Why this is Senna's greatest drive
Interlagos, 1991. With seven laps to go Ayrton Senna's gearbox fails gear by gear until only sixth is left, while Riccardo Patrese closes in and the rain arrives.
Key points
- Fifth gear went, then third, leaving Senna with only sixth, the tallest gear in the box.
- In every slow corner the Honda V12 fell out of its power band and came close to stalling.
- With 10 laps left Senna led by 36 seconds and Patrese was taking around four seconds a lap.
- With three laps left it started to rain.
Read the transcript
Seven laps to go. Fifth gear goes. Then third. Senna has one gear left: sixth, the tallest gear in the box.
Think about what that means. Sixth is built for the end of the straight. Now he has to take it through the hairpins and up the hill. In every slow corner, the revs collapse.
The V12 falls out of its power band and bogs down close to stalling, and a stall means it's over. So he rewrites his lines, carries more speed, keeps the engine alive. Behind him, Riccardo Patrese. With 10 laps to go, Senna leads by 36 seconds.
Patrese is taking around 4 seconds a lap. And then, with three laps left, it starts to rain. His shoulders are cramping. One gear, a wet track, and a Williams closing every lap.
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