Whilst I planned this week as a celebration to mark Ayrton Senna’s 20 th anniversary of becoming a triple world champion. It seems quite ironic that as we remember a great champion, the motorsport world would lose two more leading lights at either end of the week. Still reeling from last Sundays events in Las Vegas, [...]

Formula 1 1988 – McLaren Date Circuit Qual. Time Grid Race Pts Pos FL 3/04 Brasil 1’28″096 Pole disq / / – 1/05 San Marino 1’27″148 Pole 1st 9 2nd – 15/05 Monaco 1’23″998 Pole accident 9 3rd fl 29/05 Mexico 1’17″468 Pole 2nd 15 3rd – 12/06 Canada 1’21″681 Pole 1st 24 2nd fl 19/06 USA 1’40″606 Pole 1st 33 2nd – 3/07 France 1’08″067 2nd 2nd 39 2nd – 10/07 GB 1’10″616 3rd 1st 48 2nd – 24/07 Germany 1’44″596 Pole 1st 57 2nd – 7/08 Hungary 1’27″635 Pole 1st 66 1st – 28/08 Belgium 1’53″718 Pole 1st 75 1st – 11/09 Italy 1’25″974 Pole accident 75 1st – 25/09 Portugal 1’17″869 2nd 6th 76 2nd – 2/10 Spain 1’24″067 Pole 4th 79 2nd – 30/10 Japan 1’41″853 Pole 1st 88 1st fl 13/11 Australia 1’17″748 Pole 2nd 94 1st – Formula 1 1989 – McLaren Date Circuit Qual. Time Grid Race Pts FL 26/03 Brasil 1’25″302 Pole 11th – - 23/04 San Marino 1’26″010 Pole 1st 9 – 7/05 Monaco 1’22″308 Pole 1st 18 – 28/05 Mexico 1’17″876 Pole 1st 27 4/06 USA 1’30″108 Pole electronic 27 fl 18/06 Canada 1’21″049 2nd 7th 27 – 9/07 France 1’07″228 2nd differnatial 27 – 16/07 GB 1’09’099 Pole spin 27 – 30/07 Germany 1’42″300 Pole 1st 36 fl 13/08 Hungary 1’20″039 2nd 2nd 42 – 27/08 Belgium 1’50″867 Pole 1st 51 – 10/09 Italy 1’23″720 Pole engine 51 – 24/09 Portugal 1’15″468 Pole accident 51 – 1/10 Spain 1’20″291 Pole 1st 60 fl 22/10 Japan 1’38″041 Pole 1st(disq) 60 – 5/10 Australia 1’16″665 Pole accident 60 – Formula 1 1990 – McLaren Date Circuit Qual. Time Grid Pos Pts FL 11/03 USA 1’29″431 5th 1st 9 – 25/03 Brasil 1’17″277 Pole 3rd 13 – 13/05 San Marino 1’23″220 Pole broken wheel 13 – 27/05 