Ayrton Senna receives the Golden Helmet of the magazine Autosprint - 1991

December 1991. ... Absolutely everybody in the large audience are waiting for him, Ayrton Senna, the magic, the great, the three-time Formula 1 World Champion.

BBC Formula 1 commentator, Murray Walker, interviews Ayrton Senna on the stage of the award ceremony of the magazine Autosprint

The lights go out, a beam of white light accompanies the Brazilian star to the stage and the music that became the soundtrack of the winners punctuates his steps, but it's covered by the applause, the strength of nearly ten thousand hands is even stronger because of the super power amplifiers.

And then the apotheosis, the moment of Golden Helmet 1991, a tribute to a great champion. Senna was visibly moved: not only because he was receiving the statuette from Luciano Conti, the passionate editor of Autosprint, but also because that was the symbol of a season incredibly painful. And the synthesis of a championship in which he, the Magic Ayrton as it was claimed on the banners in the stands of the indoor stadium, once again imposed his extraordinary class ...


Blog in English about Ayrton Senna da Silva's history, biography, facts, pictures, videos, Formula 1, McLaren, Williams, Lotus, Toleman, Renault, Honda, Japan, Suzuka, Imola, San Marino, Xuxa, Adriane Galisteu, Carol Alt, Viviane Senna, Cristine Ferraciu, Liliane de Vasconcellos, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger, Bernie Ecclestone, F1, race, circuit, pole position, fastest lap, Michael Schumacher, Benetton, Ferrari, Mika Hakkinen, pilot, Brazil, Sao Paulo, death, accident, funeral, Morumbi, Italy, Adrian Newey, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Alfredo Popescu, Bruno Senna, Bianca Senna, Angra dos Reis, Quinta do Lago, Portugal, Senna Vive, Senna Lives On, Forever Ayrton, Damon Hill

Sony Playstation game "Gran Turismo 6" review - 2013

Format Playstation 3
Developer Polyphony
Publisher Sony
Released Now
Telegraph rating 

With more than 70 million copies sold, Gran Turismo is the SonyPlaystation's biggest franchise, and has been a major part of wannabe racers and serious gamers’ lives for the past 15 years.

Now, just in time for Christmas there's a new, sixth instalment of what bills itself as "the real driving simulator", Gran Turismo 6, and it goes on sale today.

As ever, the depth of the game is truly breathtaking. This latest version features 1,200 different cars (120 of which are new for GT6), 37 locations, 100 different track layouts... there's even 70 types of wheel design per car.

New circuits include the home of the British Grand Prix – Silverstone,Goodwood and the Ascari private race resort in southern Spain. Bizzarely, there's also a special moon-based event featuring a unique Lunar Rover vehicle.

_{The Lunar Rover vehicle is a new addition for Gran Turismo 6}

Those familiar with previous Gran Turismo games will recognise the setup. Essentially there are two modes, Arcade and Sim, the former for a quick pick-up-and-play race, and the latter rewarding drivers for their talent and perseverance as they work their way up through the championships earning licences, trophies and cars. There's also prize money, which is used to buy performance upgrades and build up your garage to one that would make Jay Leno jealous.

_{Build your dream garage from a choice of 1,200 cars}

James Armstrong, Senior Vice President of Sony, Southern Europe claims that this latest instalment is “more realistic, better and bigger than ever”. He’s right; build some modifications into your growing fleet of race cars, stored safely in the garage, and the vehicle physics alter just as they would in real life. Driver aids have been further developed and enhanced to match, just like modern race cars in the real world.

Attention to detail is such that even astronomy is accurate. The sun, moon and stars are all correctly positioned depending on the time of day, and the temperature, cloud cover and weather all influence the behaviour of the car. When it starts to rain or the temperature drops, if you are not quick enough with the opposite lock in a rear wheel drive beast – or you over correct – you will leave the circuit and when you do, as soon as those wheels touch the insanely slippery grass there is no chance to rescue it. All you can do is hope you don’t pick up too much damage on an imminently approaching wall or barrier. The beauty of it being a game of course, is that you can always hit the restart button.

