Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrated his fellow triple F1 world champion in his own unique manner by matching Senna’s 1988-89 record of eight consecutive pole positions on a sunny afternoon at the circuit near Bologna.
“It has been 30 years since he passed away at this track. So, naturally, I am very pleased to secure pole position here. And in a way, it serves as a beautiful tribute to him,” expressed the 26-year-old Dutch driver, whose father Jos made his F1 debut in that 1994 season.
“He was an extraordinary Formula One driver, particularly when it came to qualifying laps,” highlighted Verstappen.
Senna still holds the third position in the overall list of most F1 poles, with a career total of 65, surpassed only by seven-time champions Lewis Hamilton (104) and Michael Schumacher (68).
Verstappen now has 39 top spot starts and is quickly catching up. He also matched a record set by Senna’s French rival Alain Prost in 1993, which was achieving seven consecutive poles at the beginning of a season.
The top three finishers on Sunday will also receive a special jereboam of sparkling Ferrari Trento wine on the Imola podium, which will later be auctioned to support the Senna Foundation.
A faded picture on a grandstand and flowers and tributes left by devoted fans at Senna’s statue near the circuit and behind the wall where he crashed. He was 34 years old.
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel is driving laps in Senna’s 1993 McLaren and has engaged teams and drivers in other activities to honor the Brazilian and Austrian Roland Ratzenberger, who also passed away that same weekend.
F1 drivers ran around the circuit on Thursday and gathered for a moment of silence at the Tamburello curve, attaching padlocks with #Forever Senna branding to other tributes on the fence. They were also requested to wear Senna fireproof balaclavas throughout the weekend.
“What I particularly admired about him, much later on,” reminisced Vettel. “Was that he was not only one of the greatest racing drivers ever, but he also demonstrated compassion and support for the often challenging social issues and poverty that affected his home country.”
“The closest I came to Ayrton was watching a Friday practice session from the grandstands at Hockenheim during the German Grand Prix. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet him in person,” stated Vettel.
Fans and politicians had already gathered on the May 1 anniversary at Imola, some carrying the Brazilian flag before observing a minute’s silence. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin)