Formula One drivers are often seen as celebrities in their own right. For instance, Lewis Hamilton, who will soon be joining Ferrari, is co-owner of the Denver Broncos and is producing the upcoming film “F1,” featuring Brad Pitt. However, before these modern stars, there was one name that stood out: Ayrton Senna.

Who is he? That would be Ah-EAR-ton, the Brazilian racing genius and former world champion who tragically lost his life in 1994 at the age of 34 when his car crashed into a wall at Italy’s Imola track. Netflix is looking to connect with the expanding F1 audience through “Senna” (premiering Friday), a six-part docudrama directed by Vicente Amorim, featuring Brazilian actor Gabriel Leone, who also played race car driver Alfonso de Portago in Michael Mann’s “Ferrari.”

“Brazilian fans are eager for the next Senna to emerge, but that’s no small feat. It’s akin to asking who will be the next Pelé, Elvis, or John Lennon?” Amorim states. “Icons like that don’t often appear. While many have made their mark in Formula One, only Senna is truly legendary.”

As F1 continues to attract more fans in the U.S., thanks to Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” and the introduction of F1 races in America, we explore the legacy of this remarkable figure, guided by Amorim.

Who was Ayrton Senna?

Ayrton Senna da Silva was born in 1960 in São Paolo, Brazil, to a factory owner and his spouse. He showed an early passion for driving and began his career in kart racing, achieving national and international victories as a teenager.

“It became clear over time just how extraordinary he was, not only as a driver but also for his remarkable ability to listen to an engine and diagnose its issues,” Amorim reflects. “Creating this series revealed how deeply emotions influenced Senna—not just in his personal life but also professionally. He was far from a detached, rational figure; he was someone who was genuinely passionate, which endeared him to countless fans.”

How successful was Ayrton Senna in Formula One racing?

After progressing through karting, and then Formula Ford and Formula Three, Senna finally entered the top tier of racing in 1984 with the British team Toleman. He quickly rose to prominence and claimed the sought-after F1 Drivers’ Championship three times, in 1988, 1990, and 1991.

“His sense of time while driving was extraordinary,” Amorim notes, referring to Senna’s ability to seemingly slow down moments while racing at speeds over 180 mph. “This skill was honed during his early driving career and reached perfection in his F1 victories. Other drivers noticed his incredible focus.”

Are the racing scenes in Netflix’s ‘Senna’ authentic?

“Senna” captures the race car driver’s illustrious yet brief life, from his beginnings as a karting champion to his final years in the spotlight of Formula One. Amorim and his crew recreated replicas of Senna’s various race cars as well as many other classic vehicles to simulate actual races with professional drivers at the helm.

“Approximately 90% of the racing footage in ‘Senna’ comes from real races we filmed on location. These aren’t mere fast-paced clips; they are recreations of significant moments from Senna’s career,” he explains. “While we also used some computer graphics to enhance scenes, any view of someone watching Senna’s race on television features genuine footage from his races. We believed it was essential to portray the real Senna as well.”

Did Ayrton Senna’s family have a role in the making of ‘Senna’?

The series “Senna” captivates those interested in how the Brazilian racing icon achieved his supremacy in motorsport, particularly his unparalleled skill in driving through rain-soaked tracks, a feat few have matched before or after. However, much of the narrative explores Senna’s emotional experiences, including his relationships and feelings of homesickness during his time in Europe. Amorim points out the essential role of the Senna family in facilitating this portrayal.

“They truly opened their treasure trove not just with their personal memories of him but also with hours of recorded phone conversations they had with him throughout the years he was away,” he explains, noting that Leone listened to those recordings to better embody the character. “Those deeply personal exchanges played a significant role in shaping my performance.”

What led to the tragic death of Ayrton Senna?

Senna’s life came to a tragic end on what remains a sorrowful day in racing. The events of that late April weekend began on a bad note when Brazilian racer Rubens Barrichello suffered injuries in a qualifying crash, breaking his nose and arm. The following day, rookie Roland Ratzenberger also crashed and lost his life during qualifying. On race day, debris from a crash injured eight spectators. On the seventh lap, Senna collided with a wall at 191 mph, resulting in his immediate death.

“His legacy encompasses not just his excellence as a driver and person but also the significant safety changes that were implemented in F1 posthumously, resulting in no driver fatalities since then, a remarkable outcome considering the numerous fatalities in previous decades,” Amorim states. “Ayrton’s influence on the sport was substantial, both during his life and after his passing.”