Tuesday, November 20, 2007

The Classic of All Wet Wheather Race

The best of all wet weather race of all time was of course to me was Donnington European Grand Prix in 1993. This remarkable race was a testament to the legendary rain master, Ayrton Senna. Senna was the all time great when it came to racing in a wet weather conditions. It was a sensation just to watch Senna drive in a rain condition because he controls the car as if the car was attached to his body. His car control in a rain condition was uncanny. That's why he was called the rain master by his peers his fans and everybody else that seen him race.

It was in Donnington European Grand Prix that we all saw the greatness of Aryton Senna. Ayrton can only manage to qualify 5th position and the Williams and the Bennetons were ahead of Senna. That season for Mclaren was not good, engine supplier Honda left and they used a lower spec Ford engine which was lower horsepower than the Bennetons and Williams. Even the Bennetons were giving the Mclaren a hard time, yet despite all these problems and issues, Senna was out there showing what he can do in a car that was not fit to be in the front runner. After the qualifying, it was race day and it was a nightmare for drivers because they had to start in a damp track. Remember the optimum position to be in a wet weather race is to be in front because if your behind other drivers, you'll get blinded by the spray that comes out of the wheel of the car in front of you. Despite this handicap and a low horsepower car, Senna was fighting it out in the track.

At the beginning as the race started all ready Senna was challenging for position. He was scything through the field and he eventually passed the two Bennetons that were ahead of him. It was seems as though that Senna would stop his hunt but he kept the pressures on the William's driver as well. Senna overtook Hill coming out of the turn, then it was Prost's turn to be overtaken at the next corner. The best of all is that Senna did all this in just one lap, not half way through the race. He just did this in just one lap, now that is astonishing despite his car not being the best he still managed to pull it off win it. Now that is a complete sign of a great driver and an even better testimony for his status of legendary rain master.

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