_{Rebecca Jackson gets to grips with Gran Turismo 6}

Gran Turismo has always been a hard game to master, and at it's core this sixth instalment maintains that approach. However, there have been efforts to broaden its appeal, with an easier entry point for those who are new to it.

The most noticeable step forward doesn't come in the gameplay itself, however, but the more intuitive user interface and faster-loading menus, both welcome improvements for any patience-challenged racer.

While the creators of Forza Motorsport 5 on the XBox One might have a game with superior graphics to Gran Turismo (which is still compatible with the Playstation 3, rather than the just launched Playstation 4), it loses out with a limited number of tracks and career development.

_{Ronda for real, and recreated in Gran Turismo 6}

Kazunori Yamauchi, the creator of Gran Turismo, states that the game blurs the line between racing in the virtual and real worlds. He should know; this has been his software baby for the last 20 years (it took five years to develop the first one), and since then he's taken up racing in real life, and has even scored class victory in his Nissan GT-R at the Nürburgring 24hr race.

Ultimately, a game, not matter how good, is still just a game. It simply can't replicate the sensations of driving a real car, and is thus no direct replacement for the thrill of real-life racing. However, for the time being it’s about as close as you can get and for a fraction of the cost of doing just one track day. We love it.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motoringvideo/10496265/Gran-Turismo-6-review.html

Ayrton Senna da Silva - Magic Forever

Magic Ayrton Senna Forever!

Blog in English about Ayrton Senna da Silva's history, biography, facts, pictures, videos, Formula 1, McLaren, Williams, Lotus, Toleman, Renault, Honda, Japan, Suzuka, Imola, San Marino, Xuxa, Adriane Galisteu, Carol Alt, Viviane Senna, Cristine Ferraciu, Liliane de Vasconcellos, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger, Bernie Ecclestone, F1, race, circuit, pole position, fastest lap, Michael Schumacher, Benetton, Ferrari, Mika Hakkinen, pilot, Brazil, Sao Paulo, death, accident, funeral, Morumbi, Italy, Adrian Newey, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Alfredo Popescu, Bruno Senna, Bianca Senna, Angra dos Reis, Quinta do Lago, Portugal, Senna Vive, Senna Lives On, Forever Ayrton, Damon Hill

Ayrton Senna on the floor, working with the Williams team

On the floor, working. Ayrton Senna was one of those drivers who, despite being millionaire, didn't mind to get on his knees and work hand in hand with his mechanics. His dedication to his craft was total, as Emerson Fittipaldi said about him 2 weeks ago.

Ayrton Senna's accident was avoidable

Senna's accident at Imola, San Marino, in 1994, was avoidable, as it was proved in Court in the second trial opened in 2005. It's not arbitrary that fans want someone to respond for Senna's death. Because, yes, it was a technical failure, but an avoidable one. 

Ayrton Senna with Chief Engineer at Williams, in 1994, Patrick Head, who was found guilty for "omitted control" in the reopened trial of 2005

According to the experts, the modifications in the steering column had been badly done. 

"A 600-page technical report was submitted by Bologna University under Professor of Engineering Enrico Lorenzini and his team of specialists. The report concluded that fatigue cracks had developed through 70% of the steering column at the point where it had broken. 

Lorenzini stated: “It had been badly welded together about a third of the way down and couldn’t stand the strain of the race. We discovered scratches on the crack in the steering rod. It seemed like the job had been done in a hurry but I can’t say how long before the race. Someone had tried to smooth over the join following the welding. I have never seen anything like it. I believe the rod was faulty and probably cracked even during the warm-up. Moments before the crash only a tiny piece was left connected and therefore the car didn’t respond in the bend.”

