F1 News: Lewis Hamilton To Pay Emotional Tribute To Ayrton Senna In Iconic Car In Brazil

Lewis Hamilton will honor Ayrton Senna by driving Senna's historic McLaren MP4/5B at the Brazilian Grand Prix, celebrating the legendary driver's legacy and their shared Formula 1 heritage.

2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Sunday - LAT Images / Mercedes Press Image

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will pay an emotional tribute to Ayrton Senna during the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

The British racing driver, widely known for his impressive career with Mercedes, will rekindle his roots with McLaren by driving the McLaren MP4/5B— the car Senna took to victory in the 1990 World Championship. This tribute is slated for Saturday at 17:00 local time at the iconic Interlagos circuit after the Qualifying session for the Grand Prix.

Senna is fondly remembered not just for his three World Championships in 1988, 1990, and 1991 but also for his skill in challenging wet conditions, his intense competitive spirit and his rivalries, most notably with Alain Prost. Tragically, Senna's life and career were cut short by a fatal crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola—a moment that remains one of the darkest in Formula 1 history.

For Hamilton, the opportunity to honor Senna is deeply personal. Having been captivated by Senna's prowess from an early age, Hamilton has openly regarded the Brazilian driver as a "genuine hero" and has often cited Senna's career as a guiding light in his own journey through Formula 1.

Hamilton’s planned tribute is reminiscent of other events earlier this year. Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel honored Senna during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix which marked 30 years since his death. He drove the McLaren from Senna's 1993 season. The same event also remembered Roland Ratzenberger, who also tragically passed away during the same 1994 race weekend in the Qualifying session.

Whilst speaking to Sky Sports F1 in 2020, the British driver opened up on when he found out Senna had passed. He said at the time:

"I remember that day, I was racing at Rye House in karting," Hamilton, who was nine at the time, stated. "My dad had a red Vauxhall cavalier and we had a white box trailer with a gas heater shoved at the deep end of the trailer. I was helping my dad fix the car.

"Someone told him that Ayrton had died and I remember I had to walk away from my dad because my dad would never let me cry in front of him. I had to go to a different place and it was not so easy.

"But I remember trying to challenge that sadness into my driving and I think I won that weekend. But the following weeks were very tough."