Key Takeaways
- Ayrton Senna’s Lap of the Gods at the Donington Park circuit is a legendary moment in F1 history.
- His nephew took to the same track and set a production car record in the McLaren Senna.
- Engineered for the track, the McLaren Senna is a lightweight powerhouse with 789 horsepower and a carbon fiber chassis.
It was over 30 years ago when Ayrton Senna famously took his Lap of the Gods at the beginning of the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park in Leicerstershire, UK. It was a huge moment in F1 history with Ayrton not only scoring a victory, but setting a 1:18:029 lap record that still holds today. Ayrton’s nephew, Bruno Senna, recently returned to Donington, setting a lap record for a production car on the same circuit. Bruno set his record in the McLaren Senna, designed as the brand’s most track-focused road car, which had a limited production run from 2018-2019.
2019 McLaren Senna
- MSRP
-
$1,050,000
- Engine
-
4.0L Twin-Turbo V8 Gas
- Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Horsepower
-
789 hp
- Torque
-
590 lb-ft @ 5500 – 6700 rpm
For those under the age of 40 without much knowledge of F1, Ayrton Senna is considered to be the greatest racing driver of all time who died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. An upcoming biopic set to show on Netflix is a must-watch for F1 fans and for anyone that wants to learn more about the three-time world champion.
Lap Of The Gods
Ayrton set his lap record in a McLaren MP4/8 on a wet track, moving from fifth to first in that single opening lap, nicknamed the Lap of the Gods. He chose to ignore the traditional line, passing existing and future world champions along the 2.5-mile route. He ended up winning the race by a full 1 minute and 23 seconds. In honor of that famous race and Ayrton’s victory, his nephew took to the same track in the McLaren Senna.
“Donington is one of the fun tracks and of course the weather can play a part here, but today was quite different to the 1993 race! In a high downforce, super-lightweight car like the McLaren Senna you can really feel the amazing flow and change of elevation – and of course the speed!” – Bruno Senna
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Engineered For The Track
The McLaren Senna is a feat of engineering. It has a dry weight of just 1,198 kg (2,641 lbs) with a carbon fiber Monocage III chassis and body panels. Power comes from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that delivers 789 horsepower. It includes an aggressive aerodynamic package at both the front and rear with motorsport brakes that will take it from 124 mph to a stop in 100 meters (328 feet).
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Bruno took the McLaren Senna around the circuit in just 1 minute 30.5 seconds. This sets an unofficial lap record for a road-going production car. “The McLaren and Senna names are intertwined so, so strongly. Having this work together to bring the McLaren Senna out, a car that definitely would have made Ayrton extremely proud, is a great achievement.” said Bruno.
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