The third annual Donington Historic Festival, scheduled for May 4-5, 2013, will celebrate the career of three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna. Two historic events from the Brazilian’s career that took place at Donington Park will be featured, the 30th anniversary of the first time Senna ever drove a Formula One car, and the 20th anniversary of his phenomenal rain-soaked win in the 1993 European Grand Prix.
On July 19, 1983, Senna first tested Keke Rosberg’s Monaco GP-winning Williams FW08-Cosworth at the circuit and impressed those in attendance, just as he would also do later that year with the McLaren and Toleman teams at Silverstone. When Toleman gave him his Formula One debut the following year, the door opened on a legendary career.
A decade later, crowds flocking to Donington as the circuit played host to its first Grand Prix in 55 years witnessed Senna—by then a triple World Champion—at his best. Torrential rain made the track treacherous, but after starting 4th in his underpowered McLaren-Cosworth Senna gave perhaps the defining performance of his career.
What he accomplished that day will be forever etched in the hearts and minds of motor racing fans across the globe. Driving as if the track were dry he finished the opening lap in 1st place. As conditions moderated, Alain Prost brought his championship-leading Williams-Renault up to challenge Senna, but when the rains came again, Senna stayed out on slicks as the others pitted for wets and settled the matter. By the end he was a remarkable 80 seconds ahead of runner-up Damon Hill, also in a Williams. All this and more will be celebrated at Donington next May.
For more information, visit www.doningtonhistoric.com.