Monaco 1’21″314 Pole 1st 22 fl 10/06 Canada 1’20″399 Pole 1st 31 – 24/06 Mexico 1’17″670 3rd puncture 31 – 8/07 France 1’04″549 3rd 3rd 35 – 15/07 GB 1’08″071 2nd 3rd 39 – 29/07 Germany 1’40″198 Pole 1st 48 – 12/08 Hungary 1’18″162 4th 2nd 54 – 26/08 Belgium 1’50″365 Pole 1st 63 – 9/09 Italy 1’22″533 Pole 1st 72 fl 23/09 Portugal 1’13″601 3rd 2nd 78 – 30/09 Spain 1’18″387 Pole engine 78 – 21/10 Japan 1’36″996 Pole accident 78 – 4/11 Australia 1’15″671 Pole accident 78 – Formula 1 1991 – McLaren Date Circuit Qual. Time Grid Pos Pts Gap FL 10/03 USA 1’21″434 Pole 1st 10 +10 – 24/03 Brasil 1’16″392 Pole 1st 20 +20 – 28/04 San Marino 1’21″877 Pole 1st 30 +30 – 12/05 Monaco 1’20″344 Pole 1st 40 +34 – 2/06 Canada 1’20″318 3rd alternator 40 +33 – 16/06 Mexico 1’17″264 3rd 3rd 44 +31 – 7/07 France 1’14″857 3rd 3rd 48 +25 – 14/07 GB 1’21″618 2nd out offuel 4th 52 +18 – 28/07 Germany 1’37″274 2nd out of fuel 52 +8 – 11/08 Hungary 1’16″147 Pole 1st 62 +12 – 25/08 Belgium 1’47″811 Pole 1st 72 +22 – 8/09 Italy 1’21″114 Pole 2nd 78 +18 fl 22/09 Portugal 1’13″444 3rd 2nd 84 +24 – 29/09 Spain 1’19″064 3rd 5th 86 +16 – 20/10 Japan 1’34″898 2nd 2nd 92 +22 fl 3/11 Australia 1’14″041 Pole 1st(1/2pts) 96 – Formula 1 1992 – McLaren Date Circuit Qual. Time Grid Pos Pts FL 1/03 South-Africa 1’16″227 2nd 3rd 4 – 22/03 Mexico 1’18″791 6th transmission 4 – 5/04 Brasil 1’17″902 3rd electrics 4 – 3/05 Spain 1’21″209 3rd spin 4 – 17/05 San Marino 1’23″086 3rd 3rd 8 – 31/05 Monaco 1’20″608 3rd 1st 18 – 14/06 Canada 1’19″775 Pole electrics 18 – 5/07 France 1’15″199 3rd accident 18 – 12/07 GB 1’21″706 3rd gearbox 18 – 26/07 Germany 1’39″106 3rd 2nd 24 – 16/08 Hungary 1’16″267 3rd 1st 34 – 30/08 Belgium 1’52″743 2nd 5th 36 – 13/09 Italy 1’22″822 2nd 1st 46 – 27/09 Portugal 1’14″258 3rd 3rd 50 fl 25/10 Japan 1’38″375 3rd engine 50 – 8/11 Australia 1’14″202 2nd accident 50 – Formula 1 1993 – McLaren

