McLaren pay touching tribute to Ayrton Senna by putting his name on all of their cars

McLaren pay touching tribute to Ayrton Senna by putting his name on all of their cars

Ayrton Senna logo on the McLaren MCL36

It has been 28 years since Ayrton Senna, one of, if not the greatest driver(s) of all time tragically passed away at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Earlier that weekend, Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger had also passed away in a crash. These deaths rocked the Formula 1 world and increased concerns about driver safety more than ever before. Senna had been leading the world championship coming into the Grand Prix (one that would eventually be won by Michael Schumacher), and many feel he would have won it, if not a few others more.

It was with McLaren that Senna had won his first world championship when he was teammates with Alain Prost – a rivalry that defined a generation. In that 1988 season, Prost and Senna won 15 of the 16 races on the calendar. While Senna left for Ferrari in 1990 (after winning in 1989) Senna stayed at McLaren and won two more world championships.

Thus, it would be fair to say that Senna was at his best and his most iconic in his years at McLaren. Now, the British team has honored his legacy, by giving his name a permanent place on all of their Formula 1 cars, moving forward.

Also Read: “The bouncing is crazy man,” Lewis Hamilton haunted again by porpoising issues at Monaco GP

Zak Brown: Ayrton [Senna] will always be a McLaren legend

Ayrton Senna and McLaren
Ayrton Senna and McLaren

Earlier, Williams had also carried the Senna name, until they elected to remove the logo from their cars, starting with the 2022 season.

At the launch of their car for the 2022 season, Williams team principal Jost Capito cited the need to look to the future, and not ‘remind the drivers of what happened’.

“The decision was that we want to move on in the future.”

“We have a new era, we have a new car. And we refurbished also our museum, and where we have a special area to celebrate Ayrton.”

But Senna’s name will stay on the Formula 1 grid, starting with this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. This time on a McLaren. Ayrton Senna holds the all-time wins record at the event, with six wins. So very appropriately, McLaren have chosen this weekend to begin to honour his name and legacy in Formula 1 and from this weekend onwards, all of McLaren’s Formula 1 cars will carry his name permanently.

McLaren CEO, Zak Brown said: “Starting from the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, the McLaren MCL36 will carry the Senna logo, marking our commitment to celebrating his legacy. I can’t think of a better race than the Monaco Grand Prix to commence this recognition of Ayrton’s life,” as reported by Formula1.

“When he tragically passed in 1994, the entire motorsport world felt a sense of irreplicable loss, but his memory lives on in the hearts and minds of Formula 1 fans across the world. We feel it’s right that we, as McLaren, should recognise his contribution to our sport by carrying his name with us wherever we go racing.”

It’s a very touching tribute to one of the greatest to ever enter the world of motorsport, especially with it coming at Monaco. McLaren will definitely hope to energize themselves with the legacy and spirit of Ayrton Senna this weekend.

Also Read: McLaren unveil a special bronze statue to honor legendary driver, Niki Lauda

Also Read: “Hasn’t met our expectations” McLaren CEO Zak Brown applies pressure on Daniel Ricciardo