Ayrton Senna, racing through storms and thunders
Racing is much more than just having a fast car and a great speed, it is actually a proof of passion and determination. It is a test of unmatched driving skills. Above all when it comes to driving a Formula One car, racing becomes a tough ordeal of physical, mental and psychological stamina that makes Formula One stand out from the rest.
And this test becomes even tougher when it comes to racing on the merciless tracks of Formula One, in wet rainy weather. The shower takes the true test of extracting a great driver from the good ones. One of those great drivers is Ayrton Senna who proved it time and again that thunders and storms cannot halt him, when the will is stronger than everything else.
Ayrton Senna, the man who made history by giving the greatest lap-ever in Formula One, proved himself to be better than the rest on the shiny days as well as on the pouring ones. At the wet, twirling and twisting tracks of Donington Park, Senna displayed his mastery in year 1993.
At the qualifying, on bright sunny Saturday, as already expected that season, the twosome Alain Prost and Damon Hill crowned themselves with the first and second place on the grid while Michael Schumacher followed them for third place. The fourth place on the grid was occupied by the man who yet had to disclose the enigma for the day.
As the race began Schumacher blocked Senna, permitting Karl Wendlinger and his teammate to precede leaving Senna in fifth position. However, Schumacher became the first victim of the McLaren-Cosworth driver at the exit of Redgate Corner.
Next prey of Senna was Wendlinger whom he engulfed at Craner Curves to move up to third place. Latter to come forward was Damon Hill, who was not able to escape the fierce racer as he reached Coppice Corner. At the Melbourne Hairpin, Senna was right behind his old rival, Alain Prost whom he dived down, to end his first lap amazingly ahead of all others.
The rest of the day went soaked and drenched making it impossible for his rivals to dare cross him. All kept changing dry tyres while the heroic racer kept taking chances with his wet set to only see the chequered flag.
Another greet racing spectacle from the racer was witnessed at Estoril in the year 1985. The second adventure of the driver under the weeping skies marked his maiden victory at Estoril. The Brazilian driver had already proved by then that he was a master of coming in terms with wet tacks. One year back, at Monaco he had already proved his expertise for driving in the rain as he ended the race at second place under the badly seeping sky.
The final race day was accompanied by heavy rainfall; it became so bad in a little time that several drivers kept spinning off on their initial laps. Nigel Mansell was among the early drivers who had a tough revenge from the wet track as he had to start from the pit lane in his standby Williams.
Senna opened his race from pole and kept sailing ahead of all, receiving comparatively clear track ahead of him. He kept on hammering his victory nail deeper down, as the other kept facing poor laps, one after the other. In his usual majestic fashion, Senna went on fleeing as Alain Prost, spun off in spectacular manner on lap 30 finding the conditions too cruel for him to survive.
Senna kept moving on relentlessly cutting through the winds and storms, leavings the winds and the showers behind him as he ended the race one minute ahead of Michele Alboreto in his Ferrari.
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