How Senna’s stripes became sport’s most famous helmet · RaceFans

The word “iconic” is over-used, but Ayrton Senna’s distinctive helmet design deserved that description even before his untimely death 30 years ago.

The day-glo yellow colour, which none of his adversaries could fail to spot stalking them in their mirrors, paired with the twin stripes identifying his beloved Brazilian homeland, was already one of F1’s most instantly identifiable designs.

The passage of time has made that even more apparent today. Surely no driver’s graphics have appeared so often on the heads of so many other competitors. And not merely in F1, but in other forms of motor sport and other sporting disciplines besides.

This weekend at Imola, as F1 commemorates him once more, Pierre Gasly will compete using Senna’s helmet livery. He has already done so, in 2020, making him one of many sportspeople who have taken to the field of play bearing the colours of the late three-times champion.

Senna’s design has been carried at the Indianapolis 500, the Giro d’Italia and the pitch of his favourite football team Corinthians – making it arguably the motor recognised sporting helmet in the world.

Formula 1

Senna raced in front of his home crowd for the final time in the season-opening race of 1994. Just five weeks later he was dead.

When F1 returned to Senna’s home city for the start of the next season, Rubens Barrichello was one of his three compatriots on the grid. The 22-year-old, embarking on his third season of F1, had been one of the pallbearers at Senna’s funeral.

At a time when drivers seldom varied their helmet designs, Barrichello’s decision to incorporate Senna’s design into his helmet made an impact. The race brought little reward, however, as he retired from 12th place on the 17th lap. Barrichello, who went on to win 11 grands prix, later admitted he put himself under too much pressure to emulate Senna’s success early in his career.

Senna’s nephew Bruno made a late start to his career in motorsport as his family were reluctant to let him race. However he reached F1 with struggling newcomers HRT in 2010, then drove for two of his uncle’s former teams: Renault (who Senna drove for when they were Toleman) and Williams.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

In 2019 Bruno Senna demonstrated a McLaren MP4/1, which his uncle used to win his first world championship in 1988.