For Formula 1 fans, Ayrton Senna’s rivalry with McLaren teammate Alain Prost stands out as the most iconic rivalry in the history of the sport. However, the recent Netflix documentary on the three-time world champion’s life and career has gotten a lost rivalry of the Brazilian’s early racing career to the fore.
In an exclusive interview with The Sportsrush, Senna‘s close friend and personal photographer Keith Sutton explained how the documentary did a stellar job of covering his rivalry with his Formula Ford teammate Enrique Mansilla.
“From my perspective as Ayrton’s photographer, I think the series did a good job capturing the intensity of his rivalry with Enrique Mansilla,” began Sutton. Senna and Mansilla battled it out during the 1981 Formula Ford season — a make-or-break competition for South American drivers back in the day.
Enrique Mansilla e Ayrton senna se desentendo após a corrida na Fórmula Ford 1600 de 1981.
Foto Original \ Série da Netflix #Senna #FrameDasSéries pic.twitter.com/LNmUVTsOu7— ID (@idmidiabr) November 30, 2024
“Their battles in Formula Ford 1600 weren’t just about winning races—they were about proving who was the better driver, and both were incredibly competitive. Mansilla was one of the few who could challenge Ayrton consistently, and that made their rivalry thrilling to watch,” he added.
Giving high praise to the creator of the six-part mini series, Sutton said the depiction of their rivalry was “fairly accurate”.
How Senna overtook Mansilla to make his way into F1
As Sutton explained, it was crucial for Senna to win the Formula Ford championship in 1981, not only from a monetary perspective because he had taken funds from back home but also to stand out in the British racing circles. In the end, Senna did win the championship, which got him in the eyes of Lotus’ Peter Warr and West Surrey Racing’s Dick Bennetts.
Three years later, he would land his F1 debut with Toleman. While one-half of this iconic junior racing rivalry is no longer with us, Sutton has managed to keep a good rapport with the Argentine driver. “Even today, 44 years later I am still in contact with Enrique, and I last met him at the Monaco Grand Prix last year,” Sutton revealed.
