Whenever do a McLaren MP4/5B, a Lotus 97T, a Ralt Formula 3 car, a Formula Ford and a go-cart share the starting grid on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit? Well, all these disparate cars have one very crucial thing in common: they are milestone cars of the career of three-time Formula 1 World Champion, Ayrton Senna, spanning from the very start, to when he was at the peak of his powers.
Ayrton Senna's life in motorsport assembled at Monaco
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The cars were piloted here at the 2024 Monaco Historic in memory of the beloved driver, who passed three decades ago. The McLaren was driven by his nephew and ex-F1 ace Bruno Senna. The Lotus was driven by Thierry Boutsen, who shared the Formula 1 grid for more or less the same period as Senna and more poignantly, was a close personal friend, with the two sharing holidays and Boutsen even asking Senna to be his son’s godfather.
Eddie Irvine, who has his own tumultuous history with Senna, drove the Ralt Formula 3 car with which Senna clinched his title. From past masters to young stars, Christina Gutierrez and current F3 champion Gabriel Bortoleto were entrusted with the Formula Ford and the kart respectively.
All assembled on the Monaco start/finish line, the drivers got out and exchanged pleasantries, with Albert II the Crown Prince of Monaco.
Photography by Peter Summers
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