97T | SWEATSHIRT

The 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix started off on a cold day with a wet track and darkening clouds advocating a tricky race. Ayrton started on his first ever pole in the Lotus 97T which had never been tested in the rain. The trouser browning 1.5 litre turbocharged Renault V6 with its near 1,000 bhp output held together by a 540 kg car, weren’t exactly rain friendly specs either considering the savage power delivery these early forced induction engines had. The 25 year old Brazilian mastered these variables, lap after lap, without a single fault, while conditions worsened causing seventeen other drivers, most, wildly experienced to register DNF’s. Alain Prost, curiously spun on the start finish straight just before being lapped by Senna. The race was ultimately cut short by three laps due to the two hour time limit, Michele Alboreto finished second, more than a minute behind Senna, while every other driver still racing, had been lapped. Ayrton’s first win, emerged into his first grand slam. This was the first time, the general public would have the priviledge to observe Ayrton’s mastery and telepathic communication with a race car, while teasing its limit on a track, a man who would not take second place and to which racing, owes great gratitude.