix; Silverstone

  Gap: 0.167s

  Despite gearbox trouble Senna still took pole from team-mate Alain Prost, for what was his only time on top at Silverstone. He was generally succesful on all types of circuit but Silverstone remained a qualifying enigma to him.

  36. 1989 German Grand Prix; Hockenheim

  Gap: 1.006s

  On the last corner of his pole lap, Ayrton Senna ran over a kerb and ruptured one of the McLaren Honda’s radiators. But his time was still over a second better than team-mate Alain Prost’s closest grab in his identical car.

  37. 1989 Belgian Grand Prix; Spa-Francorchamps

  Gap: 0.596s

  Senna’s gap to Alain Prost in second was a small one for a long circuit, in an over two minute lap. Spa remains the most challenging fast circuit in the beautiful Ardennes region famous for sweeping corners. And Prost always excelled there.

  38. 1989 Italian Grand Prix; Monza

  Gap: 1.014s

  A second’s gap on this fast circuit and relatively short lap time to Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari was a sensational performance. Only the top six were within three seconds of him and he was over three seconds better than his pole time in 1988.

  39. 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix; Estoril

  Gap: 0.591s

  Senna managed to beat Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari by over half a second, putting up a challenge to the rapidly improving Ferraris that the McLaren Honda MP4/5 of Alain Prost was unable to muster in an identical car and engine.

  40. 1989 Spanish Grand Prix; Jerez de la Frontera

  Gap: 0.274s

  A smaller than usual gap to Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari in second, but the 1.077s to Alain Prost in the other McLaren Honda in third was a true sign of Senna’s qualifying strength in an absolutely identical car.

  41. 1989 Japanese Grand Prix; Suzuka

  Gap: 1.730s

  Statistically Senna’s best pole ever. The gap of 1.730s to Alain Prost remains the fifth largest gap of three decimal places and the biggest percentage he recorded back to second. But not compensation for starting on the dirty side of the track.

  42. 1989 Australian Grand Prix; Adelaide

  Gap: 0.738s

  Senna convincingly out-qualified Prost, despite complaining that his now bitter enemy had blocked him on his fast lap. It was the last head-to-head between the two great drivers in identical equipment. The score was 26-4 in poles.

  43. 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix; Interlagos

  Gap: 0.611s

  The first ever Grand Prix in Senna’s home city of São Paulo. Coming off the back of an opening round qualifying defeat – to new team-mate Gerhard Berger – no one offered him any real resistance when he put in a stunning lap in the dying minutes.

  44. 1990 San Marino Grand Prix; Imola

  Gap: 0.561s

  The 44th pole for Senna at Imola. Only Gerhard Berger was within a second of his Brazilian team-mate. Senna was to absolutely dominate pole position at Imola for many years until he lost his life there on 1st May 1994 – from pole.

  45. 1990 Monaco Grand Prix; Monte Carlo

  Gap: 0.462s

  Still streets ahead of the rest, but it was even better than it looked as Senna’s really fast lap was ruined by Gregor Foitek’s Onyx Ford blocking his path at the Nouvelle Chicane. It was his fourth pole at Monte Carlo out of seven starts.

  46. 1990 Canadian Grand Prix; Montreal

  Gap: 0.066s

  Breathtakingly close, but still a Senna triumph over new team-mate Gerhard Berger in the new McLaren Honda MP4/6. Berger was fresh to McLaren and had yet to see the true brilliance of his new partner. That was to come.

  47. 1990 German Grand Prix; Hockenheim

  Gap: 0.236s

  Although Gerhard Berger in second managed to stay reasonably close to Senna’s time, the third-placed Ferrari of Alain Prost was a second-and-a-half behind. It ended a dry spell of three missed poles, his longest since 1987.

  48. 1990 Belgian Grand Prix; Spa-Francorchamps

  Gap: 0.583s

  Senna was untouchable again at the Belgian track by half a second from team-mate Gerhard Berger on a grid that was close for such a long circuit with a plus two minute lap time. Berger was in a similar position to Prost the year before.

  49. 1990 Italian Grand Prix; Monza

  Gap: 0.402s

  After a lot of problems Senna didn’t get a proper run on Saturday until the very last minutes when he snatched pole from the grasp of rival, and local Ferrari favourite, Alain Prost. It fuelled and continued the feud begun the year before.

  50. 1990 Spanish Grand Prix; Jerez de la Frontera

  Gap: 0.437s

  Martin Donnelly crashed his Lotus Lamborghini heavily into a barrier and Senna rushed to the scene where Donnelly lay close to death in the middle of the track. The next day, he went over a second faster than he had before for his 50th pole.

  51. 1990 Japanese Grand Prix; Suzuka

  Gap: 0.232s

  Another hard-fought Suzuka pole for Senna and still the same old problems of finding that pole was still on the dirty side of the track. His race didn’t last long as he won the 1990 championship by running Prost off the road at the very first corner.

  52. 1990 Australian Grand Prix; Adelaide

  Gap: 0.573s

  With the world championship won Senna once again excelled around the Adelaide Park circuit, taking pole from team-mate Gerhard Berger by over half a second. He retired from the race but by then it didn’t matter.

  53. 1991 USA Grand Prix; Phoenix

  Gap: 1.121s

  A stunning street circuit pole from Alain Prost’s Ferrari got Senna’s year off to a flier. The new McLaren Honda MP4/5B car had been finished very late and Senna had taken three months off over the winter and done little testing.

  54. 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix; Interlagos

  Gap: 0.383s

  Senna himself described this as an ‘incredible lap’. Only the Williams Renaults of Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell were within a second of the Brazilian and they were the class of the field. This was a driver wringing the best from a car that wasn’t.

  55. 1991 San Marino Grand Prix; Imola

  Gap: 0.080s

  Senna’s seventh consecutive pole at the Italian circuit which set an all-time record. The gap back to Riccardo Patrese’s Williams Renault is testament more to the Italian hero’s desire to do well at his home track than any fault of Senna’s.