35 Years Since Senna’s First Formula 1 Win

It was 35 years ago, in monsoon conditions, that a determined young Brazilian raced to his first Formula 1 victory and cemented his name in motorsport folklore. It was Sunday 21 April and the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix. Behind the wheel of a Lotus 97T was Ayrton Senna, just turned 25 years old. With the car at the absolute limit of its grip, he delivered a masterclass in wet-weather driving for the hardy Estoril crowd and powered to the chequered flag. Such was his dominance he lapped the entire field up to second place, finishing over a minute ahead of his nearest competitor.

In just his second race for Lotus, Senna took the first of 41 career F1 victories — six for Lotus — and a legend was born. The performance stunned his rivals and lay down a marker that would see him go on to become a global sporting icon and a national hero in his native Brazil. Despite his tragic death in 1994, he remains a racing legend.