Former F1 driver Martin Brundle may not have enjoyed success on the track to the same magnitude as some of his contemporaries. But he was a fantastic racer in his own right. Brundle showcased much of his potential in the junior Formula categories, where he gave legends like Ayrton Senna a good run for their money.
Senna and Brundle were fierce rivals during their F3 days and even fought for the championship in 1983. Senna, driving for West Surrey Racing, had an unbelievable start to the campaign, winning the first nine races of the 1983 British F3 Championship.
Losing so many in a row was a huge psychological blow for Brundle. In a recent interview with Lucas Stewart, grandson of the legendary Sir Jackie Stewart, Brundle said, “He [Senna] won the first nine races straight, and I was on the floor. Nothing, I was over basically.”
Things began to turn around at Silverstone, where Brundle managed to beat the Brazilian for the first time that year. Psychologically speaking, that victory was pivotal for him 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.
Silverstone was indeed a turning point. Senna failed to score points in the next three races, each of which Brundle won. The British driver explained to 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 losing momentum, Brundle 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, 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.
#TBT – Ayrton Senna & Martin Brundle pic.twitter.com/aO73PENetb
— Formula One World (@FormulaOneWorld) November 21, 2019
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.
