Credit: Photo: Jmex60 (cropped/retouched by Morio), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons (Links at the end of the content)
Ayrton Senna F1: There are so many races it’s almost impossible to pick, but we tried to bring together the ones where he really shined on the grid. He won 41 races, and that alone shows why it’s so hard to choose. Some fans will agree with our list, others maybe not, but one thing is clear, Senna was one of the greatest, and people still go back to watch replays of his best moments, amazed at what he could do behind the wheel.
Stats tell part of the story, but F1, was filled with moments that still feel almost unreal when revisited…
He wasn’t just fast; he was intense. Every teammate knew it, like we shared last time when we talked about his teammates and how he dominated them all. In qualifying, he was simply untouchable. Even a four-time champion like Alain Prost was no match, with Senna outqualifying him 28 to 4.
Ayrton Senna F1: Best Races of Senna
When the pressure peaked, he rarely faded; instead, that was when he became most dangerous…
So let’s dive into Ayrton Senna’s best races, we’ve tried to highlight the moments where he shined the most.
Donington 1993: The Lap That Defied Logic
Ayrton Senna 1993 European Grand Prix is often brought up first, and for good reason.
What happened on the opening lap has been replayed countless times, and yet it’s still hard to fully grasp. To experience it in that moment, though, is something unforgettable, a feeling you can never truly relive, especially if you were a fan of Senna.
Ayrton Senna started 5th, found himself surrounded by faster cars, and Williams for example, was the team to beat!
But thing changed suddenly, the track was soaked, grip constantly changing, visibility poor; yet within a single lap, he carved through the field, passing car after car, by the time he crossed the line to start lap two, Senna was leading!
That opening sequence earned the nickname ‘Lap of the Gods’… and it wasn’t just hype!
Over the rest of the race; he controlled conditions that caught everyone else out, stretching a gap and eventually lapping almost the entire field.
Anecdote: So what can we say about opening laps? We also have to mention what we saw with Kimi Räikkönen at the Portugal GP, he recovered from 16th to 6th in just one lap, something rarely seen in the modern era, especially in the turbo cars after 2014. It was one of the best opening laps we’ve witnessed since Senna at Donington. But Senna’s was on another level of drama. The cars were far more difficult to handle, and he wasn’t just finding a gap and moving on, he overtook some cars from the outside, something we’re used to seeing but rarely in such a tense moment. It was truly unbelievable.
Monaco 1984: The Arrival
The day a legend was born, an unbelievable race. We all go back and watch it, fans and newcomers alike, and it’s incredible to think it could have been a win for him in a Toleman!
When the world first took notice, the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, was supposed to be just another race, but heavy rain changed everything.
Driving for an unproven team; Senna started deep in the pack…13th on the grid; what followed was a relentless charge through the field, each lap bringing him closer to the front.
Ahead was Alain Prost, behind him, closing rapidly, was a young Brazilian who refused to slow down; a future champion.
As Senna approached Prost; it became clear that the lead was within reach, then the race was stopped!
Officially for safety reasons, though controversy has followed that decision ever since.
Senna finished second, but in reality; it felt like something much bigger, F1 had just witnessed the arrival of a future champion.
Let’s not forget Stefan Bellof, who was incredibly quick that day, a rising German star reportedly on his way to Ferrari for 1986. Sadly, he passed away later that year following an accident at Spa-Francorchamps. Reports suggests, he was faster than Ayrton Senna at that moment, before the race was over at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix.
Estoril 1985: The First Victory
A year later; finally, he delivered a performance that removed any remaining doubt; the conditions were brutal, rain pouring down.
From pole position; Ayrton Senna simply disappeared; others struggled to stay on track, he built a lead that seemed almost absurd.
By the end; he had lapped nearly the entire field, finishing over a minute ahead.
It was Ayrton Senna first F1 win, first of many!
Brazil 1991: Pain, Pride, and Persistence
Winning at home had always meant everything to Ayrton Senna, he loved to perform in front of his fans, and he remains the icon of Brazil.
At the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix, that dream came with a cost few could truly appreciate.
Late in the race; his car began to fail, the gearbox started to give up, eventually leaving him stuck in sixth gear, on a circuit that demands constant shifting, this should have ended his race.
Instead, he adapted, corner after corner, he wrestled the car, physically fighting it just to keep going, the effort drained him completely, by the time he crossed the line; he was barely able to move!
Ayrton Senna won; but the victory almost broke him, exhausted, he had to be helped out of the car, his body pushed far beyond the limits.
It remains one of the most human moments of his career; a reminder that greatness often comes at a price!
Suzuka 1988: Redemption and a Title
The 1988 season came down to the Japanese Grand Prix, Senna needed to win to secure his first F1 title, the pressure could not have been higher…
Then at the start, everything went wrong for Senna, his car stalled at the start, dropping him down the order.
For most drivers, that would have been the end of the story, for Senna, it was just the beginning.
What followed was a relentless recovery driver, overtake after overtake, Alain Prost who was leading the race was more than 10 seconds ahead, Senna cut through the field, each move carrying the weight of a championship battle against Prost.
Ayrton Senna reached the front and made the decisive pass!
By the time he crossed the line, the title was his, it was not a clean victory; it was messy, tense, and hard-fought, which made it all the more fitting.
Anecdote: We believe Ayrton Senna’s recovery to win the title could be one of the greatest in Formula One history. It is the kind of comeback we rarely see. Yes, there have been remarkable recoveries, like Sebastian Vettel in 2012, when he dropped to the back of the field after a spin at Turn 4 in Brazil, damaging his front wing. He still managed to fight back, finish sixth, and secure his third title, needing only a top-seven result to do so. Still, Senna’s recovery stands above the rest for us. Winning a first F1 title in that manner feels far more difficult than sealing a championship as an already established two-time world champion, as Vettel was at the time.
Monaco 1992: The Art of Defense
If Donington showed Senna at his most aggressive; Monaco 1992 revealed another side entirely; late in the race, Nigel Mansell, driving a faster Williams, was right behind Senna.
Under normal circumstances, the outcome would have been obvious, the British driver had the pace advantage, fresher tires, and multiple opportunities to attack, but Monaco is different.
For the final laps; Senna placed his car perfectly, defending every corner, sliding… but there was no panic, no mistake, just complete control.
Mansell tried everything; but there was simply no way through, it wasn’t the fastest race Senna ever done, but it might have been one of the smartest!
READ MORE:
The Numbers Behind the Myth
Across his career from 1984 to 1994, Ayrton Senna achieved three world championships, in 1988, 1990, and 1991.
He won 41 races; stood on podium 80 times, secured 65 pole positions, a record that stood for years.
And at Monaco, Ayrton Senna claimed six victories, a benchmark that became part of his identity. It could have been seven, but in 1988 he was leading by more than 50 seconds at Monaco Grand Prix. After a small mistake at the Portier corner, Senna crashed and handed the win to Alain Prost.
Featured Image Credit: Photo: Jmex60 (cropped/retouched by Morio), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