Linda Dalton, fan, says that Ayrton Senna's big love was Xuxa

Linda Dalton, a fan, here with Ayrton Senna in 1992

I knew Ayrton in a small way and got to speak to him many times. He was really gorgeous in a sort of imperfect way. He was very humble for someone born so rich and very kind and thoughtful and shy in an endearing way out of the car. He really was bemused at the effect he had on people, especially the one he had on women. He had tremendous sex appeal and charisma. He was so clean too, always smelt like he just stepped out of the shower, shiny clean hair, lovely finger nails, immaculate clothes. He was such a nice, kind, gentle man. He was so genuine to the people he liked and had such a funny naughty side to his character."

When he fell in love with Xuxa he changed. He was happy inside, he was much calm and even more aware of the beauty in the world and finally understood that he was so loved.

Ayrton Senna and Xuxa, the love of his life, according to his best friends

He accepted he was loved and less embarrassed by the adulation he got from the fans and enjoyed it more. When they were together you could see how much they loved each other as together they were complete. As a fan I was so happy for him that he had someone to love and look after him, someone for him to confide in.

Ayrton Senna and his big love, TV presenter Xuxa, in the TV show where they made official their relationship, 1988

He was so incredibly special and had such a big heart. I believe he was put on this earth by God to teach and inspire us.

Ayrton Senna and his girlfriend, Xuxa, at the Monaco Grand Prix 1989. They werre going to get married after he would stop Formula 1

Linda Dalton, Ayrton Senna's fan

Adriane Galisteu lied about the destiny of the money she got paid for the photos in Playboy Brazil 1995

Adriane Galisteu, the woman who got famous after Ayrton Senna's death, selling his private life to the press in no less than 60 press interviews and a book, edited with the same editorial house as the "Caras" gossip magazine, started to lye a few years later, about the destiny of the money she got paid in exchange for those pictures. In one of them she appears half naked and open legs, shaving her vagina, an image which created a lot of controversy in Brazil in those days.

Adriane Galisteu posed naked for Playboy Brazil in 1995, shaving her vagina, using the name of Senna to get the deal

Unlike the new version she got used to tell after the year 2000, she didn't use the money obtained with her photoshoot for Playboy Brazil in 1995, to help her brother, sick with AIDS, but she admits in an interview in 1995 (a year before her brother's death), for Caras, that she wanted the money to buy herself an appartment and a car (she bought herself a 300 square metres appartment in the most luxurious part of Sao Paulo named Jardims, and a BMW car).

Adriane Galisteu admitting in 1995 that she wanted the money of the Playboy reportage for an appartment and a car

In an interview for the magazine TRIP (Revista Trip, #66, Ano 12, 1998) two years after her brother had died, she admits also that she knew that her brother had AIDS since 1994, on the 10th of May, and that he died 2 years later, in 1996. Nevertheless, in the interview for Caras where she talks about the money's destiny i 1995, she doesn't mention a single time her brother, as she started to do years later. Had she wanted to help her brother, she would've said it in the press in 1995, since her brother had still a year to live.

Adriane Galisteu uses his brother's disease, AIDS, to justify that she posed for Playboy in 1995 using the name of Ayrton Senna

Headline on the cover of the gossip magazine: "Adriane Galisteu: accomplished in her new 310 square metres appartment"

The editor of the magazine Playboy Brazil, says that she did a lot pf pressure and almost auctioned Senna's death to obtain the best monetary deal possible, being that she finally got paid 100,000 $US.

Jo Ramirez surprisingly proves that he isn't a reliable source when it comes to Ayrton Senna's life

Jo Ramirez surprisingly proves that he isn't a reliable source when talking about Ayrton Senna's life

It's surprising that Jo Ramirez, McLaren logistics manager, and who was not so much Senna's friend, as a team coworker at McLaren, knows so little about Ayrton Senna's life, or confuses significant facts. Some say he was one of Senna's friends, but even like that, Ramirez made many mistakes in a interview for the Mexican press in 2010, which makes us wonder how much did he actually know about Senna...

