Classic Monaco: Senna’s playground

Ayrton Senna is synonymous with Monaco. The great Brazilian set many records during his legendary career, but his six wins around the streets of Monte-Carlo may be his biggest ever achievement.

He first won in 1987 and he won a further five in a row between 1989 and 1993.

One of the biggest regrets of his career is his failure to make it seven straight wins, but he memorably crashed when leading the race by almost a minute in 1988.

He was so angry with himself, he went back to his flat in the city and wasn’t seen until the following day.

Senna’s hot streak almost began in 1984, in his debut season. In a Toleman TG183B, he drove one of the races of his life in the pouring rain to move quickly through the field.

Once he reached third, he was behind Nelson Piquet but the defending world champion could do nothing to halt his charge.

There is no doubt that he would have won the race if it went the full distance, as he was catching race leader Alain Prost at an alarming rate.

However, the organisers thought that conditions were too dangerous and it was halted half-way through.

But luck was on his side in 1987, as race leader Nigel Mansell retired. Senna, by then at McLaren, won by 33 seconds.

The following year he exacted his revenge after losing the race in 1988. He beat Prost by more than a minute and dominated the weekend. He then repeated the trick in 1990 and 1991.

Ayrton Senna (1st of May 1994)

Senna was often unchallenged around the famous streets. He’d often start on pole and disappear into the distance. But in 1992, he helped to give us one of the greatest finales ever seen.

Mansell, in his all-conquering Williams, bossed the race but a problem at a pit-stop left him trailing Senna in second place.

The Englishman hunted down the McLaren relentlessly, and certainly would have overtaken him on any circuit.

But at Monaco, overtaking is a luxury. Mansell swarmed all over the back of Senna’s rear wing, looking left and right for a way past. It was, perhaps, the most intriguing final lap of all time.

Senna fought him off, just, and won again. It was one of just three race wins that season.

In 1993, he won again after inheriting the lead from Michael Schumacher, and keeping ahead of Gerhard Berger and Damon Hill.

With that win, he became the most successful driver in Monaco history ahead of Graham Hill and his record is unlikely to be beaten.

Whether Senna is the king of F1 is a great debate, but there is no disputing his status around the streets of Monaco.

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