F1: Why Ayrton Senna felt unstoppable at Donington in 1993
“It was a race like old times – going hard, from the heart. I had to be smart over when to press the rhythm, and when to hold back. It was a fantastic race. I am happy for all of us. Not just for me, but for the team and staff. It was a dream. God knows, and when he wants something, then nothing can stop it.”
The quote above was given to Brazilian television, delivered in Senna’s native tongue which gives an extra dimension to his personal makeup – he was not only driven by an utter self-belief, but a spiritual element for good measure.
Ranged against the technically superior Williams-Renault FW15C V10s of Prost and Hill, Senna produced a devastating first lap and scored victory by an incredible 1m23s in his V8-powered McLaren-Ford MP4-8.
Before the race, Senna had warned of “some controversy on overtaking” given Donington’s relatively short lap, lack of straights and narrow confines, but raceday’s torrential rain – which had just about abated before the start time – not only opened his opportunities, but took away some of the Williams’ advantage.
Having qualified fourth in the dry, 1.649s off Alain Prost’s pole-sitting Williams, Senna sensed this was a race that should be taken by the scruff of the neck – but he’d require his wet-weather skills, superb feel for ever-changing grip levels and all his guile to do so.
