As a tribute to the icon: Vettel takes a ride in Senna's former vehicle.
Thirty years after the untimely passing of Ayrton Senna, renowned Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel intends to honor the iconic Brazilian with several commemorative endeavors. Senna met his unfortunate end at Imola in 1994, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and captivate recreation of Senna's illustrious career that saw him win three world championships.
The four-time world champion from Germany has arranged a get-together for the premier motor racing drivers at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on Thursday evening, inviting them to reflect on the life and accomplishments of the late racing icon. The drivers will congregate at the start-finish line to observe a minute of silence near the Ayrton Senna monument situated in the Tamburello curve.
Vettel, who has previously expressed great affection and respect for the late racer, is set to drive a McLaren MP4/8, a vehicle Senna managed during his tenure at the McLaren team before transferring to Williams. The former F1 competitor, now 36, has chosen "Forever Senna" as the motto for these tributes, echoing his esteem for the fallen hero. In addition, Vettel has produced commemorative merchandise—Senna-themed T-shirts—to raise funds for charity, with the Senna Foundation receiving half of the proceeds.
Vettel on Senna's Compassion
"My father introduced me to Ayrton Senna when I was just seven years old. He was incredibly fond of the icon and generously gifted me a Senna doll and a miniature toy car," revealed Vettel, who never had the chance to interact with the racing legend personally. "What I admired about him subsequently was not only his extraordinary skill as a racer but also the immense compassion he showed toward the challenging social issues and poverty that plagued his homeland of Brazil," said Vettel.
Vettel as Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes?
Ayrton Senna's life came to an abrupt halt on May 1, 1994, when he lost control of his Williams and collided with the wall at over 200 km/h during a race at Imola. Tragically, it came a day after Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger lost his life on the same track, aged just 33.
Since concluding his racing career with Aston Martin in 2022, Vettel has been mentioned as a potential candidate to succeed Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes' seven-time world champion driver, who has announced his departure for Ferrari beginning 2025.
Read also:
- Prodigies of sport: Littler's predecessors
- Nagelsmann's announcement: A restless Christmas for national team players
- What sports fans prefer to watch on television
- The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
As part of his tribute to Ayrton Senna, Sebastian Vettel will drive Senna's former McLaren MP4/8 in Formula 1.
In honor of Senna, Vettel has also released Senna-themed T-shirts to raise funds for charity, with half of the proceeds going to the Senna Foundation.
Source: www.ntv.de
