At the 1987 Italian Grand Prix, Honda announced it would begin supplying engines to, and that Ayrton Senna would join, the McLaren team. Two-time world champion Alain Prost and Senna driving together, with a racing machine that was designed by Gordon Murray, who many called a genius, and powered by Honda, made a true dream team.

In the 1988 season, Honda opted to continue with turbo engines despite the restrictions on boost pressure, and continued to take advantage of its engine superiority. This decision resulted in 15 wins out of the 16 races. The title-decider in Round 15, Suzuka was a one-on-one battle between teammates Senna and Prost. Senna won after a poor start, but Prost had more effective points, giving him the title.

McLaren Honda’s dominance continued into 1989, with 10 wins from 16 grands prix. Once again the title was contended between Senna and Prost, but Prost became frustrated throughout the season and chose late in the season to leave McLaren. The championship was again decided at the Japanese GP, but Senna and Prost collided at the chicane on Lap 47, wiping Prost out of the race, which Senna managed to win only to be disqualified. Once again, Prost took the title, but their teammate rivalry was fierce, and Senna vs. Prost became a trend in F1.

In 1990, the Senna vs. Prost battle crystallized even further when Prost moved to the Ferrari team gaining strength with every race. The third championship-decider was, again, at Suzuka. Senna’s proposal to the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA), to switch his pole position to the outside lane, where there was better rubber grip, was refused, and Prost had the advantage from starting from the outside lane on the front row. Senna and Prost collided at the first turn, and both drivers retired from the race. Despite the DNF, Senna had won the title.

Senna’s third title came the following year, in 1991. Prost dropped out of contention due to Ferrari’s decline, but instead Williams’ Nigel Mansell rose to the challenge. In the Japanese GP, where the title would be decided, Senna let teammate Gerhard Berger lead the race, while he himself held off Mansell. The battle ended on Lap 10 when Mansell ran off the track at Turn 2, and Senna, who had secured his third title, then passed Berger to take the lead. On the last turn on the last lap, Senna slowed for Berger to take the victory.

Senna was crowned world champion three times out of four decisive races at Suzuka, all with Honda. All of his victories were with Honda, and all of his titles were decided at Suzuka. This is an essential episode in the Senna legend.