Hard to believe but the great man would have been 50 today.

Happy Birthday Ayrton, wherever you are.

In another world, he'd be going to Melbourne this week to cheer on Bruno

Enjoy some cake with the big man, Ayrton

hard to believe indeed

http://brunosennaoficial.blogspot.com/

also:

http://www.filefront.com/15810629/Ayrton-Senna.avi/



Here's to Ayrton - in our hearts forever!
Happy 50th, whereever you are.

Aditya

One question - would Ayrton still be racing (in any form) if he were alive today? I can see him being like say Damon Hill who hasn't raced a thing after Formula 1, or like Stirling Moss after his injuries and not going back on his retirement. I think Ayrton was the kind of guy that would've been worn out by F1 eventually, but then we just don't know...

Also, had he lived, what might the rest of his F1 career brought? Titles with Williams? A Ferrari drive? The delay, or even total absence, of the Schumacher era?

For me it's like The Beatles, it would never make sense in my head for them to have gone on past the split... same with Ayrton... once he'd gone, it was like a clean slate... We wanted him there, but we didn't necessarily need him (what a terrible thing to say I know).

The era had ended, and May 1st was the particular date that concluded it... Even Mansell struggled to keep up after

Happy birthday Ayrton.

Always missed, never forgotten.

Happy birthday Ayrton...forever a shining star...

The memories will live on. Long live the king of f1.

"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"
Ayrton Senna da Silva


Happy birthday. We will never forget you.

Not just a amazing driver, but electric off the track in conferences and interviews, he just was everthing you wanted in a entertaining f1 driver/perhaps a blueprint for exciting race drivers. The spiritual aspect and qualifying precision added layers to a character who pretty much expected nothing but the best from himself. The problem is, that era of f1 couldn't go on, and we haven't seen the combination of driver and character since. He was very compassionate about the sport, and I think if he had lived, he would be the man I would put in charge of the FIA to make sure racers can race. I think he would of hated qualifying beeing tinkered with.

But not everyone in life can die doing what they love doing, in this case I can make my peace with Imola 94 over the years, but formula one was and in many ways died that day for many reasons and was reborn in a different sort of life in a way/a surreal world, , I wasn't even a big time Senna fan, I just knew he was a great driver, but death has that way of making you think about yourself, the person who died and the situations behind it and in general life itself, it was a bit spiritual his coming and going from f1, like the man himself. Alot of drivers have died, but maybe it was that will to win he expressed so much through his words and driving that really made me a big fan, and I think he's gained even more fans after death. We were lucky to have Schumacher racing on after him.

His era, his cars, his rules, his style, his yellow helemt, his quotes, his fights with prost, his poles and his rain driving

Happy birthday there

still the fastest

pure joy when he was racing - never forgotten - nah - always remembered.

Surreal to hear that, could never imagine him as a 50 year-old. Happy birthday before its too late.

W.W.S.D. if Alain wished him a happy 50th with an out stretched hand??

No doubt he was one of the greats... but at what cost?
Relentless striving at every stage both in his professional and personal life to achieve his goal
at what point is life more than just excelling in only one segment?
falsely creating enemies out of peers in order to have an edge against them
risk not only his life but those around him in his quest to succeed
but yet if you did not understand his motives, rest assured the risks were taken for the right reasons, you just don't understand them (I did not quote that remark but I remember him saying it to that effect)
why are his risks not remembered like M.S' indiscretions? after all it was from Senna's book that M.S. tore out all the pages and amended them for a new era

so yes he was one of the greatest
but is he truly better because others would not sink to those depths to succeed?

(and when someone finally did, they did so with great result, albeit with a great deal more balance...)

Adieu Ayrton

At 17 i'm too young to have watched any of his races, but to me its clear he had an amazing impact and effect on the sport that i love, so in my opinion he's a true legend and i wish i could have seen him race.

happy 50th ayrton




...even if it is late

That's my favorite quote from Ayrton also ...

Happy birthday !!

One of my favorite pics to share with you all.

Amazing Ayrton Senna...we both have the same birth day, and I only found out about that after his first WDC. Big fan. RIP.

Happy B'day Senninha!

He would cheerfully accept. Senna & Prost had made their peace before Ayrton's death.

Happy birthday Ayrton Senna. Never forgotten.

Happy Birthday Ayrton. Always the greatest....will never forget the brilliance.

I've followed F1 since the late 60s and Ayrton Senna captured my imagination like no other driver.

Happy birthday and R.I.P.

Yea I still can't believe what happened that weekend! And see how his nephew looks like him with his helmet on? Amazing!

Happy Birthday Ayrton!

Happy belated birthday Ayrton.

