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Top Gear Senna Tribute


JackFrost
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I really misted up. I had the honour of meeting Senna when he visited BAT in Shirley back in (ooh) 1983(?) when he used to drive for the the JPS Lotus team.

 

I can remember him taking Prost off in Japan and cheering like a loon and the fatal crash at Imola; was at my Mum's for Sunday dinner and everything just stopped, all watching hands to mouth to see if was as serious as it looked....

 

Great champion and the best bit of TV served up by Top Gear.

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I all honesty I was a Nigel Mansell fan during most of the Senna era (& suffered for it trust me) because of patriotism and a instinctive appreciation for those in life who succeed through hard work more than God given natural talent , but in your heart of hearts you always knew that Senna was without doubt the best driver of his generation - perhaps any generation .

 

Top Gear often falls into the trap of becoming too contrived and over-scripted , but this edition was simply superb . From the jet ski's v rally car , to that monstrous Bugatti being maxed out all the items were highly entertaining . Add some Cruise & Cameron stardust to Clarksons wonderful Senna tribute and it's hard to see how they can possibly top it .

 

That's not to say I don't think they should try mind you .

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Regarding him taking out Prost in the first corner and so winning the drivers championship. If Alonso or Shumi had sone that now, what would the reaction be? spitting of bile and forums going into meltdown?

 

What was the reaction at the time? He didn't seem in the slightest bit sorry he'd done it.

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Regarding him taking out Prost in the first corner and so winning the drivers championship. If Alonso or Shumi had sone that now, what would the reaction be? spitting of bile and forums going into meltdown?

 

What was the reaction at the time? He didn't seem in the slightest bit sorry he'd done it.

 

I don't remember there being much about it to be honest, but I was only 8 so I might be wrong. Certainly Murray Walkers commentary at the time was taking it in the context of a racing incident rather than a deliberate crash.

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He was utterly unapologetic and there wasn't a great deal of media storm about it - no protests from Ferrari etc. Contrast that to the previous crash between the two when both were at McLaren - Senna got hung out to dry by the authorities for that one. I think a lot of people at the time saw the second crash as justice being done (Prost wasn't well liked being a little bit boring and French). Both accidents were Senna doing his usual "let me through or we have an accident" approach to overtaking, the sort of thing nowadays would result in drive-throughs and grid penalties. I guess its a bit like comparing tackling in the 70s to how it is now.

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I always thought this quote summed him up (from Prost)

 

"Ayrton has a small problem. He thinks he can't kill himself because he believes in God and I think that is very dangerous for the other drivers."

 

Said in '89 after the Suzuka crash.

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Regarding him taking out Prost in the first corner and so winning the drivers championship. If Alonso or Shumi had sone that now, what would the reaction be? spitting of bile and forums going into meltdown?

 

What was the reaction at the time? He didn't seem in the slightest bit sorry he'd done it.

 

Senna openly said he was going to do it before he did it.

 

Murray Walker's commentary summed it up perfectly

 

"And its happened immediately!!!"

Edited by JackFrost
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Regarding him taking out Prost in the first corner and so winning the drivers championship. If Alonso or Shumi had sone that now, what would the reaction be? spitting of bile and forums going into meltdown?

 

What was the reaction at the time? He didn't seem in the slightest bit sorry he'd done it.

 

There was quite a song and dance made of it, at the time, but because of the lack of internet forums, and easy access to other's views, the official media line coud be adopted, without a problem, which was something like Murray Walker's racing accident rubbish. It was complete twaddle, and everyone watching knew Senna purposely ran into Prost. I must admit that, although I was no great fan of Prost, at the time, I certainly went off Senna. He explained the incident away rather neatly, but for me it was totally outside of the racing code. These were the days before the proper safety cell was in place, and there was every possibility that the accident could have caused the death of either or both of the drivers. If a rider deliberately does that in a motorcycle race, and if the bloke he's taken out is able to get up, he'll smack the other one, and the causer of the crash would probably be disqualified if he's able to finish.

 

I'm not sure if it was James Hunt who called it right, but if I remember correctly, he wasn't at all impressed.

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