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It's been 30 years since F1 lost the great Ayrton Senna, whose untimely death occurred on this very day in 1994 amidst the somber backdrop of Imola during the San Marino GP weekend. Despite the passage of time, the Brazilian continues to stand tall as one of the sport's most enduring icons. Here we revisit 10 pivotal moments from his illustrious racing career that not only solidified his legacy but also forged a legend destined to shine brightly for generations to come.
1. Monaco Grand Prix 1984
Ayrton Senna arrived in Formula 1 in 1984 off the back of a successful title campaign in the British Formula 3 championship. He tested for Williams, McLaren, Brabham, and Toleman before making his debut for the latter team in Brazil. He soon had two points finishes under his belt, despite the car - the TG183B - itself being fairly mediocre.
But the race that really announced his arrival at the top level of motorsports was his sixth entry of the year at Monaco. He had qualified for the race in 13th place on the grid, but very wet conditions on Sunday turned everything upside down. Senna showed incredible skill and tenacity to force his way past some of F1's biggest stars of the day, and only a red flag ending the race prematurely thwarted him from taking the lead from Alain Prost on lap 32.
By the end of the day, no one was asking 'Who is this new guy?' anymore. Instead the question on everyone's lips was: 'When will Senna be world champion?'
