All Formula 1 fans know the name Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian driver is a motorsports legend who became a three-time world champion, who tragically died aged 34 years old during a race. And now the life of Ayrton is set to be explored in Netflix's latest drama mini-series Senna.
The six-part series will cover the highs and lows of Senna's life, with Gabriel Leone playing the titular role, including his beginnings in karting, his rivalry with McLaren team mate Alain Prost and his tragic death at the San Marino Grand Prix.
But what is the real story of Ayrton Senna? Here's what you need to know.
Who was Ayrton Senna?
Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian Formula 1 driver, born on 21st March in 1960 to a wealthy Brazilian family, and he had a brother and a sister. Senna's first experience with race cars was when he was just four years old and his father made him a car out of an old lawnmower.
He grew up watching Formula 1, and got his first proper kart aged 10, before winning his first kart race aged 13.
In 1981 he moved briefly to England where he began racing Formula Ford 1600 level before returning home to Brazil to work in the family business at the end of the season. He then returned to England and raced in the Formula Ford 2000 level, before progressing to Formula Three and winning the championship. And in 1984 he became a Formula 1 driver, racing for Toleman. During his first season he came second in the Monaco Grand Prix.
He then moved to Lotus in 1985, winning two Grand Prixs and coming fourth in the championship. In 1988 he moved to McLaren where he won his first championship that same year. However, things weren't always smooth sailing as Senna had a notable rivalry with his teammate Alain Prost and came second to the driver in the 1989 championship. Their rivalry was so intense Prost moved to Ferrari the next year and they continued their rivalry for the next four years. Senna later won the championships in 1990 and 1991, becoming a three-time world champion.
Following Prost's retirement, Senna moved to the Williams team in 1994 and later that year died in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix, aged just 34 years old.
Was Ayrton Senna married?
In 1981 Senna married his childhood friend Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza, however the couple divorced shortly after.
Senna was then known to have a number of prominent relationships, including with Brazilian TV host Xuxa, with the pair dating for a number of years. At the time of his death Senna was in a relationship with Adriane Galisteu.
What happened to Ayrton Senna?
On the weekend of 1st May 1994, the San Marino Grand Prix took place in Imola, Italy. During qualifying Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger died after his front wing broke and got lodged under his car and Ratzenberger ended up crashing.
Following Ratzenberger's death Senna decided to stop participating in qualifying and was being persuaded to drop out of the race the next day, however, he refused and uttered his now famous phrase, "I cannot quit, I have to go on."
The next day was race day, 1st May, and Senna met with his former rival Prost, who was now a presenter, and they discussed bringing back the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, to help with the safety of the drivers and Senna offered to lead it.
The race began and seven laps in, Senna ended up dying after coming off the track and hitting the concrete wall at Tamburello corner.
Following his death, three days of mourning were declared by the Brazilian government and a state funeral was organised in Brazil, with many drivers escorting his coffin including Prost.
Senna is available on Netflix from 29th November