Nice thread

I find it truly staggering even a little creepy that there is a continual morbid clinging onto Senna and that people just cant move on and let go it has not happened with any other driver

I can understand if Bianca and Vivianne haven't let go and moved on but how many on message boards and guestbooks actually knew Senna or met him in person ? 1% maybe at best doubt even that

Every year there is sentimental outpourings of grief for Senna that there isn't for Gilles, Clark, Peterson etc etc, the Ronnie Peterson museum celebrating the life of a noble sportsman with ethics and a truly great driver and gentleman closes down through lack of funds while a cheat and dirty driver gets near on beatified

Happy Birthday Ayrton

One of his own words:
Ayrton Senna: 'If I give 100% to my driving, which is my hobby as well as my profession, I can compete with anyone, but not computers'

Was that in reference to traction control?

I downloaded this video a week back, it's an absolutely amazing tribute to Senna. Recommend it


Happy birthday Ayrton, wherever you are.

Back to your personal mirror, now...

And I'm guessing your a Schumi fan...

Maybe a day late, but happy birthday Ayrton! r.i.p

I don't know why you guys are even bothering to quote Pinocchio lol

Miss ya Senna!!!

Feliz aniversário Beco.

RIP

Much as been mentioned about his other quote, but i prefer this one....

"we are all made from emotions... It's how we experience these emotions that make us the people that we are.."

Happy Birthday Ayrton...

I'm in the same situation as you in this - only 17, never saw him race. However I have almost always assumed the name Ayrton Senna when racing on F1 games, as a kind of dedication... one of the all-time greats in my view, and a colourful personality also.

Hats off.

Happy Birthday Magic

Happy Birthday Ayrton...

The best of the best....

It's happened with all the greats. Remember all the banners all the way into the mid 90s saying "Vincete per Gilles". It's the same with Ayrton. But those who grew up watching him will eventually become fewer and fewer, and the memories fill fade, as always. I think you underestimate how much Senna affected the lives of, not only people involved directly with F1, but fans too. He certainly was, and still is, a source of inspiration for me, an intense memory I can call upon whenever I need to dig deep into my determination.
I urge you to watch some late 80 early 90 races again. It is totally impossible, even now, not to be moved by the man's spectacular ability to exhaust every last little bit of ability and strength in him, to the point of being utterly destroyed after races, to achieve the absolute maximum, while staying true to his principles.

Notice Alain Prost's Andros helmet design...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6qKQSiAQBQ

x2

RIP

I have never disputed Sennas ability as a driver, the guy was a genius although I hold him responsible for the decline in on track ethics through motor racing, the behaviour of the likes of Schumacher and Webber and others over the years would not have happened if Senna hadn't made it an art form, and it happens in lower forms of racing too so I hold the blame for that fairly and squarely at Senna's door, his legacy for me will always be that of a dirty driver and a cheat no matter how much genius he had and he had a lot

The bit I have bolded could equally be if not more so described about Mansell (my favourite driver to watch ever), driving in a cockpit full of leaking burning fuel, getting out and pushing a car over the line, physical exhaustion after races (even if a bit of it was milked) but Mansell for me was Senna without the cheating

I looked over at my girlfriend and said "It's Senna in a Williams, sorry but I am watching this race right now."

The promise of a dynasty being started was dashed. Indeed the Schumacher era may not have gotten underway until 2000 or 2001. I hope his family can have some closure now with the family passion being ignited again with Bruno.

I don't think Senna would have gone on for more than a couple more years

He was already buying up businesses in Brazil like car dealerships, he had his foundation, he finally had found a girl that he liked, I think at latest he would have retired end of 95

Senna will always be The Man for me. Its weird in a way that he was only 11 months older than me... but seemed so much more during his racing days. Aryton touched me like no other F1 driver ever has or ever will. Only AJ Foyt has meant as much to me as a driver.

Aryton - Forever young!

Yes simply amazing!

some of the points you are making are things I might post, but as much as I "loved" Mansell (at the time) he was no Senna... sure N.M. drove over the limit but it was with his heart not with his head

on a separate note Mansell was "Il Leone"

what was Senna's nickname besides Senninha that got thrown on him?

my point exactly...
it was only after Alain quit the game that he limp wristedly slid an Olive Branch towards Prost either through the media or over the the car radio.( I can't recall the outlet)
on some level I am sure he was aware of his tactics and behavior (demonizing his rivals) and was ultimately ashamed by them
but at the same time these rituals were necessary for him to gain an edge over them (even if it was only in his own head that these games succeeded)

I didn't make my statements to degrade Senna's legacy, I only would like to see the memories find a balance between the myth and the man

why is it when M.S. announced his retirement the big argument everywhere was what his legacy would be over time
Genius or Cheat

one or 2 others have stepped forward and questioned the annual pilgrimage to buoy his legacy as I have
He was indeed great but so were many other drivers were, era's come and memories fade so they are lost to the winds of time
Senna had such a single minded focus and commitment to his craft that, to me it has diluted his greatness
he was willing to sacrifice what no one else was or willing to do to reach his zenith

don't get me wrong
His walk on in late January for winter testing after his annual winter disappearance was always a marvel to me how he could get back in the car where he left off the previous season.

Ayrton, I will never, never EVER forget you. Your principles, and your passion, and your determination to give everything you had all of the time, whatever the circumstance, whatever the consequences, still guide me today. R.I.P. Magic.