Formula 1 1984 – Toleman Date Circuit Car Qual.time Grid Race Pts. Fl 25/03 Brasil Tg183B 1’33″525 16th / turbo – - 7/04 South-Africa Tg183B 1’06″981 13th 6th 1 – 29/04 Belgium Tg183B 1’18″876 19th 6th 2 – 6/05 San Marino Tg183B 1’41″585 N.Q – 2 – 20/05 France Tg184 1’05″744 13th / turbo 2 – 3/06 Monaco Tg184 1’25″009 13th 2nd 5 fl 17/06 Canada Tg184 1’27″448 9th 7th 5 – 24/06 USA-East Tg184 1’42″651 7th accident 5 – 8/07 USA Tg184 1’38″256 6th / 5 – 22/07 GB Tg184 1’11″890 7th 3rd 9 – 5/08 Germany Tg184 1’49″395 9th accident 9 – 19/08 Austria Tg184 1’29″200 10th engine 9 – 26/08 Holland Tg184 1’15″960 13th engine 9 – 9/09 Italy Didn’t race – - 9 – 7/10 Europe Tg184 1’22″439 12th accident 9 – 21/10 Portugal Tg184 1’21″936 3rd 3rd 13 – Formula 1 1985 – Team Lotus Date Circuit Qual. time Grid Race Pts Fl 7/04 Brasil 1’28″389 4th electronics – - 21/04 Portugal 1’21″007 Pole 1st 9 fl 5/05 San Marino 1’27″327 Pole fuel 9 – 19/05 Monaco 1’20″450 Pole engine 9 – 16/06 Canada 1’24″816 2nd 16th 9 fl 23/06 USA 1’42″051 Pole accident 9 fl 7/07 France 1’32″835 2nd accident 9 – 21/07 GB 1’06″324 4th fuel 9 – 4/08 Germany 1’18″792 5th CV joint 9 – 18/08 Austria 1’28″123 14th 2nd 15 – 25/08 Holland 1’11″837 4th 3rd 19 – 8/09 Italy 1’25″084 Pole 3rd 23 – 15/09 Belgium 1’55″403 2nd 1st 32 – 6/10 Europe 1’07″169 Pole 2nd 38 – 19/10 South-Africa 1’02″825 4th engine 38 – 3/11 Australia 1’19″843 Pole engine 38 – Formula 1 1986 – Team Lotus Date Circuit Qual. time Grid Race Pts Pos. FL 23/03 Brasil 1’25″501 Pole 2nd 6 2nd – 13/04 Spain 1’21″605 Pole 1st 15 1st – 27/04 San Marino 1’25″050 Pole wheel bearing 15 1st – 11/05 Monaco 1’23″175 3rd 3rd 19 2nd – 25/05 Belgium 1’54″576 4th 2nd 25 1st – 15/06 Canada 1’24″188 2nd 5th 27 2nd – 22/06 USA 1’38″301 Pole 1st 36 1st – 6/07 France 1’06″526 Pole accident 36 3rd – 13/07 GB 1’07″524 3rd gearbox 36 3rd – 27/07 Germany 1’42″329 3rd 2nd 42 3rd – 10/08 Hungary 1’29″450 Pole 2nd 48 2nd – 17/08 Austria 1’25″249 8th engine 48 3rd – 7/09 Italy 1’24″916 5th clutch 48 4th – 21/09 Portugal 1’16″673 Pole 4th 51 4th – 12/10 Mexico 1’16″990 Pole 3rd 55 4th – 26/10 Australia 1’18″906 3rd engine 55 4th – Formula 1 1987 – Team Lotus Date circuit Qual. Time Grid Race Pts Pos F1 12/04 Brasil 1’28″408 3rd engine 0 / – 3/05 San Marino 1’25″826 Pole 2nd 6 4th – 17/05 Belgium 1’53″426 3rd accident 6 4th – 31/05 Monaco 1’23″711 2nd 1st 15 2nd fl 21/06 USA 1’40″607 2nd 1st 24 1st fl 5/07 France 1’07″024 3rd 4th 27 1st – 12/07 GB 1’08″181 3rd 3rd 31 1st – 26/07 Germany 1’42″873 2nd 3rd 35 2nd – 9/08 Hungary 1’30″387 6th 2nd 41 2nd – 16/08 Austria 1’25″492 7th 5th 43 2nd – 6/09 Italy 1’24″907 4th 2nd 49 2nd fl 20/09 portugal 1’18″354 5th 7th 49 2nd – 27/09 Spain 1’24″320 5th 5th 51 3rd – 18/10 Mexico 1’19″089 7th spun off 51 3rd – 1/11 Japan 1’42″723 7th 2nd 57 3rd – 15/11 Australia 1’18″488 4th 2nd(disq) 57 3rd – [...]

