Lewis Hamilton has been confirmed as the driver who will get behind the wheel of Ayrton Senna’s title-winning McLaren MP4/5B for a special demo run ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with the seven-time world champion admitting that he is expecting an “emotional experience”.
In the weeks before the race it was announced that Honda and McLaren would bring the original car in which Senna clinched the 1990 drivers’ championship to Interlagos as part of the SENNA SEMPRE (SENNA FOREVER) initiative, marking 30 years of the late Brazilian’s legacy.
It was stated at the time that the identity of the driver would be revealed prior to the presentation – and on Thursday ahead of the race weekend, the news came that Hamilton would be the one to drive Senna’s car around Interlagos.
When asked for his thoughts on the upcoming experience during the drivers’ press conference – and how it felt to have the opportunity to honour Senna – Hamilton smiled: “Every time we come here it’s an opportunity to do that, and I think so many of the drivers also do that.
“But I never in a million years thought I’d ever get to drive Senna’s car here. I remember someone contacted me, my manager told me about it, and I jumped at the opportunity. Back in the day when I was at McLaren I did get the chance to drive the MP4/4 around Silverstone, which was incredible.
“Just the thought of driving that car around here… I remember the races when he finally won here and held the flag. It will definitely be quite an emotional experience and I hope people are here to see it. I had a helmet made, his helmet made, I don’t know if we’re using that one.
“I think the initial hope was for it to be a surprise – I would have an all-white suit and his helmet and go out and drive the lap and it would just look like it was him out there, but somehow it got out there. It’s impossible to keep things quiet!”
And when asked about the fact that the car has a manual gearbox, Hamilton added: “I’m always heel-and-toeing! No, I used to be really good when I was younger and when I [drove] the MP4/4, I was able to do it back then.”
Sat alongside Hamilton in the press conference was Franco Colapinto, and the Argentinian driver spoke of how Senna had been his idol from a young age.
Quizzed on whether he too would like to drive the three-time champion’s car, Colapinto responded: “I would – I’m not as good as Lewis in the heel and toe part! It will be amazing and it’s an incredible opportunity that any driver in this world would love to have.
“Of course Lewis is the right person to get that chance, and to do it here at Interlagos in such a special year for Ayrton, it’s a very unique moment for the Brazilian fans, for Lewis, for all of us as drivers to enjoy the moment together and keep doing this tribute to Ayrton that he deserves.
“He was my idol and hero since I was very, very young, that’s why I started to look at Formula 1, watching the movies. I think him being from South America, it’s a little bit more of a relationship to me, how he got to Formula 1 and how he fought his path to where he arrived. He’s definitely a big inspiration for me and it’s going to be great to see his car out here.”
The SENNA SEMPRE (SENNA FOREVER) initiative by Honda and McLaren celebrates Senna’s victorious career, three decades of his legacy, and his deep connection with the Brazilian fans. Attendees are also invited to dress in green and yellow colours and join the celebration.
Following Hamilton’s lap in the MP4/5B, the famous car – which saw Senna claim the second of his three drivers’ titles – will be displayed near the pit garages, giving those on their way to the Pitlane Walk an exclusive viewing of an iconic piece of F1 history.
