{"id":34713,"date":"2025-07-31T01:12:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T01:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/34713\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T01:12:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T01:12:10","slug":"the-mclaren-test-that-persuaded-senna-to-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/34713\/","title":{"rendered":"The McLaren test that persuaded Senna to stay"},"content":{"rendered":"

The faces said it all. The temperature was marginally above freezing and a small group of McLaren<\/a> team members were huddled around the timing desk on the pitwall shortly before lunch.<\/p>\n

Each time the car flashed past, the mechanics would look up to savour the reaction on the face of Ayrton Senna\u2019s Italian engineer, Giorgio Ascanelli, who looks rather like a junior Pavarotti. Each time he obliged them by opening his eyes wide and grinning, before instructing the pit signaller to put new figures on the pitboard.<\/p>\n

Senna had not driven a Formula 1 car for three months and yet here he was setting the fastest time of the winter. He spent all day Wednesday reacclimatising to the speed, even spinning a couple of times as he discovered the new car\u2019s limits.<\/p>\n

By lunchtime on Thursday, all doubts about the competitiveness of the new McLaren-Ford MP4\/8 evaporated as Senna put the hammer down: 1m21.2s, 1m21.0s, 1m20.4s, 1m20.3s. It was a breathtaking display of consistent speed.<\/p>\n

To put Senna\u2019s achievement in perspective, Damon Hill<\/a> had set Williams<\/a>\u2019s fastest time of the winter the day before at 1m21.0s, while the McLaren boys, Michael Andretti and Mika Hakkinen<\/a>, had managed 1m21.5s and 1m21.7s respectively after two weeks of testing the all-new package.<\/p>\n

Towards the end of the day, Andretti improved to 1m21.1s as Senna popped in another mind-blowing sequence: 1m21.0s, 1m20.5s, 1m20.2s.<\/p>\n

It has been a hard winter for McLaren. Uncertainty over who would supply the engines and who would drive the car this year had lowered the morale of a dedicated crew, used to success. Last Thursday they rediscovered their faith.<\/p>\n

\"Senna's <\/p>\n

Senna’s winter test at Silverstone with McLaren appeared to be make or break for his decision on his future<\/p>\n

Photo by: Johnny Eggitt \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n

As they packed away the mountains of electronic equipment ready for South Africa, they were all pondering the great question \u2013 would Senna be joining them for the first race at Kyalami.<\/p>\n

Senna seemed relaxed but tired as he spoke after the test. It had been a hard two days, he said, but he was satisfied. \u201cThe car is of course pretty fast,\u201d he said with classic understatement.<\/p>\n

Carefully rubbing his eye, he continued: \u201cSilverstone is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult circuits to set up a car and to find a good balance between the infield and the high-speed corners like Stowe, Bridge and Becketts.<\/p>\n

“My goal coming here was really a second step on a positive path towards racing this year. The first step was meeting Philip Morris in Lausanne, Switzerland, which was constructive and positive. Step three we will make the decision” Ayrton Senna<\/p>\n

\u201cI even thought in the last couple of years, \u2018I just don\u2019t know how to go fast around this circuit\u2019. But between yesterday and today I had the opportunity to drive at speeds that I could not believe I could do.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn fact, I think I can go faster, but I cannot coordinate my mind and body to do it. My mind does not react as quickly as it needs to in order for me to go faster. It\u2019s very difficult to drive at that speed, because there are incredible G-forces going through your body and the reaction time between what you see and what you do is almost nothing; you hardly see something and it\u2019s gone. There\u2019s no time to think.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senna sat back in his chair, reflecting as he spoke on the past two days. A deeply thoughtful man, this 32-year-old is not given to opening his mouth before engaging his brain. And although weary from a hard day on the track there was definitely a twinkle in his eye. He was obviously impressed by the speed of the new McLaren and was perhaps weighing up in his mind how the car might develop over the coming year.<\/p>\n

\"Senna <\/p>\n

Senna also faced negotiations with Dennis and Marlboro before being certain of racing for McLaren in 1993<\/p>\n

Photo by: Pascal Le Segretain \/ Sygma via Getty Images<\/p>\n

But he was careful not to allow his new-found excitement to blind him to the fact that if he wanted to race the car this year, there was still some hard negotiating to be done with Ron Dennis and sponsor Marlboro.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a dangerous situation to be in,\u201d he reflected. \u201cParticularly when you have been away for three months without driving. I am not up to speed on my reflexes, so I have to control myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween the first and second days I took a good step forward, not just myself, but also the car, we really improved the car. But you know, you lose a second a lap if you just think about something.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s difficult to tune your mind or your body. You tell your hands, \u2018OK turn a little bit more here\u2019 or \u2018lift here\u2019, but it almost happens too late.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think about something and it\u2019s already too late. So you go by instinct, you guess what is going to happen so you can act as it happens. If you get it wrong you will go off. It\u2019s not too bad in slow corners because if you get it wrong you spin, but in fast corners it\u2019s very tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Podcast: My Favourite F1 season \u2013 James Allen’s 1993<\/a><\/p>\n

Is this a race-winning car?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe performance I think is there,\u201d continued Senna. \u201cNaturally there are still difficulties with reliability. With all the electronics there are small things which have to be understood before they can be adjusted and modified. There is still a lot of development to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goal coming here was really a second step on a positive path towards racing this year. The first step was meeting Philip Morris in Lausanne, Switzerland, which was constructive and positive. As a result of that I came over to test the car and having had that opportunity I will go away and think carefully about the situation. Step three we will make the decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Despite <\/p>\n

