Ex-Stig Explores Iconic SENNA Race Car
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- Ayrton Senna - I can’t think of a better way to welcome in the New Year than with a tribute to one of my absolute heroes. This was a case of lucky timing and generosity on the part of the Hamilton Collection, and this car’s new owner, who gave me the time to look at this very special race car. Specifically: Senna's Formula 3 Ralt-Toyota from 1982
Arriving into single-seat racing competition late at the age of 19, I needed role models to make up for my sheer lack of experience and Senna was (is) THE MAN to follow. I researched his style and his resume on a granular level - every race, every qualifying session, every interview, his back story and over time I formed a view of the man and his mastery of mind over matter. This was a man born with extraordinary talent but with a rare and special level of determination to perfect the art of driving.
Senna’s ascent up the ladder of motorsport was legendary. He contested heated battles in high speed go-karting with the likes of Terry Fullerton, before climbing into one of Ralph Firman’s Formula Ford single seaters in 1981 and dominating the competition. Living in a foreign country, in Attleborough / Norfolk of all places, Senna found kindred spirits in Great Britain. Motorsport Legends like Dennis Rushen, for whom he won both the UK & European Formula Ford 2000 Championships in 1982.
F2000 was a fast machine with super sticky slick tyres and wings that created downforce - but it wasn’t the big league, or even the gateway to it. Formula 3 was the gateway. So later that year in 1982 - Senna climbed aboard a Formula 3 car for a one-off race with West Surrey Racing run by Dick Bennetts. Yes. You can guess the outcome.. he blitzed the race and won from Pole Position.
But all of this was part of a bigger story - it was the beginning of the Senna era. The era of epic rivalries - starting with Martin Brundle the following year.. and then straight into F1 with Alain Prost the year after.. and then with Jean-Marie Balestre at the FIA. If you want to understand Senna and his craft, his driving style, his relentless determination to win at all costs - then you can’t ignore his time in Formula 3. It’s EPIC.
So this was Senna’s first Formula 3 car - Dick Bennetts told me that this was his “favourite” F3 car and that Senna was disappointed that Dick replaced it with a new one for 1983. This was a dangerous time for Senna - a make or break moment that would decide his career and it was amazing to get such a close look at HIS ACTUAL CAR!!! As a driver you live and breathe these machines for a season - you get to know every notch on the gear lever, a smudge on the seatbelts, a scratch on the tacho.. it becomes home.
Wishing you all the best for 2024 - own it and be your best you X
I hope you enjoy this deep-dive into the story of Senna's early years in Formula 3.
Big thanks to Duncan Hamilton ROFGO:
/ duncanhamiltonrofgo
Follow me:
/ bencollinsstig
#f1 #ayrtonsenna #senna
If you could, where would you drive this legendary little car?
Brands hatch
@@marcodeangelis5905 yes, Brands Hatch, agreed. The 1983 "BanerJ" liveried chanpionship winning car of Senna was in Gran Gurismo 6, and it was a blast around there. Classic F3 season really, with Brundle as rival
Mid Ohio would give it a good shakedown.
Knockhill of course :O) been privileged in my lifetime to have seen British F3 cars race there 20 years ago
Well not Pembrey flat circuit where I'm from. The Nordschleiffe would be best but Brands Hatch is good with not too many blind crests and corners
Just blows my mind how good Ben is as a broadcaster and spent all those years behind a mask.
Came to the comments to sat the same thing. Such a great presenter.
Ha! And I as well!
Ben, you’re so good at what you do !!
who knew
Wasn’t a mask, it was a helmet😂
And yet he still became the one of the most if not the most recognised racing suit and driver..😂
Any time I hear the name ‘Tommy Byrne’ I can’t help but smile. A bit of a melancholy smile to be honest… as I think of what might have been if circumstances had played out a bit differently.
We all have our motorsport heroes. And those heroes have a hero - named Ayrton Senna. Rest well, sir.
Martin Brundle was a truly incredible driver. Doesn't get the credit he deserves.
Yes he was, unfortunately he had that accident that destroyed his foot
Senna's time in F1 from 1984-94 symbolizes the golden and best era in F1. And this little f3 car was a symbolic entry into that era.
It certainly was! Wonderful little car.
