How Senna enraged an unknowing Schumacher in Brazil

Michael, unaware of Ayrton’s problems, would hit out after the race – believing Senna had been “playing some kind of game”.

The 1992 season was a Williams walkover, and Brazil would play host to the third 1-2 thus far for the Renault-powered team. Nigel Mansell overcame a fast-starting Riccardo Patrese for victory, so the real race was for third, which Senna was determined to take…

His new McLaren-Honda, for the second year running a V12 unit, was over 2s off the Williams pair when healthy in qualifying, but about six-tenths of a second quicker than Schumacher’s Benetton B191B (a development of the 1991 car that would serve the team until the definitive ’92 car became available in Round 4). However, it became apparent early on that Senna was encountering problems, waving his right arm in the air as he crossed the start/finish line.

With his laptimes getting ever slower – Senna’s quickest lap was only 21st fastest out of the 26-car field! – he managed to hold up a train comprising Schumacher, Jean Alesi (Ferrari), Martin Brundle (Benetton), Pierluigi Martini (Dallara), Karl Wendlinger (March) and Thierry Boutsen (Ligier). On the debut of the McLaren MP4/7A, Senna’s Honda V12 had developed a misfire that would eventually prove terminal – but that didn’t stop him from fighting hard while being cheered on by his adoring Paulista fans.

Senna had already startled Schumacher once, by coming back at him around the first corner, making up for a poor start having been boxed-in by the slow-away Mansell. Senna clung tight around the outside of the German through the left-hander, and decisively claimed the position of the following right turn as Schumacher wisely backed out.

Riccardo Patrese, Williams FW14B, Nigel Mansell, Williams FW14B, Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/7A, Michael Schumacher, Benetton B191B

Photo by: Sutton Images

Senna pulled away until his engine began to misfire at high revs. “It cut out suddenly and in full straights, at 250km/h [155.5mph], as if I had taken my foot off the gas,” Senna said afterwards.

At the beginning of lap eight, Schumacher whistled past Senna on the long drag out of the final corner, as Senna’s engine continued to prove troublesome, but the Brazilian wasn’t about to give it up. While Schumacher clearly thought his wounded rival wouldn’t re-challenge for the position, Senna typically…