5 Unforgettable moments of Ayrton Senna's F1 career

Ayrton Senna is undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula 1 and a sizable amount of fans, journalists and his fellow competitors agree that he was the best, bar none.

The Brazilian maestro thrilled us all from 1984 to his untimely death in 1994. Choosing five moments which stand above the rest is a near-impossible task, but here are 5 of the most stunning, emotional and unforgettable instances in his stellar career.

1: Stunning 1984 Monaco Grand Prix

Ayrton Senna made sure we all knew what a talent he was in his rookie season

Rain is where the ultimate talent of the racing driver shows, and Ayrton Senna was arguably the best ever in inclement conditions. In these races, it's less about the car and more about the man behind the wheel, as how much grip is out there can change corner by corner.

Martin Brundle - the Brazilian's rival for the 1983 British Formula 3 championship - has often stated that Senna had the unique ability to know how much grip was available in a corner before he turned in. The first time we saw this was at Monaco in 1984 when Senna, in a backmarker Toleman car, climbed from a 13th place start to 2nd by the finish.

At times, he was lapping 4 seconds faster than anyone else and the rookie would've won the race if it wasn't for Alain Prost controversially demanding a red flag and ending the race prematurely.

The performance likely earned him a drive at the Lotus team for 1985, but it wasn't the only display that thrilled us all that year, as he later earned podiums in Britain and Portugal. Ayrton earned 13 of 16 points for Toleman that year and the money generated would eventually aid them in winning championships as Benetton in the 1990's.

2: First Title in 1988

After three years with Lotus, Senna joined McLaren for the 1988 season, the season in which the British team produced arguably the best car in the history of the sport, the MP4/4.

Senna and Prost won 15 of the 16 races that season, a percentage that has never been bettered before or since, not even by Ferrari in the 2000's, nor the revived Mercedes team in the hybrid era.

This was the beginning of the pair's great rivalry, the most infamous in Formula 1. There were flashpoints throughout the season, such as at San Marino, but it wouldn't fully boil over until 1989. Nevertheless, '88's deciding race was an incredible spectacle. Prost had kept himself within a shout of the title that year, thanks to his win in Spain, but still had to win in Japan to take the battle to the final round in Australia.

Senna qualified on pole but was heavily hampered by a stalling at the start which saw him drop down to fourteenth by the first corner. The Brazilian wasted no time in recovering, though, ascending to eighth by the end of the first tour. Prost was struggling with an intermittent gearbox issue and was even passed for the lead by Ivan Capelli, albeit temporarily.

Senna was climbing the order, and by Lap 27 of 53, he dived down the inside of his teammate to take the lead. From there, Ayrton stretched his legs and pulled out a gap that would extend out to over 13 seconds by the finish.

Senna became the third Brazilian world champion, after Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet, something he had been tipped forever since that famous Grand Prix in Monaco four years later.

3: First home win

Senna was a double world champion but hadn't yet won his home race by the time '91 rolled around

For some drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Nigel Mansell, their home race can bring out the best in them, as the crowd roars them on to the finish. Indeed, Mansell has stated that the British crowd gave him an extra half a second a lap over his fellow drivers.

Senna had always struggled at his home Grand Prix, where Prost had excelled at, especially at Rio de Janeiro's Jacarepagua circuit. A revised Interlagos returned to the calendar in 1990 and the following year, the Sao Paulo native would have one his most impressive and emotional Grand Prix. Senna led from pole and appeared to be cruising to a victory, but he had in fact lost third, fourth and fifth gear and was struggling to the finish.

Second-placed Riccardo Patrese was closing rapidly but couldn’t catch Senna before the chequered flag, the Brazilian's monumental effort that day was so physically exhausting him to the point where he had to be driven to the podium in the medical car and could bearly lift his trophy once he got there. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins, though, this race meant more to him than anything else, he had achieved all of his goals in motorsport.

He'd later go on to win again in 1993, another classic, with Prost getting caught out in a flash thunderstorm which drenched the circuit. Senna, true to form, was in a different class to the rest of the grid, in what was arguably his best season in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Also read: 5 Best Races of Ayrton Senna

4: Legendary battle with Nigel Mansell at Monaco GP 1992

Graham Hill had always been regarded as the Master of Monaco, winning in the principality five times, a record which seemed insurmountable at the time. Senna had won four of the five previous iterations of the Monte Carlo race and was in a position to match Hill by the time 1992 rolled around.

Williams had different ideas, though, with Nigel Mansell having won all 5 of the previous rounds so far that season, and seeming as though he was already champion-elect. Mansell claimed pole position, the first time Senna hadn't started from 1st since 1987, and the Brit led into the first corner.

Red 5 pulled out a lead and seemed to head for victory, but a loose wheel nut curtailed his Grand Prix, even though he later rejoined. Senna inherited the lead, but Mansell, on new tyres and driving a superior Williams, closed the gap at almost 5 seconds a lap.

Mansell was on the gearbox of Senna's McLaren, but despite an impressive attack, Ayrton put up a legendary defence and held the Williams off for the win, matching the late-great Graham Hill. The next year, he's surpassed Hill, his final victory around the streets of Monte Carlo.

5: Donington 1993

Senna and his future teammate, Damon Hill

Williams were once again the team to beat in 1993, and McLaren had slid further down the gird in overall performance. Nevertheless, Senna had managed to win in his home race at the previous round.

The European Grand Prix at Donington Park provided a new challenge for the F1 crop, a track where they'd never raced at. Senna had a poor start, dropping from fourth to fifth, but the Brazilian maestro demonstrated overtaking and racing instincts we've seldom witnessed in the sport.

After being crowded out by Michael Schumacher at the start, but Schumacher ran slightly wide and Senna powered by the German before sweeping around Karl Wendlinger at Turn 3. Senna then chased after Damon Hill and made quick work of him, passing at Turn 7.

Only Alain Prost now stood between Senna and the lead but not even a three-time world champion could resist Senna in this form. He closed up to Prost through the Esses and sent his McLaren down the inside at the Melbourne Hairpin.

In one lap Senna had gone from fifth to first in a car that was much slower than the Williams and, not to forget, in appalling conditions. Senna made something that seemed very difficult move look incredibly easy, a true great of the sport.

There are so many other magical moments that we didn't mention, such as his legendary Monaco pole lap in 1988, saving Erik Comas at Spa in 1992 and his first win in a flooded track at Estoril. His legacy will stand for all of the time, not just because of his racecraft, but also because he was a great man too, giving millions to charity in his lifetime. Sempre Senna.

Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.