I agree the film a “Star Named Senna” is incredible and says it all. But I will go and see this new film as I understand it contains a lot of new footage.
For me Senna is simply the most incredible driver who ever raced. I'm sure on a technical level Nuvolari, Fangio, Clark, Prost and for me Gilles Villeneuve would be his equal but Senna was just so committed to his profession and ultimately gave his life to it.
He was a very intense individual and this was both his strength and weakness. He just couldn't relax within the F1 environment although Gerhard Berger (who I liked very much) tried to help him and they had a special friendship which is rare among team mates.
So on a personal level Senna was very human and he channelled his wealth and name in so many ways to help the deprived in his own country. I believe his name and exploits WILL live on for ever and this film is just the start of his ICONISATION, nay SAINTHOOD.
He is special to Karters because karting was his roots and passion. He even did the karting world championship in the year he dominated Formula Ford as he wanted that title so much which shows he had great respect for our sport.
I feel priveledged to have been at the Le Mans circuit in 1978 when he first appeared as a 17 year old who didn't speak a word of English. I spoke with the Irish team manager Alan Johnson on the Thursday before any racing had started and he said to me let me introduce you to this guy next door. "He is incredible". He took me through to the Brazilian team pit and through an interpreter introduced me to Aryton Da Silva (Senna was his mothers maiden name which he adopted as it sounded better and was easier to pronounce).
I did not know at the time who I had just shaken hands with but I soon found out. In the racing he was incredible. I don't know if the grids where based on qualify then but he always seemed to start well down but the way he came through was just magic.
I can't remember how it ended up him not winning but it all went topsy turvy towards the end of the race and the unknown American Lake Speed came through to win it.
And the helmet Senna wore that day had the same design he had on the day he died.
Now some people may be afronted by my eulogising of Senna. What about his terrible exploits on track, the weaving at Prost and taking him out at Suzuka in 1990. Yes there are possibly two weaving manouevres that even I think where a step too far but I understand them in the context of his absolute commitment to winning and other things that where happening too him off track and within the team on a given weekend. Suzuka was just pay back on Prost who had turned in on him the year before and then when he continued and won the FIA president Balestre disqualified him for outside assistance to make sure Prost won the world championship. And it wasn't that he took Prost off deliberately more he simply would not change his line as Prost came across. It was Murray Walker to created the preception that Senna had been dirty but the video shows differently!
He was simply a guy who was always prepared to be on the limit and if anyone dared to hold him up then they had to be dealt with ruthlessley so they knew not to ever do it again, and it worked. Once drivers saw that yellow helmet in their mirrors more often than not they just got out of his way. Which of today's drivers has that kind of respect! That was just his way but it made him the racer he was. For me criticising Senna for the few incidents during his career that so afronted the likes of Murray Walker is like critiscising Jesus for stumbling as he carried the cross on which he would be put to death.
So yes I will want to see this film but I am not looking forward to the end. What happened that day on 1st May 1994 and the circumstances around how and why it happened still upsets me a lot.
For me the words of Frank Williams say it all "a very special driver, an even more special human being"
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New Senna film by 'Chris34' (04 Apr 2011 @ 23:54)
