Senna's Greatest Race: Japan 1988, Winning his first World Driver's title!

Its has been 23 years today, that Ayrton Senna has past away from us (read previous post). So we've got to celebrate Senna life, never forget Ayrton's achievements in Formula 1.



Six years back, I did a post on one of Senna best race's at Monaco in 1984, were he finished second place in an under-powered Toleman. Five years back, I wrote about his race win at Phoenix in USA back in 1990 in his McLaren. Four years back, I wrote about Senna's famous win from the 1986 Spanish Grand Prix were he beat Nigel Mansell by 0.010 of a second. Two years back, I wrote about Senna's first Grand Prix win at a very wet Portuguese Grand Prix. Last year, I wrote about Senna winning at home for the first time in 1991.

This year another Great Ayrton Senna race win from the 1988 season, the penultimate round of the 1988 F1 season. Senna started on pole at Suzuka. However, Senna stalled his MP4/4. But a sloping grid at Suzuka, helped him to restart his car and place at fourteenth place. Senna knew he had nothing to lose and everything to gain in this race, and knew he could seal the championship here. By the end of the first lap he was eighth place, and by the fourth lap he was sitting in fourth position. Then on lap 27 Senna passed Alain Prost for the lead, and took the lead for the rest of the race to win. With victory in the race, Senna clinched his first World Driver's title.

Highlight video of the race below.