Bruno Senna pays tribute to his uncle Ayrton Senna

Thirty years on, Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton, drives a McLaren Senna hypercar at Donington Park in tribute to one of Formula 1’s most outstanding performances. Not only was the opening lap spectacular, but Senna’s race victory was dominant. Ayrton Senna’s 1:18.029 lap record remains the fastest Formula 1 race time at the Leicestershire, UK, circuit.

Click here to subscribe to our print edition!

Now, more Senna names enter the Donington history books, with Bruno setting a lap record for a production road car in the McLaren Senna on the ‘GP’ circuit. Produced in limited numbers in 2018 – 2019, the McLaren Senna is the most extreme road-going and track-oriented McLaren Ultimate car ever.

The Senna name has returned to Donington Park as one of a series of McLaren milestone moments commemorating Ayrton Senna’s legacy, 30 years after the legendary Formula 1 driver’s final race in May 1994.

Reflecting on Ayrton Senna’s incredible performance at the 1993 European Grand Prix at the Leicestershire, UK, circuit, Ayrton’s nephew Bruno Senna took to the track in a McLaren Senna hypercar in tribute to his uncle’s epic drive.

Held on 11 April 1993, the Donington Park race is forever memorable, not only as the scene of one of Ayrton Senna’s most accomplished race victories but also what is widely regarded as one of the greatest laps in Formula 1 history.

Driving the McLaren MP4/8 in increasingly wet conditions, in which reputation as a special driver was forged, the Senna drove from fifth to first position on the opening lap. Recovering from a poor getaway off the line with exceptional talent and trademark Senna instinctive driving skills, the Brazilian driver went off the conventional racing line in places to pass existing and future world champions in incredible style with individual passes at different parts of the 2.5-mile circuit. This accomplishment, one of Senna’s most imperious performances, has become known as the ‘Lap of the Gods’.

This iconic first tour around the circuit was the beginning of a dominant performance in the race. Senna won by more than 1 minute and 23 seconds, lapping all but the second-placed driver to record the largest margin of victory he had achieved in his Formula 1 career.

The McLaren and Senna names are intertwined so strongly. It is a great…