Mahindra Racing driver knows what it takes to live up to the legacy of his great uncle, Ayrton Senna
If nothing, Bruno Senna knows the pitfalls of driving.
At the age of five, he lost his uncle, the great Ayrton Senna, in a horrific crash at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. Two years later, his father, Flavio Lalli, died in a motorcycle crash.
Naturally, Senna wanted to be a race driver. But he received little support from his family. It didn't matter, though. All he wanted to do was drive ahead.
Speaking to dna after finishing fifth at the Formula E Long Beach ePrix in southern California on Sunday, the Mahindra Racing driver went down memory lane. "I remember the go-kart races I had with my uncle as a kid. Growing up, it was always about cars. I lived cars and I dreamt of cars. For years, motor racing was a forbidden subject at home. My family wanted me to be as far from it as possible. But I saw my friends race and I just couldn't not drive. I had to be out there and race. Racing was in my blood," says the 31-year-old.
"I need to be myself but it's important that I don't forget my family name. The name has a legacy for Formula One fans and the people of Brazil. The name brings its responsibilities because it reminds people of the great driver that my uncle was. As far as I'm concerned, the name has a responsibility. It is very important for me not to spoil the name."
The 1994 incident sparked changes in driver safety in Formula One. Major cuts were made to engine power, the minimum weight of cars was increased, crash barriers were improved, tracks were redesigned and much higher safety standards were implemented. The sport has not seen a single on-track driver fatality in the two decades since Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger perished, but for Senna Jr, life in the fast lane always comes with its risks.
"It leaves a lot of damage even if the person survives the crash. Every season, we see better and faster cars that do pay a lot of attention to safety. Look at (Felipe) Massa (2009 Hungarian GP) and (Jules) Bianchi (2014 Japanese GP). It's been five months since his crash and he's still in a coma," says Senna.
Having last raced in Formula One in 2012, the Brazilian has no plans of making a comeback. "I'm happy where I am. I enjoyed my stint in Formula One. I needed to drive a car that had a chance of winning races. I have no plans on coming back. Right now, the focus is on improving Mahindra's standings in the championship (eighth in constructors' standings). We can't win it, but podium finishes in the upcoming races will set the base for the next season," says Senna, who occupies the 10th spot in the drivers' standings.
He might not eye a return to F1, but Senna keeps a close eye on the happenings. "Mercedes are way ahead of their competitors and (Lewis) Hamilton will take some stopping this year as well. But (Sebastian) Vettel's win in Malaysia has changed things a bit. It'll be neck and neck between those two," says Senna who raced for HRT, Renault and Williams in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.
KNOW BRUNO
Full Name: Bruno Senna Lalli
Born: October 15, 1983
Related to: Aryton Senna (uncle)
Formula One career: HRT (2010), Renault (2011), Williams (2012)
Best finish in Formula One: Sixth (2012 Malaysian GP)
Points in Formula One: 33 (two points in 2011, 31 points in 2012)
First Formula One race: Brazilian GP (2010)
Last Formula One race: Brazilian GP (2012)
Formula E career: Mahindra Racing (2014)
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