Ayrton Senna was one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, and also one of the most popular. The three-time World Champion tragically lost his life in a fatal crash at the 1994 San Marino GP, but he continues to inspire stars of the sport, even today.
The likes of Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo have revealed that Senna was their first racing idol. 28 years have passed since that fateful afternoon at Imola, but fans still remember him and the legacy he left behind in F1, both on and off the track.
Recently, an image of him riding on a fighter jet surfaced on social media. Ahead of the 1991 Australian GP, the Brazilian legend suited up to take a ride on the RAAF F-1111 in Adelaide. The F-111 is an American-made, medium-range supersonic aircraft that was being used by the Royal Australian Airforce.
Ayrton Senna was Michael Schumacher’s rival while growing up
Michael Schumacher broke all records during his prime years in F1. He won seven World Championships, five of which came with Ferrari, and to this date, no driver has won more titles than he has. Hamilton, of course, is tied with the German at seven. However, that is not the only thing these two colossal racing figures have in common.
Like Hamilton, Schumacher too idolized Senna during his junior career. He cited the Sao Paolo-born driver as an inspiration at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award ceremony. During the ceremony, Schumacher recalled watching Senna drive when he was just 10 years old.
There was a tremendous amount of respect between the two of them, with Senna praising the former Ferrari driver for his ‘extraordinary natural speed.’
“Michael Schumacher is very strong,” said Senna back in the day. “He has an extraordinary natural speed and for this reason I respect and respect him. But I liked some behaviors less than him, who knows, one day we will become friends”
In the year 2000, Schumacher overtook Senna’s record of most race wins and broke down when a reporter revealed the stat to him in a press conference. They have a combined total of 10 World Championships to their name.