100% agree. the 80's and 90's I don't think will ever be repeated or surpassed.
Not understanding the 'little car' references, this car is very close to the length and width of a modern day F1 car if not bigger and certainly 'taller'......
As a total mansell fan, I have to agree Senna was the greatest. Lovely tribute film Ben. Another great Senna moment was one year later in 1984 he was invited as a wild card to the Nordshleiffe for Mercedes E190 new car expo. Merc spent a fortune inviting all the best racers in the world to showcase 20+ cars. Senna was amongst them, it rained a little and he destroyed the worlds best racers in a car he'd never driven on a track he didn't know. LOL
He was the wet weather KING
You nailed the analysis of Senna's driving. 'Getting the platform to squat, grip and get out of the corner quickly.' A bit like driving a Porsche 911. Senna knew exactly what these cars could and couldn't do. Ben: I wish you had been commentating alongside Martin Brundle in F1. I loved Murray Walker, but your insight juxtaposed against Martin's would've been the ultimate commentary on F1.
Excellent video. Love the little details that gives us some insight into just how competitive and skilled these drivers are. Brilliant Ben, thank you.
Thanks! Was fascinating to learn research all this.
What he said! Thanks for the video!
I was fortunate to work on Atlantic cars in the USA at the end of the Ralt RT4 era. Similar in design to the F2 RT2 and F3 RT3, the cars were miniature F1 cars in so many ways. Aluminum monocoque, blade type adjustable front and rear sway bars, huge ground effect tunnels, stressed engine and gearbox. To this day the RT4&5 cars in the USA are works of art to me. I’ll keep racing my Bugeye but if I hit that lottery one day…..😉 Great film Ben.
love to have a run in an Atlantic - I never raced one and went to Indy Lights instead but the Atlantic series was awesome in its day
So cool to see an earlier car he raced. Must have been fascinating to look around. Thanks for a brilliant video!
Glad you enjoyed it! A lot of fun making this one.
The old footage is quite something..thanks..🏎
Stunning isnt it.
Those RALTs were always such a beautifully proportioned little thing, proof that if it looks right, it is right. Their total domination in the smaller formulae all over the world is testament to just how "right" they were, and how brilliant Ron Tauranac was as a designer
One of the first videos that talks about Senna's throttle technique. I still think actually Senna was not stabbing at the throttle as such, but in fact very very early on the throttle prior to the apex, but what you hear is a sequence of tiny lifts to keep correcting the nose of the car. Intentionally induced instability, almost. Schumacher did something similar years later, but he overlapped throttle and left foot brake, to make an unstable rear end more stable. John Barnard talks about it in a podcast and why Schumacher loved the v12 Ferrari when he first tested it, due to the degree of engine braking and natural instability of the rear end on corner entry, which he could tune out with his throttle and brake technique. Almost like the opposite of what Senna did.
Go and find the video of Senna driving a Honda NSX. It includes several shots of his feet on the pedals and he is quite clearly stabbing the throttle.
Great story Ben. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Senna, THE PILOT, we miss him a lot
Absolutely
I really love these TG/GT style serious mini documentaries.
I think most of us are quite jealous of your career!!
Absolutely Brilliant Ben, you are a natural behind the Mike.
Thanks Ben for this very nice one on Ayrton! 👍💪✌
Glad you enjoyed it
Fantastic! I am love for small formula cars particularly. This one is like a Holly Grail to me. Just the Senna's F3 with the Pool Jeans sponsor (the white one) can bring more memories to the fans.
I couldn't help but feel it while watching this video. Ben holds Ayrton Senna in the highest regard. I'm old enough to have seen Senna doing amazing stuff during his F1 career. Ben's high regard is entirely understandable, not that I was old enough to fully appreciate it at the time. I was watching the race when Senna crashed at Imola in 1994 at seriously high speed. I was 23 at the time. I don't know what else to say.
And great point about the throttle blipping… he was a “feel” driver and that technique provides better feedback and range of control for a driver like that. Keeping the weight on the front and moving the back of the car with those pulses is a great technique especially in a momentum spec series.
Ayrton Senna for ever...
Great piece. The Senna admiration shows, and makes it even more interesting. And yes, I also believe that Senna is the GOAT
Glad you enjoyed the film.
