Senna left the trailer for the boxes half an hour after the beginning of free practice. He was already in his race suit and got quickly into his car.
The energy surrounding the McLaren team wasn’t exactly tense, but there was something in the air.
The driver came in fifth and, as quickly as he had gotten into his car, he got out of it to go to another meeting. Behind the scenes, the subject at hand was what to do to improve performance and reestablish a lead on Williams.
On Saturday, even after having come in third, he was unable to hide how his was feeling. He was noticeably worried. The above one second difference from Nigel Mansell was, for Senna the perfectionist, enormous.
During the race, he came in third again, after Mansell and Patrese. He wasn’t satisfied with that podium at all.
He only calmed down when he found out that Honda would improve the engine’s power based on a new, more explosive gasoline molecule from Shell as well as testing out a front end with new aerodynamics. He breathed deeply:
“But this will only be next month, at the Canadian Grand Prix.”
san marino gp
1º
N. Mansell
2º
R. Patrese
3º
Ayrton Senna
4º
G. Berger
5º
M. Schumacher
6º
M. Brundle
7º
J. Alesi
8º
I. Capelli
9º
M. Alboreto
10º
T. Boutsen
11º
A. Suzuki
12º
K. Wendlinger
13º
E. Comas
14º
A. de Cesaris
15º
P. Martini
16º
J. Lehto
17º
U. Katayama
18º
M. Gugelmin
19º
B. Gachot
20º
O. Grouillard
21º
G. Morbidelli
22º
G. Tarquini
23º
S. Modena
24º
T. Belmondo
25º
C. Fittipaldi
26º
J. Herbert
60
turns
26
cars
12
leaving
1’26”100
fastest
lap
Sunny weather
Podium
1º
N. Mansell
2º
R. Patrese
3º
Ayrton Senna
3º
final position
4º
Championship position after the race
3º
Starting position
4
Points added to the Championship
1’27”615
best lap
But this (the new engine adjustments which would allow for greater power) will all be for next month, at the Canadian Grand Prix.
