RIP SENNA: Brundle on why Ayrton was so good

Today, May 1, it is 30 years since motorsport lost one of the greats – if not the GOAT, depending on your view, Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle reflects on his on-track battles with the Brazilian.

It was one of the great tragedies of modern sport and, however differing people believe the accident was caused, it was the sheer one-in-a-hundred bad luck of a suspension part piercing his helmet which ended Ayrton Senna’s life. 

Brundle, the long-time ITV/BBC/Sky Sports F1 TV commentator and former F1 star was Senna’s prime opposition during the 1983 Formula 3 season.

It was a privilege to race against Ayrton over 11 years, although it didn’t always feel like that at the time! 

READ THE FULL SIX PAGE SPECIAL FEATURE ABOUT MORE UNTOLD AYRTON SENNA STORIES HERE

A 1983 Formula 3 race at Silverstone summed up his talents for me. I beat him away from the start and led down the Hangar straight into Stowe.

It was pouring with rain and he went down the outside, very deep, into that legendary corner. I thought he’d gone off, but he went all the way round the outside and somehow passed me.  The ‘karting line’ I know, but he was way out there. 

The race was red flagged because there was a big shunt behind us. On the way to the grid for the restart I decided to try Ayrton’s line into Stowe. I aquaplaned in a massive puddle, skated across the grass, skimmed the barriers, but somehow survived. 

He beat me off the grid for part two of the race and won in treacherous conditions. I finished second and, on the podium, I said to him “your line into Stowe didn’t work in part two” to which he quickly replied, “I didn’t try it – it was too wet …”

As we would see many times in his F1 career, especially qualifying a 1300 horsepower turbo car on qualifying tyres which wouldn’t quite last a complete lap, he knew where the grip was before and during a corner, whereas us mere mortals knew where the grip was during and after a corner. 

A god-given talent … 

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Podcast: Stunning Taupo Shines Through the Gloom | Supercars back in New Zealand

We’re back from our weekend in Taupo (Tow Paw), and what an unbelievable first weekend for that venue. It was, we felt, the start of this season, too, despite it being the third round. Andrew and Bruce were there, and PG was on the couch.

Brodie Kostecki was back for Erebus, Andre Heimgartner won for Brad Jones Racing, and Will Brown battled his teammate Broc Feeney for the other win. Anton De Pasquale also won the Jason Richards Trophy for the best performer over the two races – is Dick Johnson Racing back?