Williams Renault FW16 Papercraft (Ayrton Senna)
Williams Renault FW16 Papercraft (Ayrton Senna)
Formula 1 legend: Ayrton Senna (1960-1994), from Sao Paulo to Tamburello
Monaco Grand Prix, June 3, 1984, it was raining on the Circuit highway since morning. This caused the Formula 1 race that was held that day to be very challenging due to the slippery road surface and limited driver's view.
Alain Prost in a McLaren TAG number 7 is leading the race. He's lucky, Nigel Mansell; The British rookie with the original Lotus Renault in front of him crashed into the barrier on Lap 15.
Prost struggled to withstand the onslaught of a Ferrari driven by Rene Arnoux behind him. While occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror, Prost struggled to control his McLaren past the Grand Hotel hairpin at Turn 6. Teammate Prost;
Niki Lauda pushed into 3rd position and soon followed Arnoux. But unfortunately because of problems with the brakes he had a spin on lap 23 and could not continue the race. Prost's McLaren experienced the same brake problem so he tried to signal the racing stewards to stop the race.
On Lap 29 a Toleman-Hart got past Arnoux's Ferrari and quickly approached Prost. The white car number 19 started the race from the thirteenth position, and this race was the first F1 road race for its Drivers.
Prost couldn't believe his eyes a bit considering Toleman's generally uncompetitive car was now stuck tight behind him. Toleman got rid of the Ferrari duo behind him and showed great driving skills in wet conditions.
On lap 29, Prost waved to the stewards to indicate that he felt the race should be stopped. For almost half the race he had a hard time because his McLaren carbon brakes didn't generate enough heat in those conditions. As a result, the brakes lock. This is also what happened to Lauda. The slowed Prost waved again on lap 31 as he crossed the start/finish line.
Steward raised the red flag to stop the race at the end of Lap 32. The Toleman passed Prost's McLaren before the finish line. However, according to regulations; the calculated position is the position of the last lap completed by each racer, which is lap 31, where Prost is still leading.
Prost was shocked to learn that it was Toleman number 19 piloted by a 24-year-old Brazilian rookie. This is his first year racing in Formula 1.
The driver's name is Ayrton Senna. While climbing the podium to receive the Trophy, Prost saw it, climbing the same podium. Senna looked back at him, reached out, and shook his hand.
This is Senna's first podium in the F1 arena, as well as marking the beginning of the fierce competition between Senna and Prost, which will continue for the next six years.
As a Motorsport fan, I started the following Formula 1 Racing in 1991. I started reading from sports news in newspapers and magazines about the victories achieved by the late Ayrton Senna who was then racing for Team McLaren Honda.
His rivalry with Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell to Michael Schumacher is always interesting to watch. However, due to limited broadcasts on television, I rarely see the live Race.
Time passed, and new racers arrived and became champions. Formula 1 cars evolve. Engine and Aerodynamics package changes according to regulations. Technology is increasingly dominating the car; digital, drive by wire, hybrid. The goal is of course attraction and safety.
Ayrton Senna Da Silva was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil on March 21, 1960. Father; Milton da Silva is a landlord and Neide Senna da Silva's mother is from a philanthropic family.
Senna is the middle child, her older sister is Viviane and her younger brother is Leonardo. The left-handed boy was not very good at school subjects.
His business lecture did not go well and ended up being dropped out. But it was his love for cars that led him to become a professional racer. Senna became a Kart driver and participated in the Karting World Championship in 1977 and was runner-up in 1979 and 1980. He continued his career with Formula Ford 1600 in England, then Formula Ford 2000, and British Formula 3 in 1982.
All champions standings. UNTIL 1984 Senna joined Team Toleman-Hart in 1984, which was the inaugural F1 race. Lotus and Brabham are interested in recruiting Senna. However, they are constrained by different desires with their respective main sponsors.
After Toleman-Hart, Senna moved to John Player Special -- Team Lotus in 1985. The Portuguese Grand Prix '85 became Senna's first Pole Position and Formula 1 GP Winner. He then won the Belgian GP and finished 4th at the end of the standings.
In 1986 Senna won the Spanish and Detroit GP, finishing 4th overall. In 1987 Lotus partnered with Camel and used Honda's Turbocharged V6 engine. In that final year with Lotus, Senna delivered victories in Detroit and Montreal, finishing in 3rd place at the end of the standings.
His collaboration with Honda in recent years has yielded good results and the results of testing with McLaren in 1984 then paved the way for Senna to sit in the seat of a champion car. In 1988 Senna was signed to McLaren. This means he becomes Alain Prost's teammate.
The fierce rivalry between the two was even more exciting, in the years ahead they were with McLaren, even until Prost moved to Ferrari. But more than that, both are aware that as teammates, they must work together to withstand the onslaught of other top teams; Ferrari, Williams, Benetton, and Lotus.