In an interview recorded in 2010, shortly before the launch of the movie "Senna" by Asif Kapadia, Ramirez makes some very gross mistakes when he talks about Senna's life, events that were fully known by all fans of Senna and of Formula 1. 

Jo Ramirez, McLaren logistics manager and who worked with Ayrton Senna for several years, surprises his fans when he makes some big mistakes about Senna's life, on facts widely known by almost any fan of the big Brazil's idol

Jo Ramirez, a McLaren employee and one of the people who used to arrange logistics for Ayrton Senna at McLaren, ignores significant facts about the Brazilian idol when he speaks to the press

Ramirez said, for example, that Senna ate with Prost the day before he died, which is not true: Senna didn't eat with Prost, but he just went to where Prost was seating in the Renault motorbox to stay in silence next to him for a few moments, which was very surprising and mysterious for Prost. And it wasn't the day before Senna died, but the same day, on Sunday. 

Contrary to what Jo Ramirez says, observers, televisions and journalists have said Ayrton sat with Alain Prost on the very day of his death, and not on the day before. Besided, Ramirez says Senna ate with Prost, which is untrue

He also makes more mistakes when he talks about Senna's life, as to say that Senna didn't care about Prost, that it was Prost who was obsessed with him: completely false. Senna's objective was Prost all the the way, and everybody around him (people who knew him much better than Ramirez, who was a simple logistics employee at McLaren). Even before Senna arrived in McLaren, he wanted to beat Prost at all costs. on the other hand, Prost didn't care much Senna, as all biographies say, since Prost didn't appreciate Senna as a person, nor as a driver. They were oil and water. 

Ayrton Senna always had wanted to beat Alain Prost, he was his reference in Formula 1 and his main motivation. 

Blog in English about Ayrton Senna da Silva's history, biography, facts, pictures, videos, Formula 1, McLaren, Williams, Lotus, Toleman, Renault, Honda, Japan, Suzuka, Imola, San Marino, Xuxa, Adriane Galisteu, Carol Alt, Viviane Senna, Cristine Ferraciu, Liliane de Vasconcellos, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger, Bernie Ecclestone, F1, race, circuit, pole position, fastest lap, Michael Schumacher, Benetton, Ferrari, Mika Hakkinen, pilot, Brazil, Sao Paulo, death, accident, funeral, Morumbi, Italy, Adrian Newey, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Alfredo Popescu, Bruno Senna, Bianca Senna, Angra dos Reis, Quinta do Lago, Portugal, Senna Vive, Senna Lives On, Forever Ayrton, Damon Hill

Xuxa was honest with Ayrton Senna at Christmas 1989

Honesty sometimes can break your heart. Indeed they say that the only ones you're truly in love with, can break your heart... 

At Christmas 1989, he wanted to spend time with Xuxa at her house in New York, and he travelled there... She, appearantly, wanted to be alone instead, as she was feeling too much pressure from Senna, who wanted a more serious relationship with her, he wanted to get married to her. One good thing she did was to be honest with him instead of faking: she didn't want the relationship anymore. Senna went back to Brazil alone, and the relationship officially ended a few months later. At least, the cards were on the table. 

Ayrton Senna and Xuxa arrive together at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 1989, held at the Jacarepagua circuit, in Rio de Janeiro

That's why Senna felt hurt emotionally speaking for the following years: he really was in love with Xuxa, and when someone who you love, rejects you, it always hurts. The last interview given by Senna in 1994, to the Brazilian magazine Caras, reveals indeed how much he missed her and how important she had been for him. Instead of talking of his (still officially) girlfriend, Adriane Galisteu, Senna spent more time talking about Xuxa and how much it still cost him to forget her. 

