Lewis Hamilton clearly likes to think he has the ghost of Ayrton Senna driving him, but Ron Dennis says Lewis is “very different” to the Brazilian legend.
Speaking to Autosport, Big Ron said:
“When you worked with Ayrton it was always on the basis of ‘When is he going to disappear next?’ He loved going back to Brazil. It was just endless long phone calls because he would think and think. He would make a big list and then you’d spend hours on the phone going meticulously through it.
“With Lewis it’s very different. He’s at the company normally once a week. All the drivers have intense periods in our simulator. Because he’s there, I probably won’t speak to Lewis on the telephone more than twice a month. So it’s a very different relationship.
“Ayrton was so obsessed with F1 that it was to the detriment of his private life. There were very, very few other interests. Model aircraft were pretty much his only distraction.
“Lewis has a diverse range of interests. He loves music, he spends a lot of time with his brother and he races radio-controlled cars. He loves relaxing.”
Is Ron saying that Ayrton was an obsessive nerd? Because, reading between the lines, that’s how it seems. From the outside, Senna seemed to love life just as much as Lewis, if not more. And for “model aircraft” read “radio-controlled cars” - no great difference there.
Crasher bonus! Watch Michael Schumacher get a ticking off from Ayrton:
A thumbs-up from Bruno Senna, who enjoyed his first full day of testing in F1 at Barcelona yesterday. Senna, the nephew of Ayrton, is hoping to impress Honda bosses enough to win a race seat for next season, probably at the expense of compatriot Rubens Barrichello.
Bruno set the 15th fastest time, and crucially was more than a second faster than Lucas di Grassi, another young Brazilian who is being evaluated by Honda as a possible Barrichello replacement. Senna enjoyed the experience, saying:
“The first day of my first Formula One test has been just as big a moment as I expected it to be. I have also had a lot of fun and really enjoyed myself.
“This morning I focused on doing as much as I could to prepare for my turn. I listened to the team radio and watched and learned how the team works. I was feeling quite calm but on my first lap out of the garage I realised the significance of the moment.
“This is a very special opportunity and one which has been a dream my whole life.”
Bruno Senna, 24-year-old nephew of the great Ayrton, is set to test for Honda’s F1 team next month. “I see myself in Formula One soon, or at least I hope so,” Bruno told Spain’s Diario Sport newspaper. Hint, hint.
Senna will attend the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix next month, and the test is expected to take place soon after that, although the venue is not yet known. Silverstone or Jerez maybe?
Bruno Senna is not yet an F1 driver but heavyweight sponsors are already lining up to make him the richest non-F1 driver in history. The young Brazilian has just signed a deal with Hilton Hotels to be one of its brand ambassadors. Senna Jnr is in good company: Lewis Hamilton is also a brand ambassador for the chain.
It’s clear Hilton are buying potential here, sticking a flag in Planet Senna before their rivals can claim a piece of him. They are also buying into the Senna name.
Is it presumptuous to think that Senna’s Hilton deal might foretell the Brazilian moving to McLaren next season, to be a test driver? After all, Hilton are one of McLaren’s corporate partners - it’s possible that this deal offers a huge clue that Senna will be McLaren’s test driver in 2009. We’ll see.
And a Senna/Hamilton line-up for 2010 would be a marketing man’s wet dream. Move over Heikki Kovalainen?
No less than five F1 teams are interested in signing GP2 driver Bruno Senna for 2009. They are: Toro Rosso, Honda, Toyota, Williams and BMW Sauber.
Ayrton’s nephew claimed earlier this year that he wasn’t yet ready for F1, but it seems F1 is more than ready to welcome another Senna into its paddock. Think of the publicity his arrival would generate - Wee Bernie Ecclestone must be rubbing his hands at the prospect.
Ayrton Senna’s nephew may graduate to F1 next year
Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late, great Ayrton, is in “intensive talks” with BMW Sauber regarding a test-driver spot in 2009.
Sport Bild claims that the talented young Brazilian, currently competing in GP2, could even replace struggling Nick Heidfeld - we can’t see that happening next year, although Senna’s arrival in F1 is inevitable; think of the huge interest his name alone would generate for the sport.
On-board with the Brazilian legend, Monte Carlo, 1985
Senna took pole at the 1985 Monaco GP in his black-and-gold Lotus. And thanks to the magical powers of YouTube, we can all enjoy this footage of the Brazilian careering around the famous street circuit in qualifying. However, he didn’t make it to the end of the race, retiring after just 13 laps with engine failure. The grand prix was won instead by Alain Prost, Senna’s arch rival. Boo, hiss etc.
