This week marks 30 years since the tragic accident that claimed the life of Ayrton Senna, a legendary Formula 1 driver who won the championship three times. He died during the San Marino Grand Prix on May 1, 1994.
Next on the Formula 1 calendar is the Imola circuit, where more tributes to Senna are expected.
Sebastian Vettel, a four-time world champion, announced that he will drive Senna’s 1993 McLaren MP4/8 during a demonstration on race day at Imola. Vettel admires Senna not only for his racing skills but also for his kindness.
In an Instagram video, Vettel said, “Ayrton Senna was not only a driver who I valued highly for being one of the best racing has ever seen, but also a man of great compassion. It’s been 30 years since his accident and I would like to pay tribute to Ayrton. I will be in Imola for the grand prix to drive his car, the McLaren MP4/8. I hope to see you on Sunday, May 19.”
Vettel, who loves Formula 1 history, bought Senna’s McLaren MP/8 along with Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Williams FW14B after retiring from F1 in 2022.
Vettel is also passionate about the environment and uses carbon-neutral biofuels when driving his legacy F1 cars. He ran these cars at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed last year under the Race without a Trace banner.
The MP4/8 was a significant car for McLaren because it was the first car they made after Honda stopped supplying engines. Even though it had a less powerful Ford V8 engine, Senna still managed to compete well against Alain Prost’s dominant Williams-Renault.
Senna won five races in the MP4/8 and finished second in the championship, behind Prost. His victory in the rain at the European Grand Prix in Donington is considered one of the greatest performances in F1 history.
Since leaving F1 at the end of 2022, Vettel hasn’t raced competitively except for an appearance at the 2023 Race of Champions. He recently tested Porsche’s Le Mans Hypercar and impressed the Porsche Penske team, but it’s unclear if he’ll race for them in the World Endurance Championship or Le Mans 24 Hours.
