HONDA The Power of Dreams

Ayrton Senna seemed comfortably on track for a third championship title, winning the first four rounds of the 1991 season from pole, including his first victory on home turf. In contrast, Senna often complained about his car. The V12 engine was powerful, but the weight was unmanageable, disrupting the car’s overall balance. Senna was impatient, as he watched the Williams Renault team on the rise, armed with the latest technology including active suspension. On Day 1 of qualifying in Round 6, Mexico, in a rare occurrence for the Brazilian, Senna spun his car at the high-speed final turn, which crashed into the tire barriers and flipped over. He was uninjured, but his early-season success was overshadowed by the lack of wins since Round 5. He seemed to be out of form. During this time, Williams had won four grands prix between its two cars, and overtaken McLaren in the constructors’ standings, with 71 points compared to McLaren’s 70.

On August 5, Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda, passed away at the age of 84. In Round 10, Hungary that immediately followed, Honda drivers raced wearing black armbands over their racing suits, in mourning and respect for Soichiro. The curvy, low-speed track in Budapest was a hard track to overtake on, and was well suited to Williams. In Saturday’s qualifying, Senna claimed his first pole since Round 5, Monaco by 1.2 seconds over Riccardo Patrese (Williams) in his last flying lap. Senna then drove a perfect race, protecting his lead, but due to the characteristics of the low-speed track layout, struggled create a gap, instead having to drive defensively throughout.

On the home straight into Lap 45, Patrese, running in second, waved his right hand to Nigel Mansell, third, signalling the teammate should pass. Patrese had realized that Senna’s iron-clad defence was unbreakable, and urged Mansell to take over. Once ahead of Patrese, Mansell pressed Senna hard, but the Brazilian was unfazed. One hour and 50 minutes since the start, Senna defended his lead to claim his fifth victory of the season, and his first pole-to-win in a long time. With teammate Gerhard Berger crossing the line in fourth place, McLaren regained the lead in the constructors’ standings with 83 points to Williams’ 81.

This was the race that the tide, in favor of Williams Renault, had turned back. Senna and the team dedicated this victory to the late Soichiro Honda, and as a result, Senna was able to regain his momentum.

Once again, the title was decided at Suzuka. On Lap 10, Round 15, Japan, Mansell spun at the second turn, sending his car flying onto the gravel. With the title secured, Senna, who had comfortably led the second half, slowed down to a near-crawl on the last turn of the race to give teammate Berger his first win of the season. The 150,000-strong crowd was stunned, but would later learn that it was Senna’s way of expressing gratitude to Berger, who had played a vital role in Senna’s, and the team’s, championship victory.

Senna claimed his third world championship title with seven race wins. Sadly, it was to be his last championship title.