Former F1 driver Martin Brundle may not have enjoyed the same level of success as some of his rivals, but he was a fantastic racer in his own right. He showcased much of his potential in the junior Formula categories, where he gave legends like Ayrton Senna a good run for their money.
The two were fierce rivals during their F3 days and even fought for the championship in 1983. Senna, driving for West Surrey Racing at the time, had an unbelievable start to the campaign, winning the first nine consecutive races of the 1983 British F3 Championship.
Losing so many in a row, was understandably a huge psychological blow for Brundle. Speaking about it in a recent interview with Lucas Stewart, grandson of the legendary Sir Jackie Stewart, he said, “He [Senna] won the first nine races straight, and I was on the floor. Nothing, I was over basically.”
Things then began to turn around at Silverstone, where Brundle managed to beat the Sao Paolo-born driver for the first time that year, which was important for him psychologically for two reasons.
“I beat him at Silverstone in a straight fight, and psychologically, two things happened; I knew I could beat him, and he knew I could beat him, and then I won, I think, four of the next six races, and he crashed a lot,” Brundle explained.
#TBT – Ayrton Senna & Martin Brundle pic.twitter.com/aO73PENetb
— Formula One World (@FormulaOneWorld) November 21, 2019
Silverstone was indeed a turning point, as Senna failed to score points in the next three races—each of which Brundle won. Brundle later added in his conversation with Stewart that although Senna had been the stronger performer up to that point in the season, the legendary Brazilian seemed to have lost his mental edge after being beaten.
“He got a bit desperate,” Brundle added.
With Senna having lost momentum, Brundle actually took the lead in the championship and entered the season finale with a one-point advantage.
However, as all great drivers do, Senna bounced back to win the season finale at the Thruxton Circuit, ultimately clinching the title by nine points.
Brundle, who finished third in that race, had to settle for second place in the championship. That season proved pivotal for both drivers, as it earned them F1 seats the following year.
Brundle was signed by the Tyrrell Racing Organization, while Senna joined Toleman Motorsport. Once they stepped into the pinnacle of motorsport, their careers followed contrasting trajectories. Brundle never managed to win an F1 race and scored just nine podium finishes. Senna, on the other hand, went on to win 41 races and secured three world championships.
The legendary Brazilian could have achieved even more had it not been for the tragic crash at the 1994 San Marino GP, which led to his untimely death. Reflecting on Senna’s immense success in F1, Brundle eventually admitted in his conversation with Stewart that the Brazilian was undoubtedly the better driver of the two.
