The new Netflix series ‘Senna’ details the fascinating life of Brazilian race car driver Ayrton Senna da Silva. Here are some highlights of his life.
The new Netflix drama mini-series Senna, which premiered on November 29, is based on the extraordinary life of Brazilian race car driver Ayrton Senna da Silva. The six-episode drama is the first-ever depiction of his personal and professional life and the viewer is privy to his many struggles on and off the racetrack.
Brazilian actor Gabriel Leone (Ferrari) gives a fantastic performance as Senna and captures how hard he worked and how much he sacrificed to be the best of the best.
The Netflix mini-series flashes back to his childhood, following his karting days, to the start of his career when he moved to England with his then-wife to compete in Formula Ford and then takes the viewer to that tragic day in Imola, Italy when he was racing in the San Marino Grand Prix.
He came from a close family, who lovingly nicknamed him Beco. He was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1960. By age 13, he’d already made a name for himself in go-kart racing when he won the South American Kart Championship in 1977. He would go on to finish as runner-up in the World Championships in 1979 and 1980.
Senna moved to England in 1981 to compete in Formula Ford and later Formula 3. By 1984, he’d earned a seat in Formula 1 and competed at that level for a decade. He raced for Toleman Motorsport, Lotus, McLaren, and Williams. In total, he won three world championships, 65 pole positions, and 80 podiums between 1984 and his fatal 1994 crash.
At the time of his death, Senna held the record for most pole positions. He won 41 Grands Prix across 11 seasons. Many say that, to this day, he remains the best race car driver of all time.
The scripted series details his journey to becoming a world champion in his sport and his love for cars and women. He was married very early on in his career to Lilian de Vasconcelos (Alice Wegmann), but the marriage didn’t survive his ambitions.