Despite negotiations, the decision rested fully on Senna’s shoulders for what he wanted to do next<\/p>\n

Photo by: Torsten Blackwood \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Although he refused to admit it, Senna clearly realised that he wanted to race this year. But there were other considerations. Money is always a sticking point in negotiations between Senna and McLaren. He has been with the team for five consecutive seasons, won three world championships and, each time a contract has needed renewing, he has added a few million to the bill.<\/p>\n

In the past, Honda paid up, terrified that he might defect to Ferrari<\/a> or Renault, but this time there is no Honda. It was up to McLaren boss Ron Dennis and main sponsor Marlboro to decide how much Senna is worth to F1.<\/p>\n

But without doubt Senna was encouraged by his Silverstone test. \u201cIt was not just one-off quick laps,\u201d he reflected. \u201cBut we did it on several occasions. I am surprised at the huge progress in two days, both in myself and in the car. I wonder how far we can go?\u201d<\/p>\n

“The V8 is totally different engine. It has a lot more power at the bottom and middle of the rev range, but less at the top end. It also goes around corners differently. The throttle control is totally different and it has taken a lot of effort for me to learn the new characteristics of the engine. We will always want more top-end power on a V8 engine” Ayrton Senna<\/p>\n

The atmosphere in the McLaren garage was reminiscent of the good old days a few years ago, when Senna and McLaren were at their mightiest. In the final qualifying session for a race, the Brazilian would wait patiently for the right moment before gunning for pole position. Did he get the same feeling at Silverstone last week?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know when you\u2019re going quick,\u201d he replied, thoughtfully. \u201cAlmost corner by corner you know, and then the final lap time on the pitboard is just a consequence. As you do a fast lap, you just know it\u2019s fast and it\u2019s just a question of balancing your aggression with your experience and self-control.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find this fascinating, trying to find that balance between not being too conservative but not overdoing it and getting it wrong.<\/p>\n

\"After <\/p>\n

After McLaren’s Honda partnership ended, how Senna gelled and assessed the Ford V8 was a crucial point in his decision-making<\/p>\n

Photo by: Ercole Colombo \/ Studio Colombo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI am particularly fascinated by this kind of situation at really high speed, which I found today. You go by instinct. You feel the time coming as you go around and then after 80 seconds or so you get a magic result. It\u2019s a great thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

After many seasons with multi-cylinder Honda engines, both V10 and more recently V12, how did he enjoy driving McLaren\u2019s new Ford HB V8 engine?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe V8 is totally different engine,\u201d he said emphatically. \u201cIt has a lot more power at the bottom and middle of the rev range, but less at the top end. It also goes around corners differently. The throttle control is totally different and it has taken a lot of effort for me to learn the new characteristics of the engine. We will always want more top-end power on a V8 engine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

One of the most fascinating things about talking to Ayrton Senna is his ability to analyse out loud what racing means to him, to take apart a quick lap or to describe how he motivates himself. Once he starts thinking and talking like this, you can listen to him for hours.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, he was in just such a mood after his return to an F1 cockpit last week. This has been his life for nearly 10 years now, could he really contemplate not racing?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe feeling I get from racing is something I can\u2019t explain,\u201d said Senna. \u201cIt is not something I necessarily understand but I have experienced it, felt it and it\u2019s incredible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year, in January, the passion was really low. It was like a small flame. A friend of mine kept persuading me to do this test. He pushed me and slowly the flame grew bigger and bigger and the passion started to come back and I could see it and feel it.<\/p>\n

\"Senna <\/p>\n

Senna admitted his passion for racing was low during the winter before the 1993 season<\/p>\n

Photo by: Steven Tee \/ Motorsport Images<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes in life you just can\u2019t change things no matter how much you might want to. I think that friend did a really good job in persuading me to come back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been my life for so long now. Sometimes I think, \u2018You have got so much out of this, personally speaking, from material benefits, you have got the respect of so many people around the world, you can\u2019t just drop it. You can\u2019t do that. First of all for the people who have got to know you or who follow you, you just can\u2019t do it.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it comes more and more difficult to drive the car fast, to find the balance one needs to judge all of those things and to make all the necessary decisions, whether they are personal or technical. This is the hardest part of my profession and it has been like this now for the past two or three years.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I did not come from Brazil to England and zero degrees cold this weekend just to stand around. I\u2019ve been in Europe for 10 days and it has taken that long to meet with people and make all this happen. We will just have to wait and see” Ayrton Senna<\/p>\n

But surely having turned in a series of laps inside the best time of both Williams-Renault drivers, he must feel that he can challenge Alain Prost and put him under a lot of pressure?<\/p>\n

Senna thinks for a full 15 seconds before answering slowly: \u201cI have always been moved by a challenge. If you can see a challenge then you have gone a long way down the road to meeting it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did not come from Brazil to England and zero degrees cold this weekend just to stand around. I\u2019ve been in Europe for 10 days and it has taken that long to meet with people and make all this happen. We will just have to wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Monday, the news filtered through to a waiting world that Senna would race for McLaren in 1993 \u2013 the Brazilian is back.<\/p>\n

\"Despite <\/p>\n

Despite committing to McLaren for 1993, it was the beginning of the end of the partnership for Senna<\/p>\n

Photo by: Pascal Rondeau \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

In this article<\/p>\n

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