Ducati pays homage to Ayrton Senna by presenting a collector’s limited edition Monster honouring the extraordinary career of the Brazilian racing driver and the legacy he left behind. The limited number of units is a tribute to the legend: 341. 3 is the number of World Titles won by Senna in Formula 1®. 41 is the number of Grands Prix that Ayrton finished celebrating on the top step of the podium.
The Monster Senna special edition aims to be a celebration of the solid relationship that was established between Ducati and the Brazilian champion. A mutual passion between two motorsport legends that the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer still cultivates today through the relationship with Ayrton’s family and with Senna Brands. This collaboration led to the definition of the special livery, designed by the Centro Stile Ducati.
The choice of the Monster as the model to create this limited edition is also linked to the history of Ayrton, who was one of the very first owners of the Monster 900, which he used for moving around in Monte Carlo and on which he showed up at the gala evening of the 1993 Monaco F1® Grand Prix. Ayrton liked the Monster’s simple concept of wanting to bring fun in riding to the centre of the motorcycling experience: a sporty engine, perfect for road use, chassis derived from the Superbike, wide handlebars and no fairing.
The Monster Senna pays homage to the talent of the three-time World Champion with a special livery that is inspired by the colour of the helmet that the driver wore in races throughout his career with parts in yellow, green and blue, clear homages to the Brazilian flag.
The presentation of the motorcycle dedicated by Ducati to Senna took place in the paddock of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack at Imola on the occasion of the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Formula 1® Grand Prix. The memory of the bond between Senna and Ducati was conveyed through the words of Claudio Domenicali (Ducati CEO), Bianca Senna (Senna Brands CEO) with a contribution also from Stefano Domenicali (Formula 1® President and CEO).
Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Motor Holding CEO: “Ayrton Senna was and will forever stand as an icon. A sports legend, an extraordinary person, but also a passionate motorcyclist, whom we wish to honour with a special edition of one of the most iconic models in our range: the Monster. Senna was one of the very first owners of the Monster 900 and perfectly represented the values of this bike: style, boldness and fun. The Monster Senna is a demonstration of how honoured we are to define a champion of this incredible level a true Ducatista.”
Bianca Senna, Senna Brands CEO: “The partnership with Ducati is historic and very relevant to this day. The Monster is a perfect motorcycle to recall Ayrton’s lifestyle, focused on high performance but with the ability to enjoy moments of leisure. Fans around the world who admire Ayrton will find this partnership a genuine tribute to his legacy”.
The story of Ducati and Ayrton Senna
The paths of Ducati and Ayrton Senna crossed for the first time in 1990, when Claudio Castiglioni, then owner of Ducati and a passionate fan of Senna and his innate talent, gave the three-time world champion an 851 SP. In the following years Senna and Ducati realised that they had many values in common, and when the World Champion saw the new Ducati 916 in person he was absolutely fascinated by it, giving rise to the idea of a collaboration on a special project capable of uniting the Ducati brand and the Senna brand.
Thus was born the Ducati 916 Senna, a motorcycle characterized by a livery chosen by the Brazilian driver personally, opting for a contrasting graphic between anthracite grey, matt black and red, which became iconic in the following years. The special series, limited to just 300 units, was announced by Ducati in March 1994.
The tragic accident in which Ayrton Senna lost his life occurred a few months before the start of production of the Ducati 916 Senna and stopped every operation linked to Ayrton, butthe subsequent discussion between Ducati and Senna’s family convinced the parties to go ahead with the project in Ayrton’s memory, with the presentation taking place at the 1994 Motor Show. The first series was sold out in a very short time, and was then followed by two more in 1997 and 1998 with colours chosen by Ayrton’s brother, Leonardo Senna.
The collaboration with Senna Brands resumed in 2014 with the 1199 Panigale, on the basis of which a limited series of 161 units was created – the same as the number of Grands Prix raced by Ayrton – reserved for the Brazilian market. All Ducati Sennas are highly sought after by collectors all over the world.
Benchmark components
The Monster Senna is equipped with components which, in addition to embellishing its look, also improve the dynamic qualities of the bike and which allow it to reach a curb weight without fuel of 175 kg, i.e. 4 kg less than the standard model, already a category benchmark for lightness.
The Monster, a modern reinterpretation of the original recipe, is a light, easy, easy to handle and fast motorcycle. It is powered by the Testastretta 11° engine, a liquid-cooled 4-valve twin-cylinder with desmodromic distribution producing 111 horsepower, reliable and fun thanks to a full delivery curve at all rpm. It features an extremely functional and effective chassis inspired by Ducati Superbikes, fully adjustable and sporty Öhlins suspension, forged wheels, a sophisticated braking system with Brembo Stylema® front calipers and aluminium flanges for the brake discs, and top of the segment electronics.
The aesthetics of the Monster Senna, in addition to the special colouring, are embellished by the yellow/green/blue tag on the black rims, specially made for this model, and by the yellow on the brake calipers and on the Termignoni homologated carbon fibre silencers. Other distinctive elements of this model are the special seat, the matching engine guard and the dedicated dashboard animation, which starts when the ignition is turned on.
Finally, each motorbike is made unique by a plaque on the triple clamp with the model name and number of the bike, as well as by a certificate of authenticity and the presence of a dedicated motorcycle cover.
The dedicated page on Ducati.com contains all the information about this special bike, along with the history of the relationship between Ducati and Senna.