“The Tradition, the Soul, the Passion” – How Ayrton Senna Craved Ferrari F1 Seat a Week Before the Fatal Crash at Imola

Ayrton Senna is a name that no one in the F1 community can forget. He was one of the most talented and charming drivers the sport has ever seen. Senna was the driver that helped shape the landscape of modern Formula 1. However, it could have all been turned on its head had this one event gone through before the Brazilian’s untimely demise.

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Senna wanted the red Ferrari

Over the course of his career, Senna drove for some of the biggest names in F1 McLaren, Lotus, and Williams. However, his ultimate dream of driving for the red Ferrari is one that remained unfulfilled. There is an excerpt from Senna’s memoir ‘Fatal Weekend’ where Senna is quoted telling his girlfriend, “Even if the Ferrari is as slow as a Volkswagen Beetle, I still want to be driving it on my last start, my last lap, my last racing.”

Ayrton Senna, Grand Prix of Japan, Suzuka, 22 October 1989. (Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images)

He would also go on to add, “Ferrari is the myth of F1. The tradition, the soul, the passion.”. Although Ferrari was Senna’s biggest dream, it was kept under the wraps for the longest time. It only came to light nearly 20 years after Senna’s passing away, when the former chairman of Ferrari, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, shed light on the matter in 2014.

This move would have shaken up the entire paddock. However, one can only speculate if Senna would have realized his dream of racing for the ‘Prancing Horse’.

Ayrton Senna and his legendary record

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The Brazilian is attributed as one of the quickest drivers to ever grace the F1 grid. Senna was known for many things, one of them being his blistering pace, which helped him get 3 world drivers’ titles (1988, 1990, 1991). He also recorded 41 wins, along with 80 podium finishes during his career.

Senna also has 65 pole positions to his name as well as 19 fastest laps. He is most known for his time at McLaren where he won his driver’s titles and had one of the most fierce F1 rivalries with teammate Alain Prost. The duo led McLaren to have one of the most dominant F1 seasons ever taking 15 out of 16 wins in 1988.

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Senna was charismatic, meticulous, and a genius. His legacy continues to live on despite his sad demise at the young age of 34. What is your favorite memory of Ayrton Senna? Let us know in the comments below.