Ayrton Senna was a hero of Brazil and one of the best Formula 1 drivers ever. Senna died during a race in 1994. On April 21, forty years after Senna’s first F1 Grand Prix victory, his nephew Bruno Senna will drive the winning Lotus 97T race car on the same track.
Why Lotus is celebrating Senna’s 1985 win
Formula 1 is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Lotus Cars is taking this opportunity to honor both Senna, who drove for Team Lotus from 1985 to 1987, and the Lotus 97T, which pioneered aerodynamic devices still in use in F1 race cars.
When Bruno Senna drives the 97T on the track at Estoril, it will be the first time the car has returned to the track since his uncle drove it to victory. Senna’s Estoril race is considered a masterclass in wet-weather driving. In his race to the finish line, Senna lapped nearly all the other cars.
According to Lotus Cars, when Senna was asked in 1993 if his win at the Donnington Park circuit in Leicestershire, England, was his best ever, he reportedly replied, “No way! I had traction control there. It was a good win but compared with Estoril ‘85 it was nothing.”
What made the Lotus 97T so special?
In addition to vertical aerodynamic devices behind the front wheels, which the Lotus 97T introduced, the car was a powerful example of the cars of that era. Only four 97T vehicles were produced. The 1188-pound race car produced between 780 and 850 horsepower with its 1,492 cc turbocharged Renault EF 15 V6 engine.
Bruno Senna spoke about the upcoming experience, “This celebration will bring together fans from all over the world and shows how Ayrton Senna remains a powerful name in motorsport, and a positive influence on society in many ways – from educational impact to sustainable innovation, and as a movement that continues to inspire generations to pursue their dream and never give up.”