Date Circuit Competition Position March 1 Brands Hatch P&O 5th March 8 Thruxton Townsend-Thoresen 3th March 15 Brands Hatch Townsend-Thoresen 1st March 22 Mallory Park Townsend-Thoresen 2nd April 5 Mallory Park Townsend-Thoresen 2nd May 3 Snetterton Townsend-Thoresen 2nd May 24 Oulton Park RAC 1st May 25 Mallory Park Townsend-Thoresen 1st June 7 Snetterton Townsend-Thoresen 1st June 21 Silvertsone RAC 2nd June 27 Oulton Park Townsend-Thoresen 1st July 4 Donington Park RAC 1st July 12 Brands Hatch RAC 4th July 25 Oulton Park Townsend-Thoresen 1st July 26 Mallory Park RAC 1st August 2 Brands Hatch Townsend- Thoresen 1st August 9 Snetterton RAC 1st August 15 [...]

Today’s piece for Senna week, comes from, Lois Martin . Contributing editor for Formula 1 Blog,  http://www.formula1blog.com. It is an honor to contribute to Gary’s salute to Ayrton Senna and “Senna Week” on his blog. As I write this, the foundation that Ayrton established in his native Brazil, Instituto Ayrton Senna, is marking the twentieth anniversary of his third [...]

GP Focus editor,  Ewan Marshall looks back at Senna’s record breaking, first of six Monaco wins that came in 1987, driving for Lotus. Round four of the 1987 Formula One World Championship saw the teams and drivers head to Monte Carlo for the forty-fifth running of the Monaco Grand Prix. This year would prove significant for a [...]

The fractious relationship between Senna and Prost didn’t take long to bubble over at the start of the 1989 season. Senna ran into an early lead in the championship, winning three out of the first four races. Prost felt Senna had gone back on a pre-race  agreement at the restart of the San Marino Grand Prix [...]

After testing for Williams, McLaren, Brabham and Toleman over the winter, 24 year old, Ayrton Senna, lined up for his first season in F1 with the fledgling Toleman team for the start of the 1984 season. No one expected anything great from the Toleman team, formed for the start of the 1981 season, they struggled to [...]

Wednesday 19th of October marks the 20th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s third and final world drivers title. To celebrate this, I have a full week dedicated to the tree times champion who lost his life at Imola in 1994. In a timely reminder of how dangerous motor racing is, we are mourning the loss of Indycar champion, Dan [...]

Going into the winter of 2008, the contrast of emotions felt by Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were poles apart. Hamilton was on a high after securing his first world title in dramatic fashion on the final corner of the final race in Brazil. Button on the other hand had endured his toughest season to [...]

Evolution not revolution was Adrian Newey’s ethos as he once again aimed to provide  Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber with championship winning machinery. The new RB7 had a lot to live up to as Red Bull took both championships in only their sixth season in  2010. Preseason testing showed that the Milton Keynes based squad [...]

If someone told Martin Whitmarsh during pre-season testing that going into the summer break that his team would have four wins and be sitting second in the constructors championship, I think he would have taken that. After a bare all launch in Germany where the car was assembled in front of the expecting crowd, it [...]

In the aftermath of Fernando Alonso snatching defeat from the jaws of victory at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari found themselves embroiled in a national enquiry as the tifosi tried to get their heads round what had happened. Everybody had something to say, even Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi who ‘called for the [...]

Mercedes had a clear objective going into the 2011 season, to close the gap to the top three teams. Having finished 4 th in their first year back as a constructor after a fifty five year absence, the Ross Brawn lead outfit unveiled their MGP W02 on the eve of the first test in Valencia in [...]

When the Renault team unveiled its 2011 challenger, the R31, on the eve of preseason testing, the location of its exhaust exits was the main talking point for their rivals. Lotus Renault, now sporting the black and gold livery from the late seventies/early eighties when the two companies were last working together in F1 had [...]

Sauber headed into the 2011 campaign after a transitional year in  2010 following BMWs withdrawal from F1. Team owner, Peter Sauber was quick to rekindle the teams association with Ferrari that they enjoyed before the BMW buyout. The new C30 is equipped with Ferrari Engine, KERS, gear box, hydraulics and from their young driver programme, [...]

After a winter of rebuilding after the departures of key personnel  with technical director James Key being the highest-profile member leaving to join Sauber in a similar role. Chief designer Lewis Butler, head of aerodynamics Marianne Hinson, and commercial director Ian Phillips also left the outfit. Force India entered into a partnership with McLaren to [...]

STR turned up in Australia off of the back of a successful winter testing programme which has seen them threaten to challenge the leading midfield runners on a regular basis. They also benefited from driver continuity, with Buemi starting his third season with the Italian based squad and Alguersuari staring his second full year with [...]

The Williams FW33 was the talk of the paddock as pre-season testing got under way, Technical Director Sam Michael and his team had developed a gear box half the size of anything that had been seen before. On track thing were looking good with both Rubens Barrichello and Rookie Pastor Maldonado running in the top [...]