Has there ever been a driver more in tune with a circuit than Ayrton Senna was with Monaco? Between 1989 and 1991 the great Brazilian led every lap in the Principality, and this clip - taken from qualifying in 1990 - finds him at the peak of his considerable powers…
Some drivers can never get to grips with racing at Monaco - Nelson Piquet famously hated driving there. But to Ayrton Senna - a six-time winner in the Principality - the three kilometres or so of winding, Armco-lined asphalt was simply a playground on which to demonstrate his phenomenal skillset and iron-clad mentality. Just watch the commitment as he powerslides his McLaren out of the hairpin (passing a slower car), snatches a gear, then effortlessly corrects a slide with a dab of opposite lock heading into Portier. His car may buck and skip underneath him, but the undisputed Master of Monaco is always in control - the perfect blend of subtlety and aggression. Such driving would carry Senna to a third successive Monaco pole position, the Brazilian out-qualifying arch rival Alain Prost by over half a second. Sit back and enjoy…
Next Up
Related Articles
UnlockedThe F1 drivers who went back-to-back for their first wins
8 of the wildest tech innovations in F1 history
F1 ACADEMY Champion Doriane Pin on pushing for her dream
Komatsu not worrying over possibly losing Bearman to Ferrari
UnlockedHinch picks his top five drivers of 2026 so far
Verstappen’s race engineer Lambiase to join McLaren