1991 Brazilian Grand Prix : When Brazil’s own son Ayrton Senna won the race with the car stuck in sixth gear
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Ayrton Senna won the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix after driving a car stuck in sixth gear
Ayrton Senna is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, drivers the world has ever seen. In his time, the Brazilian was unstoppable as he clinched three F1 world championships. Even today, his legacy lives on, and fans and even his rivals remember him dearly. The Brazilian’s sheer speed and talent made even his rivals fear him while his team(s) would put blind faith in him. He was a hero for Brazil and of course for Formula 1.
Ever since his debut in Formula 1 in 1984 with Toleman, Senna was noticed by all the teams in the paddock. His driving was considered magnificent, he was someone who could put a car higher up than it deserved to be. The Brazilian also came to be known for his remarked feedback and inputs regarding technical aspects of the car and track alike, which earned him immense respect from team members.
It is often said that Senna’s chapter in the sport remained unfinished. The Brazilian had won three world titles whilst competing against the best in the world, his rivalry with Alain Prost will forever be one of the greatest in F1. After a year of domination by the Williams team in 1993, Senna would join the British team but would be met by an undrivable car, something which even confused the technical genius Adrian Newey at the time. And at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, a frustrated Senna would have a heavy crash, with the Williams driver passing away shortly after.
Ayrton Senna was ecstatic after winning an emotional and physically challenging home F1 race
The 1991 F1 season was a contest between Ayrton Senna in the McLaren and Nigel Mansell in Williams, with Senna having won 6 races prior to his home race and Mansell with 5 wins. Sao Paulo was filled with fans rooting for their local hero to be crowned for the third time. And Senna looked forward to achieving his dream of winning the championship at his home Grand Prix.
Ayrton started the race from pole position, and his perfect start allowed him to get a good getaway from his rival Mansell, as the McLaren drove off into the distance. However few laps later, the Williams started closing in, bringing the lap down to only 0.7 seconds. However, Mansell suffered a puncture in the latter half of the race, putting him at the back of the field with the Williams eventually being forced to retire due to a gearbox failure.
By this time, It was the Brazillian who was suffering from gearbox issues as the car lost the fourth gear. It only became worse at the end of the race as Senna lost the third and fifth gears as well, forcing him to drive the McLaren at sixth gear throughout the lap. Riccardo Patrese meanwhile was thriving in the other Williams, as he bridged the gap to Senna. But despite all odds, the Brazillian crossed the chequered flag with a lead of 2.9 seconds and won the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix.
The tired local hero had suffered from immense muscle pains and cramps as he struggled to keep the car running in sixth gear. After crossing the finish line, Senna screamed in joy, having achieved his dream of winning in his home country. The McLaren driver had to be carried out of the car and sent to the podium in a medical car as he struggled in exhaustion. On the podium, Ayrton barely managed to lift the trophy. Undoubtedly this race was nothing short of brilliance, it displayed the true talent of Ayrton Senna, someone whose pedigree is hard to match, and perhaps we might never see someone of his caliber in our lifetimes.
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