As you probably know by now, I’m an Ayrton Senna fan. The other day, I came across a poll on Facebook asking fans to choose between Schumacher and Senna as the greatest driver of all time. For me, the answer is crystal clear: Senna. Thousands of voters agreed, though of course there were still some doubters in the comments.
For me, it’s undeniable: Senna was the greatest of all time because of his talent, his charisma, his uncompromising will to win, and the aura he carried both on and off the track. As Jeremy Clarkson once said—though he personally believed Gilles Villeneuve was the best—“Villeneuve was spectacular on a number of occasions. Senna, he was spectacular every single time he got in a car.”
Another sign of his greatness is the deep respect and admiration from his fellow drivers. Inspired by the online discussion, I dug up a series of quotes from people who knew him, which I’d like to share with you here. The one from Stirling Moss in particular struck me.
What They Said About Ayrton Senna
“If Senna had lived, Schumacher would have three fewer world titles.”
— Juan Pablo Montoya
“Ayrton Senna was an extraordinary racing driver. His skill, craftsmanship, subtlety, and courage were of such magnitude that he towered above his generation of drivers.”
— Ron Dennis
“Guests often ask me how I rate Senna. I take them into the hall of my house, where signed portraits of two drivers hang: Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna. ‘That high,’ I usually say.”
— Stirling Moss
“Michael hardly had to drive at the limit. That would have been different with Ayrton. With him as a rival, Schumacher would have been forced to the edge—and then he would have made mistakes.”
— Bruno Senna
“Sure, there are many Formula 1 drivers who think they could have beaten Senna. To them I can only say: poor souls, they have no idea how far away from him they really were.”
— Gerhard Berger
“I know what we would have seen from Senna. He would have destroyed Formula 1 with his superiority. Back then in the Williams, he was two seconds a lap faster than Damon Hill—who later became world champion in 1996, followed by Villeneuve in 1997. But when Senna took pole at the start of 1994, the car was poor. It quickly became much better. Senna would have taken pole at every race for two or three years, reached well over 100 poles, and added several more world titles. Schumacher in the Benetton wouldn’t have been able to keep up, especially not in the rain.”
— Gerhard Berger
“I don’t know the statistics, but to put it simply, he was better than Schumacher. He had more ability, more talent, and was a more emotional, natural driver than Michael. I raced against Ayrton for a long time, especially in the junior formulas, and I was also Schumacher’s teammate—so I know both well. My choice is always Senna.”
— Martin Brundle
“According to the statistics, Schumacher is the best. But in the eyes of many, it will always be Senna. He managed to captivate fans—he was almost a religion.”
— Ross Brawn
“Ayrton Senna’s life was an example of love and dedication to the sport, something seen in very few people in the world. The world has lost its greatest racing driver in history; I have lost a friend. Grand Prix racing will never be the same without Ayrton.”
— Emerson Fittipaldi
“Whoever wants to beat Senna must completely reinvent racing.”
— Niki Lauda
“In honor of Ayrton Senna’s death, I will never get into a Formula 1 car again. He was a master of his craft. I am proud to have raced against him.”
— Alain Prost
“There are three people in Formula 1 I will always remember—people who shaped me: Jochen Rindt, Enzo Ferrari, and Ayrton Senna. And I am convinced: if Senna had lived, Michael Schumacher would not have become a six-time world champion. It’s a tragedy that Formula 1 never saw that duel.”
— Bernie Ecclestone
“Ayrton Senna was the best driver of all of us. If the tragic events at Imola had not happened, he would certainly have won that world championship. That is why I dedicate this world title to him.”
— Michael Schumacher
Senna wasn’t just another driver. He was an icon, a force of nature, and for many — including me — the true measure of greatness in Formula 1.
