Formula 1 is currently commemorating Ayrton Senna. The three-time F1 world champion died on May 1, 1994, 30 years ago, after an accident at the San Marino GP. At the guest appearance of the premier class last weekend in Imola, Sebastian Vettel honored the Brazilian and drove several show laps in the Formula 1 legend’s last McLaren.
The team from Woking is upping the ante this weekend and racing in Monaco with a special livery for possibly the greatest racing driver in history. In his honor, McLaren is recoloring the entire vehicle in the national colors of his home country, Brazil.
For Ayrton Senna: McLaren in Brazil design instead of papaya
The papaya orange on the MCL38 has to give way to a yellow color. The rear section is also kept in green, and at the front a section above the front wheel suspension is colored blue. The racing car also has lettering with the surname of the globally celebrated motorsport hero on both the front wing and the rear wing.
The design of Ayrton Senna’s helmet, which is based on the Brazilian national flag, served as inspiration for the paintwork. The special paintwork is a result of a collaboration between Senna Global and McLaren partner OKX, as the team explained in a press release.
McLaren Special for the ‘King of Monaco’
The route was not chosen at random. During his career, Senna dominated the action at the Circuit de Monaco around Monte Carlo, which earned him the nickname “King of Monaco”. In addition to a Lotus victory in 1987, Senna won five times between 1989 and 1993 McLaren in the Principality. In his only McLaren defeat in Monaco in 1988, he had an accident while clearly in the lead due to a driving error.
Not only does Senna get his own livery on the team’s Formula 1 car, but McLaren also unveiled a special livery on the McLaren Senna sports car, which was launched in 2018 and is named after him. This is also dominated by the national colors of Brazil and is called ‘Senna Sempre’ (in English: “Senna forever”).
Zak Brown: Senna’s influence on McLaren is enormous
In addition to the special paintwork, there is also team clothing made specifically for the Monaco GP, which also bears the signature of the 41-time Formula 1 winner. Incidentally, Senna celebrated 35 of these 41 victories for McLaren. This makes him the most successful McLaren driver ever to this day.
Commenting on the announcement of the special livery, McLaren CEO Zak Brown said: “The team is proud to honor and celebrate the extraordinary life and racing legacy of Ayrton Senna through this McLaren livery. Senna continues to be regarded as the greatest icon of the world Formula 1 and revered and respected as McLaren’s most decorated driver.”
“His influence on McLaren is enormous, not only through his racing successes, but also through his presence in the team and his legacy. It is therefore an honor to drive for him in his green-yellow-blue colors on its most successful circuit,” explained Brown continued.
Ayrton Senna became a Formula 1 legend thanks to his successful career, his charismatic appearance, but also his tragic accident. We have written down the career of the three-time world champion.