Tragic Facts About Ayrton Senna, The Racing Legend
Even among Formula 1 giants, Senna has a special mystique, both due to his scandals—and his tragic end.
1. He’s One Of The Greats
The differences in cars makes ranking drivers from throughout history an impossible task. Yet fans and drivers agree that Senna was one of, if not the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time. But they’d admit Senna was also one of the most controversial drivers. He captivated on and off track until his horrifying end. Senna changed his sport forever–but paid the ultimate price.
2. He Couldn’t Stop Racing
Senna, born in 1960 into a wealthy and tight-knit Brazilian family, was set for a comfortable life. That is, until he discovered racing. At 21 years old, Senna wanted to see how far he could go behind the wheel. He dropped out of university and headed to England to become a driver—but when he arrived he hit an unexpected roadblock.
People in England insisted Senna had no chance to be a driver if he didn’t have a wife to support him. He knew what he had to do.
3. He Married His Childhood Sweetheart
With this in mind, he went home and proposed to Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza. On paper, Senna and Vasconcelos were the perfect match. They’d known each other since childhood. They both came from rich Brazilian families.
The two lovers starting a new life together as Senna climbed the motorsport ladder seemed straight out of a movie. But not all movies have happy endings...
4. He Had A Miserable Wife
Senna and Vasconcelos were two fish out of water, but one of them floundered more than the other. While both struggled with culture shock and neither spoke English, Senna at least had Formula Ford. His wife had nothing.
Lilian traded Brazilian high society for what she thought was going to be a dramatic life with her race car driver husband. She was in for a rude awakening.
