Ayrton Senna’s had his only pole position in the 1993 season on November 6, at the Australian GP, the year’s final race. In a year dominated by the Williams, it was almost impossible to beat them, and Ayrton was the only one who could do it.
Ayrton’s pole came in dramatic fashion on the streets of Adelaide. The McLaren driver was having issues with the radio and couldn’t hear Ron Dennis’ orders to go back to the boxes, since the car was about to run out of fuel and simply stop in the middle of the track.
While Ron Dennis screamed, “go back to the boxes slowly! You’re going to run out of fuel!”, Ayrton just drove faster and faster, still intent on taking the pole over Alain Prost. In his final chance, the three-time champion crossed the finish line with a time of 1min13s371. He was the quickest in the session, beating the Frenchman by 0s436.
That was Ayrton Senna’s 62nd pole in F1, in what would turn out to be his 41st and final win in the category. Check out Senna’s amazing lap below, as well as his team’s despair at the McLaren box, in Australia.
Even with a slower car than Prost’s and Damon Hill’s, Senna scored five wins in his final season with McLaren. The Brazilian’s triumphs, besides the one in Australia, took place in Brazil, Donnington Park (the European GP), Monaco and Japan.