Awesome job! Beautiful sentiment for Senna!
Thank you!
Ben, you are such an English gentleman yet so savage in the cockpit. Kinda reminds me of Senna, Brundle, Lauda, Hunt. What a joy having someone like you share this special little car.
Monaco 1984 was like his 5º race in F1. To win that, against monsters like Lauda, Prost, Piquet and Mansell, in the rain, in a inferior car... There're no words for it.
Superb video great to know more of these details and good to hear you mention just how good MB was against Senna in f3. This is a super film so much better than the one before where AH didn’t seem to know or care much about the amazing collection of cars in their showroom: please do some more on the other cars from there- thanks
Excellent piece of Motorsport journalism, I suppose the old Murray saying that those who can do it and those who can't talk about it. I think the fact that Ben has done it shows in his presentation, you need to have the experience to report as knowledgeable and correctly as Ben shows in this tribute to the best driver of his era. Thank you Ben, I really enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed this one!
What is so good about these videos is that Ben is a natural presenter &,of course,has been there & worn the T-shirt!
Thanks for that mate. Being a Brazilian teen in the 80s, Senna was my childhood hero.
Still is I guess.
Anyway, brilliant piece you did here.
Much success to you 🏁
Great show, Ben. Thank you .
Thank you Mr. Collins. 🙇♂
What an informative documentary in film. I had read about Ayrton Senna's amazing driving career but never managed to come across video footage.
Thank you
Glad I could help!
I always liked the RT3 Ralts and of course the near cousin the Ralt RT4 that was common here in Australia when Formula Pacific (Atlantic) was the main open wheel catergory here in Australia.
Such pretty cars.
They Looked somehow just "right" in my eyes.
I remember my brother coming back from UK at the end of 83. Talking about these 2 young guys and their epic battle in British F3 and that they were going to be something special in the future.
They were of course Senna and Martin Brundle. 🤔
Great story, great car and the greatest driver, RIP Senna. Good work Ben.
Nice one ben💚🇧🇷
Thank you bud!
Fantastic video. Senna is my driving hero. My childhood was spent sitting with my dad watching Senna race and then going karting. Good memories
Glad you enjoyed the vid.
Wow. Love these old racing cars so much more than modern formula stuff, thanks for another great video. 🏆
Glad you enjoyed it! Loved making this one.
Great film, ben: Thank you 🙏
Thanks boss.
Love the respect and admiration Ben has for those drivers.
Never in my life i wished i could own a car more than this one right now. I hope it has a good owner.
This was an interesting piece of history, obviously I'm aware of Senna's achievements in F1 but did not know anything of his racing career prior to that. Thanks for the excellent video Mr. Collins!
You're welcome!
What a great story ❤
You have the best job ever. I understand safety as a stunt driver but look at what you have expanded to. It’s like you can drive anything and to show us lovers who can’t the best view.
Thank you Ben.
Keep going and stay safe
Ps:stay on checks and maintenance ❤
thank you glad you liked this one!
Awesome story about the radiator. Definitely telling my kid that one.
@bencollinsdrives, you are the best of documenting the historic racing cars! Senna was my childhood hero and insparation, when I went go kart racing.
Thank Ben, may 2024 also be a glorious year for you! Brilliant vid, thank you. Great insights, admiration and vision and I particularly enjoyed hearing Senna’s sentiments about the car.
Great video as always!
Cheers man! Glad you enjoyed this one.
Excellent perspective Ben
Greatly appreciated the history lesson on one of the greatest drivers ever!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I do hope we get to see you push this one!
This car maybe the most rare car drived by Senna
I mean..a legend talking about a legend. Its a legendary video! Thank you for that!
Haha thanks!
I grew up watching Senna. My dad followed him from Tolman saying he was the best ever. This episode was brilliant
*Toleman.
Your enthusiasm and clariy make this one of the very best videos you've made.
Wow, thank you!
Beautiful Ben...! 'Long live the GOAT'
Legend!
I had no idea you had a channel until a minute ago. Subbed.
Welcome along dude.
I saw Senna's first F1 car last year at Goodwood such a pleasure to see his early cars great video Ben like all videos good job
Fascinating to see isnt it!
That was a great story, well told.
