It is hard to believe that a rookie Brazilian racer would take 1st place on a rain-soaked track. But such was the case on April 21st of 1985. Although he is best known for being a part of Team McLaren, Ayrton Senna began his Formula 1 career behind the wheel of a Lotus 97T. His mechanic Chris Dinnage relates the details of that day at Estoril on a podcast. Available on Apple, Spotify, and ShoutEngine, Chis said: His concentration levels were unparalleled – I’ve never met anyone like him.
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Clive Chapman is the son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, and he says: “For Team Lotus, Ayrton joining was a vital piece in the jigsaw, as the team faced the challenge of F1 without my father. Ayrton’s technical abilities, driving skills, hard work and motivational powers all proved to be more vital ingredients to the Team Lotus mix, which led to success almost immediately.”
