Ayrton Senna’s untimely death is probably the most unfortunate incident Formula 1 has ever come across so far. The brilliant Brazilian who was the best of his time succumbed to tragic death after an accident in 1994. As the F1 world remembers and mourns Senna, his former grid mate Gerhard Berger recalls the last memory of him.
Berger was a teammate to Senna from 1990 to 1992. The duo often contested on track but shared an amicable relationship beyond the paddock. Talking about how close he was to the Brazilian, he revealed the last glance he had with the three-time world champion.
#OnThisDay in 1992, Ayrton Senna raced to victory at the Hungarian GP. 🇭🇺
P3 for Gerhard Berger secured the team’s first double podium of that season. 👊 pic.twitter.com/V3GpTnepV3
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 16, 2021
According to a published report, the Austrian former driver stated that it was the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix and everyone was getting ready for the race. As everyone was on the track, the circuit announcer was calling out everyone’s name, to which the crowd cheered.
As the announcer called out Berger’s name, Senna, who was past his carefree James Bond image by then looked at him and smiled. The 63-year-old said on this, “It was the smile of a friend who was pleased to see the people’s support and love for me. That is the last thing I remember of him.”
As the race started, it was the last time he saw the grid set and drivers set off for the race. As for Gerhard Berger, he went into severe depression following the tragic loss of his former teammate and a friend.
Senna was the best before anyone knew, said a former colleague
Pat Symonds, the current Chief Technical Officer has revealed that the three-time world champion was one of the world’s best before anyone knew. Symonds worked with the former McLaren star in Toleman.
Symonds said that Senna was a driver who would make people sit and take notice. He was someone who had very high esteem and in his life, the F1 executive has never met someone like him.
20 October 1991: Ayrton Senna sealed his 3rd world title in Japan
After seeing championship rival Nigel Mansell spin out of contention, Senna allowed team mate Gerhard Berger though to take his first win for @McLarenF1 #OnThisDay #F1 pic.twitter.com/OizqvNm1Ip
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 20, 2018
“Ayrton knew he was the best in the world before anyone else did. I mean, all racing drivers have it, but I’d never seen it like this before,” concluded Symonds as per GP Fans.
Senna’s statistics in Formula 1, and what makes him so good?
Despite facing a heart-rending death at just 34 years of age that left people in shock, Senna has accomplished so much to be regarded as one of the best in the world, if not the best.
The Brazilian pilot has raced in the sport for almost a decade and in this short time, he took part in 162 races. Out of them he won 41 races and took 80 podiums.
It is believed that if he was alive, Senna would’ve claimed multiple world championships except for the three he won in 1988, 1990, and 1991 with McLaren.