Thanks for sharing. I'm sure glad you get to speak these days. 👍😆
Glad you enjoyed it
Senna was and still is my HERO: ❤💛💚
I saw him drive the F5000 race at Elkhart Lake. He sure seemed to be having a ball with the tail WAY out all the way.
Thank you Ben that was beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I was lucky to go to a few rounds of the 1983 F3 season, supported Brundle of course. It was a fantastic season.
Hey Ben the end of the video is really moving.
I'm pretty sure you're aware that Martin Brundle and Eddie Jordan cheated on a modified engine half of the season and running the skirts lower that allowed, that's why Ayrton was overdriving and making mistakes , Dick and Ayrton were running lower wing to compensate but and the end of the season they also sent the novamotor engine back to Italy to be tune up.
Shame u couldn't drive it, but ur passion for Senna came threw mate. Top video 😎👊👍✌👌
Can't drive them all!
I'm so glad you are doing RUclips videos.
I'm glad you're enjoying them.
The story of Tommy Byrne doing it all a year before Senna did to then have F1 turn their backs on him is an interesting story
I could watch and listen to Ben all day. He has so much knowledge and you can feel his pasion for everything connected to petrol. He is a great presentor. So he had to wear the helmet on top gear. The trio will be canceled sooner ;-)
I thought we were going to see you drive it!
Beautiful car, beautiful history, thank you so much!
Now I can think about is putting adjustable sway bars on my car.
Haha do it.
Very good explanation.
Superb content. Please do a feature on his first Williams test
Would love to! And the Toleman.
Many Ralt's racing Vintage across the USA!
Legend. Driving Legends, Racing Legend. Legendary Champion
Legend.
Amazing video thanks Ben for the story and sharing.
My pleasure!
great article, cheers mate
I'd love to see your picks of greatest racing drivers of all time across all disciplines. There's so many amazing drivers from the very beginning all the way to present. Some say it's genetics, others say it's skill and mindset that breeds these drivers.
Great intelligent narrative
What could have been if Brundle didn’t have that leg injury early in his F1 career. It was clear in F3 he had what it took to at least put up a fight against Senna.
I can't help thinking Sennas stabs at the throttle reminds me of how rally drivers try to add load (and thus slip angle) to the rear wheels to get it to rotate more
Could be yeah!
I remember reading an article about this F3 season,written by an f1 journalist in (i think) the nineties.
One thing that stuck in my mind was some info about their engine rebuilds.Apparently somewhere mid season Brundle started getting slightly higher spec than Senna's.I'm pretty sure it was about cam belt width.Yes,something that trivial!
Around mid point of the championship Senna was having doubts about himself,wondering why he couldnt easily beat Brundle.Then very late in the season Senna's team found out about the different engine spec.Once they started using that Senna had no trouble winning.Of course there were other factors as well (better aero sidepods,etc)
Is the engine spec thing true?Maybe
It was written by an f1 journalist so it's hard to say 😅
Gracias hombre
Great job Ben another great video, Job well done.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you
You're welcome
He pumped the throttle to find grip.
You keep getting better and better Ben.
Blimey. Any chance you can get together with Tiff for a video?
Maybe one day!
Senna ✝️♥️
Can’t believe they never offered you a shot 😎
Ayrton Senna learnt more about driving and racing from the best driver he ever knew: Terry Fullerton. He said so himself. To exclude his Karting career where he was always beaten by Terry is to exclude the most fundamental piece of the senna puzzle.
Jimmy Clark was the greatest of all time in my humble opinion.
McLaren was stupid enough in 84 to offer him a test driver role. Wish the professor in the Cartooned series had hired him as a full on race car driver.
I SEE A SILK CUT JAG !!
That's what bugs me about celebrities mocking Martin Brundle before races when he's trying to get a few words from them. If only they knew...
His career should’ve panned out differently. One of the most unluckiest drivers of that era. If only the McLaren wasn’t a dog of a car when he got there.
Stunning car , great insights and brilliant music BTW. What is it?
Unbelievable and I hope the owner in America is Brazilian
The white 1983 car is driveable in Gran Turismo 6
No way, really?!
You can see why Ben wanted to stop being the Stig as he is a very good presenter
Someday brazil will not be ruled by corruption and it will be the number 1 of the world Brazil=Hot Coals❤