Ayrton Senna, even in Formula 1, continued racing karts, where he began to shine in motorsportVideo playback
Published 04/29/2024 07:00
Imagine the scene: a three-time world champion in the main motorsport category, on a break, goes to the track to race with young kart drivers, some he doesn’t know, a week before a season GP. This story happened to Ayrton Senna and was remarkable for Luciano Burti, ex-Formula 1 driver who cherishes the only meeting he had with his herowhich allowed us to discover the already famous competitive and perfectionist side, as well as the human side.
At 18, Burti was invited to go to the famous kart track on Senna’s family farm, in the city of TatuÃ, interior of São Paulo. I just didn’t expect the three-time McLaren champion to show up, much less race with him and the other young people. This happened in June 1993, a week before the Canadian GP, ​​and almost a year before Senna’s death, on May 1, 1994.
“We went there to go karting, but without expecting to meet him. Suddenly, the guy appeared on the track. Despite already being a three-time world champion, he took a few laps with us. And he wasn’t turning at the same time. I think I was the fastest on the track. There were four or six of us, but everyone was riding very similar, and he was a little worse for wear, which is very common, because kart kids get sharper”, he recalls, in an interview. per day.
Burti, who is now a motorsport commentator for Globo, then saw up close what Senna used to do to his mechanics and cars when he was not satisfied: seek to make adjustments to improve performance and be the fastest. Even if it was a go-kart game.
“Instead of doing half a dozen laps and leaving, no. ‘Wait, no…change the engine…, no, now change this…’. I mean, as long as he didn’t go faster than the Guys, the guy didn’t calm down. It took about 30 laps or so for Senna to lower our time. And then he said: ‘Now we’re done. was and we were competing with the guy, being overtaken, overtaking, touching circles with him”, he recalls.
And it didn’t just end on the track. Senna still made a point of having lunch with the young people and talking to them a little morewhich left an even greater impression on Burti, as he discovered another side of the pilot, beyond what he watched on TV.
“This story is to tell a little about the value that this guy had as a reference for me. He was already a hero and became even more admirable. Without combining it, it worked. They were good people. He was there, having lunch with us and telling jokes, those things”.
Burti was champion on the day of Senna’s death
Less than a year after that special day, Luciano Burti lived another remarkable and emotionally very strong experience. In the fateful May 1, 1994the then kart driver would be South American champion for the first time.
Before the start of the final heat, Ayrton Senna’s accident had already occurred and proved to be very serious. The atmosphere was not good after the heavy accident at the Tamburello curve, at the San Marino GP, which led to doubts about the continuation of the championship, which was played in Florianópolis.
“They considered canceling the race, but there were Argentines, Uruguayans, Colombians and Chileans who came from far away, it was impossible not to have them. Furthermore, we also decided to keep the competition as a form of tribute. I won the race and the championship. I am the father of two children, the loves of my life, but I say it was the most emotional day of my life. I remember leaving crying, and it wasn’t just me.
‘If I’m alive today it’s because of Senna’
Burti’s relationship of admiration for the three-time champion goes beyond 1994 and also includes gratitude. The former driver had a very serious accident in Formula 1, at the 2001 Belgian GP, ​​and was saved thanks to greater car safety, implemented by the category and the FIA ​​after the death of Ayrton Senna.
When trying to overtake Irishman Eddie Irvine, Burti, who was on the Prost team, lost control and hit the tire wall at 270 km/h. The accident was so bad that the helmet broke at the bottom.
“I almost died, I had a concussion and a cerebral hemorrhage. Unfortunately, on May 1, 1994, I lost a hero, an idol, but I’m sure that, if Senna hadn’t died, I wouldn’t have survived my accident. During his time, safety was very poor and it only improved after what happened. They greatly improved the level of safety of the car, the track, etc.”, he states.
