Top 5 Ayrton Senna quotes that made him one of the most iconic drivers in F1

Ayrton Senna is one of the most iconic names in motorsport. He was a three-time F1 world champion and is considered one of the best racing drivers in the entire motorsport industry.

Though he died a tragic death at the 1994 San Marino GP where his Williams crashed hard in the Tamburello corner, some of Senna's quotes and statements have since become iconic and inspirational, elevating him beyond most F1 drivers.

Here is a list of some of the most gripping quotes from Ayrton Senna.

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List of five quotes from Ayrton Senna that made him an F1 icon

#1 "Suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving..."

During the 1988 F1 Monaco GP, Ayrton Senna clocked in arguably the greatest qualifying lap in the history of the sport. Unfortunately, there is no onboard footage available of it. He lapped Circuit de Monaco 1.427 seconds faster than his teammate, Alain Prost.

Senna was 2.6 seconds ahead of third position on the grid. Though the Brazilian lost the race on Sunday due to a lack of focus, his lap around the circuit is still remembered and revered in motorsport. After the qualifying session, he explained his thought process and spoke these words:

“Suddenly I realised that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension.”

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#2 "If you no longer go for a gap that exists..."

Ayrton Senna and his fierce rival Alain Prost were knocked out from the 1990 F1 Japanese GP after they collided with each other at the first corner.

Following the race, Senna defended his maneuver after being passed at the start, with the McLaren driver clipping the back wheel of the Ferrari as it entered Turn 1 at Suzuka. During an interview with three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, he said:

“If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you’re no longer a racing driver.”

Since then, this line has emerged as one of Senna's most famous quotes.

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#3 "Racing, competing, is in my blood..."

The 1989 F1 Japanese GP was one of the most controversial of races since both Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost collided with each other on Lap 47.

Though Senna managed to win the race, he was later disqualified for cutting a chicane after the collision. This resulted in Prost winning the race and the world championship of that season. The Brazilian driver was disappointed with FISA's decision to disqualify him.

Coming to Australia, Senna spoke about how much passion he has for racing in his life. This quote also became quite famous in the motorsport industry and fanbase.

“Racing, competing, is in my blood. It’s part of me, it’s part of my life; I’ve been doing it all my life. And it stands up before anything else,” Senna said.

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#4 "I have no idols..."

While some of the most successful F1 drivers like Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have openly admitted that they look up to Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian himself once said that he had no idols. He added that he respected the hard work and dedication of other drivers that came before him.

“I have no idols. I respect hard work, dedication and competence.”

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#5 "As soon as you touch this limit, something happens..."

In a video biography about him, Ayrton Senna spoke about performing even better after reaching one's limit in anything. The video biography was made in 1992. He spoke about the power of one's mind, dedication, experience, and instinct that can allow one to excel. This statement from him also became a famous motivational quote, not only for future drivers but for the world.

"As soon as you touch this limit, something happens, and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high," Senna said.