In his first year with McLaren, Senna had eight wins with 90 points, while Prost had seven wins with 87 points. Senna was crowned Formula 1 champion in 1988 which was his first F1 World Champion Crown.
The following year, the rivalry between Senna and Prost intensified as fierce battles on the track and psychological warfare between the two became increasingly intense.
The situation was exacerbated by the emergence of several controversies such as when Ron Dennis (team principal) stated that there were differences between Honda engines in Prost and Senna cars.
Tensions and mistrust between the two drivers escalated when Senna overtake Prost shortly after the restart of the San Marino Grand Prix, a move that Prost said violated the pre-restart agreement.
Senna denied the existence of this agreement. Senna took the lead early in the championship with wins in San Marino, Monaco, and Mexico, also managing to win in Germany, Belgium, and Spain. However, failed in Phoenix, Canada, France, England, Italy, Brazil, and Portugal.
One of the rivalry moments between Senna and Prost in 1989 was the collision with Suzuka, Japan. Senna must win there so that the opportunity to win the title remains open.
At the start, Prost managed to run faster than Senna. This is the result of releasing the Gurney Flap to help from the aerodynamics side.
This makes the Prost's car faster on the straights, but slower through the corners. On lap 46, Senna tried to overtake Prost from the inside on the last chicane. Prost kept his racing line, cutting Senna and touching the wheel with him.
The collision caused both McLarens to slide off the track. Prost got out of the car, while Senna urged the marshals to push-start, head to the Pit and replace the damaged Front Wing on his car.
Senna managed to finish in the first place that day but was later disqualified for receiving a push start, cutting the chicane after a collision with Prost, and for crossing into a pitlane entry that was not part of the Track. Prost came out as world champion in 1989. 16 points ahead of Senna.
Collision with Prost happened again at Suzuka 1990. This time Prost had joined Scuderia Ferrari. After the start, Prost sped in front of Senna, who immediately tried to overtake Prost on the inside at the first corner.
Prost swerved to the right from the outside, while Senna continued to press the accelerator and the two collided at 270 kph to drop out of the race.
Prost thought that Senna did it on purpose so that they both failed to finish and Senna came out as world champion. Winning 9 points, Senna came out as world champion. A year later Senna revealed that he had deliberately hit Prost in retaliation for their crash at Suzuka in 1989 which gave Prost the then world title.
In 1991, Senna was the youngest three-time world champion. He won seven wins and increased his pole position record to 60 poles from 127 starts in his career. Meanwhile, Prost at Ferrari has dimmed a bit and is no longer a serious competitor.
Senna won the first four races as his opponents struggled to match his speed and reliability. By mid-season, only Nigel Mansell at Williams-Renault could compete with him.
Senna was planning to move to the Williams team for the 1992 season, but the Honda CEO; Nobuhiko Kawamoto, personally requested that Senna stays at McLaren-Honda.
Senna also remained at McLaren, based on loyalty. But he had to swallow the disappointment of McLaren's difficulty to compete with the Williams FW14B which is superior to the McLaren MP4 / 7A. With an active suspension system and adopting "Drive by wire" technology the FW14B dominated that year.
There was a qualifying event at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where Mansell's Williams was 2 seconds faster than Patrese, while Patrese was one second faster than Ayrton Senna in third.
The launch of the McLaren MP4/7A was delayed and its debut took place only in the third race of the season; the Brazilian GP. The MP4/7A has no active suspension, has resistance issues, and is unpredictable in fast corners. As if to complete McLaren's misery; The Honda V12 runway that resides in the MP4 is no longer the greatest on the circuit.
In 1993, McLaren used a Ford V8 engine, which was of a lower specification than the engine owned by the Ford manufacturing team itself; Benetton. But with advances in technology, including an effective active suspension system, McLaren is very confident. Ron Dennis also persuaded Senna to stay with McLaren.
Senna agreed to the first race in South Africa, where he will assess whether McLaren is competitive enough. After driving a new McLaren; McLaren MP4/8, Senna concluded that the new car had potential, albeit with a relatively low-key Ford V8 engine compared to the Renault V10.
Senna extended his contract with McLaren on a race-by-race basis, rather than a full-year contract. But finally realized throughout 1993 as well.
The information is that this proposal is worth USD 1 million per series. McLaren then signed an engine supply agreement with Peugeot for the 1994 season. And 1993 was Senna's last year with McLaren.
Senna eventually joined Williams in 1994 and is said to have been paid $20 million. Senna drove Williams number 2, with teammate Damon Hill driving car number 0. A rule change for 1994 had banned Active suspension, Traction Control, and ABS.
During testing, the new Williams FW16 did not show any superiority over its predecessors; FW15C and FW14B. Senna also expressed his discomfort in driving his new car.
