Ayrton Senna's magic moments, chosen by his race engineers

The Brazilian had eight race engineers during his time in Formula 1. We’ve tracked them all down to hear their memories of the three-time world champion

Senna’s first engineer through his maiden season of F1 at Toleman in 1984

To some extent we knew we were getting someone special. A lot of people were talking about him from his Formula 3 year, though there hadn’t been a lot to choose between him and Martin Brundle in their battle for the championship. But just how special Ayrton was became apparent at his first test in our car at Silverstone.

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Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.