This bank holiday weekend’s Silverstone Festival (23-25 August) will pay tribute to the great Ayrton Senna with the biggest collection of his racing cars ever assembled at the circuit where he scored more wins than anywhere else.
The very special one-off Silverstone display showcases all the highlights from the legendary Brazilian’s record-breaking career and is topped by a trio of iconic McLaren MP4s from all three of his Formula 1 World Championship winning seasons in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
These title winners are joined by the very first F1 car – a Williams FW08C – Senna ever tested in 1983, the Toleman-Hart TG183B in which he made his Grand Prix debut in 1984 and his very first Grand Prix winner from 1985, the distinctive black and gold JPS Lotus-Renault 97T.
Seven further F1 cars raced by Senna during his motorsport career have been brought together to pay tribute to a phenomenal decade which delivered 41 wins and 80 podiums from 161 Grand Prix starts.
Adding to the remarkable Senna story are three go-karts from his early days of competition plus all three title-winners from his formative years of circuit racing in British Formula Ford, British and European Formula Ford 2000 and British Formula 3 Championships.
Silverstone Festival visitors on Saturday will also be treated to the spectacular sights and sounds of the Toleman-Hart TG183B and Lotus-Renault 97T on track, the former driven by Ayrton’s nephew Bruno Senna, himself a former F1 driver.
Bruno’s sister Lalalli Senna will also be present throughout the event, exhibiting her very special sculptures in the Silverstone Museum where a collection of her uncle’s prized trophies and personal racewear is also being exhibited. Entrance to the award-winning museum is included with Silverstone Festival tickets.
“This is one of the most special homages that we have received for Ayrton’s legacy,” said Lalalli who will be leading a tribute parade of Senna-inspired Honda NSXs on track on Friday afternoon. “To have all these wonderful cars together at a place which we know had a unique place in Ayrton’s heart is just incredible. Even if it was possible to put all these cars together somewhere else it wouldn’t be as special as doing it here at Silverstone. And, for me to be here representing the family, is an unforgettable experience.”
The incredible display also includes a pair of rally cars Ayrton drove for a magazine feature in 1986 plus a brace of Honda NSXs which he drove as road cars in period and, before that, had helped the Japanese manufacturer to develop.
More recently both Ducati and McLaren have produced limited edition superbikes and supercars named after the South American superstar. Examples of all three Ducati 916 Senna editions as well as a pair of McLaren Sennas complete the comprehensive Silverstone tribute display, open for all to enjoy in the circuit’s International Paddock.
“Ayrton Senna is still revered around the globe and we are honoured to be celebrating his remarkable life with such a fantastic display of his cars at this weekend’s Silverstone Festival – even more so as both Bruno and Lalalli are joining us,” enthused Nick Wigley, Event Director. “Senna always had a great affinity with the UK and, in particular, Silverstone. Like so many others, he cut his teeth racing on Britain’s circuits and he then spent 10 years in F1 driving solely for British teams.
“Even more pertinently, he won more races at Silverstone than at any other venue worldwide and that’s why, in this special year as we celebrate his legacy, the Festival is celebrating his terrific achievements with the biggest collection of his cars ever assembled.”
As a curtain-raiser to what’s to come, the complete Senna car collection was assembled on the Silverstone grid on Thursday evening.
Just weeks after Sir Lewis Hamilton’s epic – and emotional – ninth British Grand Prix win, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team is also back in the Silverstone paddock. It is readying Hamilton’s 2021 Mercedes-AMG W12 for a not-to-be-missed high speed track demonstration.
