Note: There will be no posting on Wednesday. We hope to be back on Thursday morning. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
The world of motor racing is still under mourning after the tragic death of two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon. Wheldon died after crashing at an IndyCar race in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Over seventeen years ago one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time died while racing. Ayrton Senna’s life was cut short on May 1, 1994 after crashing into a barrier in the early laps of the San Marino Grand Prix. During his brief ten-year career Senna amassed three World Championships and until 2006 he held the record for most pole positions with 65. His forty-one Grand Prix victories are third all-time while his 25.64% winning percentage is the third highest among drivers with at least one hundred F1 entries.
Off the track Senna showed deep concern for Brazil’s poor and throughout his life he quietly donated tens of millions of dollars for charitable causes. In 2007, the Instituto Ayrton Senna, a charity founded after Senna’s death, helped over a million children through a series of education programs.
In 2010 a critically acclaimed documentary was released on Senna’s life that focused on his career but also included home videos of him with his family. In July of that year the BBC’s hit car program "Top Gear" paid a touching tribute to Senna that is well worth watching:
Video Source – Via YouTube user jslainer1
Online Sources – ESPN, The Telegraph, imdb.com
