ON THIS DAY: Senna was flying at Monaco – Then this happened
May 15, 1988—Ayrton Senna was in another world. For 67 laps, he had dominated the Monaco Grand Prix, his McLaren-Honda slicing through the streets with hypnotic precision. By the halfway mark, he led by nearly a minute—an eternity in Formula 1. Then, in a blink, it all fell apart.
The Drive That Should Have Been Legendary
From the first practice session, Senna was untouchable. While others wrestled with Monaco’s unforgiving barriers, he floated through the corners as if the car was an extension of his body. At the race start, he launched flawlessly into the lead while teammate Alain Prost—hampered by a gearbox glitch—lost second place to Gerhard Berger.
Behind them, chaos unfolded:
- Alex Caffi smacked the wall.
- Philippe Streiff’s throttle cable snapped.
- Nelson Piquet and Eddie Cheever tangled, ending Lotus’ miserable weekend.
But Senna? He was in a trance, stretching his lead with every lap. Then, the call came from the pits.
The Mistake That Changed Everything
Ron Dennis’ voice crackled over the radio: *”Ease off. Secure the 1-2.”*
Senna lifted. The rhythm broke.
Lap 67—Portier corner, just before the tunnel. A split-second lapse. The McLaren twitched, kissed the barrier, and crumpled.
Silence.
No screams, no frantic radio calls. Just Senna stepping out of the wreck and walking away—past the pits, past the crowds, straight to his Monaco apartment. He wouldn’t speak to anyone for hours.
Prost inherited the win, his fourth at Monaco. Berger took second. But the story wasn’t about them. It was about the one that got away.
The Aftermath: A Champion’s Lesson
Senna called it the worst mistake of his career. The kind of error that gnaws at a perfectionist. Yet, in that failure, something hardened in him—a resolve to never let focus slip again.
Monaco ’88 became a turning point. The day Senna learned that even gods can falter. And the day that made the rest of his brilliance even more untouchable.
