Senna (2010)

Even though I was never a big Formula 1 fan, I can say it was present all my life! 

My Dad is an hardcore fan of the sport! He would - and still does - spend a lot of his weekends making sure not to miss any training, tests or other events related to the motor-racing sport, regardless of the time its being broadcast! 

When I was a child, I remember Ayrton Senna's name coming up too often, but I was ignorant to the fact that he held a place among my Father's heroes! 

I also remember my Dad being really sad with his passing! Can't really say I was aware of the situation though... Don't even know how to situate that day into a specific time! Don't recall the year or what I was doing... Just remember the tension in the air without fully understanding what it was all about!

Then... for every other F1 race that followed, came millions of comments unrelated with was going on the track! How Senna was this and that, how he was missed, how back in the day there was nothing more exciting then watching that generation of drivers slugging it out for a pole position! 

A lot of negative comments started to come as well. Mostly towards Benetton's driver - going on to becoming a Ferrari pilot - Michael Schumacher. 

Again, I was confused! Why would my Dad had such hatred towards a man who was conquering the motor-sport world, becoming probably the best driver til this day? I was then explained that in 1994, when Senna crashed, Schumacher celebrated his win in the San Marino Grand Prix... And my Father never forgave the German driver for that! He considered that celebrating act as a major contempt of Senna's legacy, but even more so, as a total lack of respect for the human being that was the Brazilian icon!

These were my recollection of memories and moments related to Senna and the times that came after his death!

Fast forward a few years later, I was still oblivious as I ever was to what came to F1! Much to my Father's disappointment, it was still one of his big passions that none of his children came to possess as their own!

It was only until my coming to the United Kingdom that I started getting involved. My line of work required that and fortunately enough, I had great access to footage, information and even some of the drivers themselves. Plus, having around in the office a man of great insight who would give away a lot of his knowledge on a day to day basis, it would be right to think there was no way I could end a day without learning anything!

That man goes by the name of Don Riddell and he is probably the main reason why I saw this documentary! When the movie was getting out, he made his best to follow the story while gathering what he could for the piece he was pulling together. 

After attending the screening for the feature made by the hand of director Asif Kapadia, Don made his best to put into words the feelings that emerged by watching it, but eventually ended up just saying to everyone in the room that we all needed to see Senna (2010). And not the international version which is 1h47minutes, but the actual extended version, almost reaching a total of three hours!

It took me a while, but finally I invested the time after getting my hands in the director's original cut, much to Don's will of me seeing a full and accurate portrait of a sporting legend!

Those three hours went flying by, such was the way I was completely sucked in to this whole other world, losing perception of space and time. The year was no longer 2012, but 1984... and I wasn't viewing a documentary, but instead a F1 spectator in the stands! And keep in mind, I am til' this day, not a big fan of F1 (although I just became increasingly more after watching Senna)!

Even for those you don't have any sort of interest for the sport, there is a human component of such magnitude, that easily draws the audience. Through testimonies of several people who were close to Ayrton (from a personal or professional perspective) you get to have a taste of the entire system and the people who run it. More importantly, you get to get acquainted with the fastest and most skilled racer, in a time where more than everything, it was the driver who made the difference rather than the car and its technology components!

Meanwhile, coming to the end of the movie, when you know just exactly how and when things are going to take place, you still can't fight the anxiety taking over your whole body when the San Marino GP is being shown. You almost want to turn away your eyes in order to not witness that deadly moment, one that left marks not only in the F1 community, but throughout the world!

Coming to the funeral scenes, I couldn't help myself to avoid shedding a few tears... and as I think about it now, I get emotional and instantly start to collect some of my favourite moments, being my favourite the scene where you see Ayrton calling his Dad after he just finished a race with massive injuries on his shoulders, saying: "don't touch me, just lean on me". One of the most endearing moments I ever witnessed. No script, no Hollywood producers, no acting... just one of the most plain, simple and genuine moments you will witness on-screen!

Having said all of this, I will conclude with the following:

People say there was no one like Ayrton Senna... This documentary indeed shows that! From all levels...