McLaren’s most triumphant driver, Senna, boasting three world championships, graced the British outfit from 1988 to 1993. During this era, he clinched 35 out of his 41 Grand Prix victories, alongside three drivers’ titles and four constructors’ championships. McLaren is commemorating 30 years since Ayrton Senna’s remarkable legacy with a tribute that captures his vibrant persona and racing achievements.
This homage extends across both their Formula 1 car, the MCL38, and a specially adorned McLaren Senna from their heritage collection. In conjunction with a distinctive livery for the MCL38 Formula 1 car set to be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri during the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren Automotive pays homage to Ayrton Senna’s prowess and spirit with the Senna Sempre livery.
This bespoke tribute, hand-painted onto a pre-production McLaren Senna from the brand’s heritage stable, is a testament to Senna’s enduring impact.
Crafted as part of McLaren’s ongoing collaboration with the Ayrton Senna Institute, the Senna Sempre livery not only showcases McLaren Automotive’s unparalleled paint expertise through McLaren Special Operations but also pays homage to Senna’s Formula 1 career, his relentless pursuit of perfection, Brazilian heritage, and his storied history with McLaren, notably at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The McLaren Senna, introduced in December 2017, stands as McLaren’s most extreme road car, designed for unparalleled on-track performance.
The creation of the Senna Sempre involved transforming the visuals of a pre-production McLaren Senna, utilized for validating the car’s performance attributes before production.
This car, integral to the Senna’s launch campaign and global media test drive, has been retained by McLaren and featured prominently in various high-profile events. Inspired by Ayrton Senna’s legacy, the McLaren Senna bears his name and the iconic Senna ‘Double S’ logo alongside the McLaren emblem.
This logo is intricately integrated into the paintwork, echoing details found on the bespoke MCL38 Formula 1 car, such as the blue panel on the front clamshell and the Senna script on the rear wing.
The chosen paints for the Senna Sempre livery mirror the hues of the Brazilian flag, employing a wash technique developed by MSO to blend vibrant yellow, green, and blue tones seamlessly. This technique, which is showcased on the McLaren badge, also evokes the speed and dynamism of a waving flag.
Detailing on the car, including green and white border lines reminiscent of Senna’s race helmet design and hand-applied dot matrix representations of Senna on the side panels, add further depth to the homage.
Satin finish exposed carbon fiber panels complement the gloss paint finishes, while bespoke interior elements, such as yellow Alcantara upholstery with green perforations and Ayrton Senna’s signature and ethos on the door sills, underscore the tribute’s attention to detail.
Ayrton Senna’s dominance at the Monaco Grand Prix, with six victories, is commemorated through watermarks of the race numbers from his McLaren cars on the McLaren Senna. McLaren’s tribute extends to the Formula 1 track, with the MCL38 race car donning a bespoke livery inspired by Senna’s helmet colors.
This vibrant homage replaces the standard livery for the Monaco race. Throughout the extended Grand Prix weekend in Monaco, the unique McLaren Senna with Senna Sempre livery will be on display, serving as a poignant tribute to Ayrton Senna’s enduring legacy.
McLaren’s penchant for special liveries in Monaco isn’t novel. In 2021, they revived the iconic blue and orange hues of their former partner, Gulf Oil, with Norris clinching a podium finish in that remarkable race.
The preceding year witnessed a unique ‘Triple Crown’ papaya, white, and black livery adorning their cars in Monaco, commemorating their 60th anniversary. This year, the Senna edition will make its debut on the track as the first practice kicks off in Monaco on Friday.
