Sebastian Vettel Pays Ayrton Senna an Ultimate Tribute As Ex-Champion Brings Back Iconic McLaren Car

“(My) first (F1) memories are the race in Brazil where Ayrton won for the first time,” Sebastian Vettel said in a candid interview in 2022. From witnessing Ayrton Senna’s first-ever home win to following in his footsteps and winning four World Championships, Vettel has come a long way. Hence, it’s only fitting that on Senna’s 30th death anniversary on May  1, the former Red Bull driver announced a beautiful way to pay tribute to the Brazilian champ’s legacy.

30 years ago, Senna tragically died in a crash at Imola, driving his Williams FW16. While the entire sporting world mourned this loss, his resilient character that drove him to three World Championships with McLaren is still remembered. Paying homage to this legacy, Vettel announced that he will drive Senna’s McLaren MP4/8, a car that he now owns, at the Emilia Romagna GP between May 17 to 19.

“Ayrton Senna was not only a driver who I valued highly for being one of the best racing has ever seen, but also a man of great compassion,” Vettel said in an Instagram post. “It’s been 30 years since his accident and I would like to pay tribute to Ayrton. I will be in Imola for the Grand Prix to drive his car, the McLaren MP4/8. I hope to see you on Sunday, May 19,” the champ further added.

Interestingly, this isn’t the Vettel’s first time driving Senna’s iconic MP4/8 on an F1 track. The racer had also emotionally showcased the McLaren in all its glory at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Sebastian Vettel gets emotionally engulfed driving Ayrton Senna’s MP4/8 at Goodwood

Ayrton Senna’s partnership with McLaren was simply extraordinary. He had to fight hard and overcome legendary teammate Alain Prost’s talent for each of his three championships. Sebastian Vettel, who has always looked up to the Brazilian F1 legend, bought the 1993 MP4/8 as a treasure.

“Yeah, it is (emotional),” Vettel said at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, after driving Senna’s McLaren, and added, “To most of us here, Ayrton is a big, big name and means a lot. To touch his steering wheel, to sit in his seat, and to drive in his car, really, is incredible. It means so much more to do it in front of so many people. I had a secret test this week in Silverstone, where I shook down the car and wanted to make sure that everything is running and working. It was so much fun.”

“I did 10 or 15 laps, and I was trying to push it a little bit, it was incredible,” he elaborated. “I wasn’t that much slower than the cars nowadays. I was still taking a little bit of margin because it’s my car and if I crash, I have to pay!” he said, balancing his emotional tribute with a joke.

We can expect another such tribute from Vettel to Senna, at Imola in two weeks. How excited are you to witness the former champion back on the track?