SAN MARINO GRAND PRIX 1994
During the practice session at Imola on 29 April 1994, Rubens Barrichello, a team Jordan driver, crashed into a barrier at 230 kph in the chicane Variante Bassa.
Senna got out of his Williams and drove to the scene of the crash. FIA doctor; Sid Watkins who was already there immediately took care of it. After learning that Barrichello was safe, Senna returned to his car and resumed his training session.
That night at the Castel San Pietro hotel, Senna calls his girlfriend; Adriane Galisteu, and bursts into tears as he recounted the Barrichello accident.
In the Qualification session on Saturday morning, April 30, 1994, Senna posted the best time of 1 m 22.03 seconds. According to him as well as Damon Hill; teammate Senna; car performance is better.
In the second qualifying session, Simtek's Roland Ratzenberger crashed into a concrete wall outside the Villeneuve curve at 314 km/h, presumably experiencing Front wing failure.
The collision with the concrete barrier caused the car with the Ford V8 engine to turn violently and stop in the middle of the track. Senna saw a replay of the crash on TV and immediately rushed to the pitlane, and got into the Course car to head to the crash site.
When Senna arrived, Ratzenberger had already been taken to an ambulance. Senna checked the condition of the wrecked Simtek car. At the Circuit Medical Center, Doctor Sid Watkins informs that Ratzenberger has died. The motorsport world is in mourning.
There was one moment Senna was with Sid Watkins when Watkins told Senna that Senna didn't have to race anymore and suggested that Senna should both retire and go fishing together. Senna responded by telling Watkins he couldn't stop racing.
It is said that it was reported that Senna was crying in his Motorhome. This made Williams worried, so he asked Betise Assumpo, Senna's head of public relations, to arrange a meeting to discuss Senna's emotional state. Senna didn't even attend the post-qualification press conference.
On Sunday morning, May 1, 1994, Senna was the fastest in the warming-up session. On one occasion Senna discussed with Alain Prost, he suggested the return of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) which had been vacant for twelve years, to improve safety in Formula One.
As the most senior racer, Senna offered to take on the role of Chairman of the Association. The conversation for 30 minutes was actually about to continue. The two agreed to meet again before the Monaco Grand Prix to discuss.
The race starts at 14.00 local time. Senna took the lead. On Lap-5 an incident occurred between J.J Lehto (Benetton Ford) and Pedro Lamy (Lotus Mugen Honda). The safety car came out and neutralized the situation until both cars were involved and the debris was cleared. Towards Lap-6 Safety Car enters the Pit.
The race continued and Senna immediately raced and scored the 3rd fastest lap, followed by Michael Schumacher with his Benetton Ford. At Tamburello's flat-left-hander corner, Schumacher watched Senna take the inside of the corner and the car rocked.
On lap 7, entering Tamburello, Senna's car exited the racing line, sped in a straight line off the track, and hit a concrete barrier.
The black box telemetry data that was saved from Senna's car later; shows that Senna entered a corner at 309 kph and then hard-braked, downshifting twice to slow down the car before hitting a wall at 211 kph. Tear off the right front wheel and front nose before turning and stopping.
That Williams FW16 stopped spinning. The smoke of dust disappeared for a moment. The world held its breath, watching the incredible collision. Senna seemed to be drooping, motionless in the cockpit.
After about ten seconds, as seen from the close-up aerial footage; Senna's head seemed to lift to the left before returning to its original position. After that, there was no more movement.
On a French television broadcast footage of channel TF1, Senna had the opportunity to do a live Hot Lap via the onboard camera mounted on his Williams FW16.
Provide an experience of driving around the Imola circuit in Formula 1, by guiding via radio and explaining the turning technique, shifting gear, and braking.
Senna occasionally greeted Prost who at that time contributed to being a presenter for the channel: "A special hello to our dear friend Alain. We all miss you, Alain." Prost said he was somewhat shocked and deeply moved by the comments.
Senna has participated in two non-Formula One races in 1984 which is also prestigious. Namely, the ADAC 1000 km Nurburgring where he raced for the Team Joest Racing Porsche 956 and finished 8th.
As well as an exhibition race to celebrate the opening of the Nurburgring which has been reconfigured before the European Grand Prix.
This exhibition race involved several Formula 1 drivers from the 1950s to the 1980s, including; Sir Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, and Alan Jones.
They all drive a Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 sports car. Alain Prost started from pole position, but Senna skyrocketed and took the lead at corner one, winning ahead of Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann. After the race, Senna said, "Now I know I can do it."
It had been twenty-six years since the legend's departure. Thank you, Ayrton Senna. You are an inspiration. We will always remember you.
Williams Renault FW16 Papercraft Template
To fans of Ayrton Senna, let's download and build Williams Renault FW16 papercraft template in JPG format (scanned) below (password = paperholes):
