Senna. Just saying the name evokes a reaction. Whether it’s a sense of relief from chronic constipation, or confidence from a flawless complexion, or perhaps the memory of the greatest motorsport driver of all time, it can mean many things to different people. For me, the memories of Monaco ’84, Monaco ’88, Japan ’88, Japan ’89, and of course the tragic events at Imola in ’94. For the past six months, film festivals abroad and here in the States have been giving new life to the legend by screening the feature film bearing his name.
Even if you’re not a fan of F1, Senna is worth the 2 1/2 hours it’ll take up in your increasingly hectic lives. It’s not just merely a documentary of a deceased race car driver; it’s a time capsule of the storied history of F1, a window into the past, to simpler times when tv pictures were fuzzy, hair was cheesy, and the romance and bravado of F1 was at the peak of its modern era. Sure F1 today is still awesome, but in the wake of its technological revolution in the 90’s and 00’s, a small part of its soul was lost forever. The death of Senna marked the beginning of a new era in F1, one that emphasized safety, aerodynamics, and ironically enough, the car over the driver. Schumacher may be the winningest, Vettel may be the youngest, but Senna will always be the most celebrated and beloved. For all disciples of F1, in Senna we trust.
MP
Formula for Disaster 