Blog in English about Ayrton Senna da Silva's history, biography, facts, pictures, videos, Formula 1, McLaren, Williams, Lotus, Toleman, Renault, Honda, Japan, Suzuka, Imola, San Marino, Xuxa, Adriane Galisteu, Carol Alt, Viviane Senna, Cristine Ferraciu, Liliane de Vasconcellos, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger, Bernie Ecclestone, F1, race, circuit, pole position, fastest lap, Michael Schumacher, Benetton, Ferrari, Mika Hakkinen, pilot, Brazil, Sao Paulo, death, accident, funeral, Morumbi, Italy, Adrian Newey, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Alfredo Popescu, Bruno Senna, Bianca Senna, Angra dos Reis, Quinta do Lago, Portugal, Senna Vive, Senna Lives On, Forever Ayrton, Damon Hill

Josef Leberer was Ayrton Senna's most trusted friend in Formula 1

Josef Leberer, Austrian, fitness trainer, masseur, nutritionist and most trusted friend of Ayrton Senna in Formula 1, worked with him between 1988 and 1993, the years during which Senna drove for McLaren.

Physiotherapist Josef Leberer working on Ayrton Senna's hands

At the beginning, joining McLaren in 1988 was not easy for Senna. Alain Prost was king of the hill, having won the World Championship twice already. But Senna had a nice surprise when he arrived. He immediately found a person he was to bond with and who would remain a lifelong friend: physio Josef Leberer. The main impact on his life would come from Josef Leberer, an Austrian expert in sports medicine and a top physiotherapist. Senna had never really had contact with a top physiotherapist and nutritionist. All his training was done by Nuno Cobra in Brazil, who he had worked with since starting in Formula One.

Josef Leberer joking with Ayrton Senna, Gerhard Berger and engineer Giorgio Ascanelli

Leberer was a protégé of another Austrian,Willy Dungl, who founded the world-famous Dungl Clinic in Gars-am-Kamp in Austria. Dungl was famous in Formula One circles for his work with Niki Lauda in the 1970s. 

Ron Dennis had hired Leberer for the start of the 1988 season to ensure that Senna and Prost were in tip-top condition. Not just keeping them physically fit, but mentally strong as well. Leberer worked well with both Senna and Prost, but quickly drew close to the Brazilian, as did most of the team. He looked after him mentally and physically and stayed close. He quickly devised a new training programme and diet for Senna, and personally cooked as many of his meals as he could, also briefing the housekeepers in his houses in Brazil and Monte Carlo. (Source: The life of Senna - Tom Rubython)

Leberer would accompany Senna through his racing career until the very end, since the night before Imola 1994, where Senna lost his life in the accident at the Tamburello turn, Josef Leberer was also present, because Senna wanted to celebrate his most trusted confidant's birthday.

On that Saturday evening at Imola, Senna had dinner with Josef Leberer and a few close friends to celebrate his most trusted confidant's birthday.

(Source: "Senna vs Prost" - Malcolm Folley)

Josef Leberer is one of the most experienced people in Formula 1 and Mark Sutton, from Sutton Images, brother of the famous Keith Sutton, who associated to Senna in the early to take car of his Public Relations area, said this about Leberer:

Josef has been around in the sport for a very long time and as you can see in the older pictures has worked with some of the greats, such as Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. He’s spent over 25 years looking after drivers and there are not many people who have been around that long, let alone a trainer. He’s such an nice guy and knows everyone in the paddock – he must have lots of stories to tell and I’m surprised he’s not written a book!

                                                                                                                     Mark Sutton

"Sauber trainer Josef Leberer working on Esteban Gutierrez’s neck ahead of a session and I took the photo because it’s quite rare to see this happening in the garage" - Mark Sutton © Sutton Images

Leberer's role these days is to ensure Sauber's drivers Esteban Gutierrez and Niko Hulkenberg, are in the best physical and mental condition they can be. This was a job he once performed for Ayrton Senna. But Leberer's place in Senna's life went far beyond his contracted function of masseur, fitness trainer, nutritionist and cook. Over the years, Leberer became Senna's closest confidant in the paddock, perhaps in life. And one mournful day, mindful of his special place in Senna's affections, the Brazilian's family would specifically request Leberer to share Ayrton's final flight. 

'It was the longest flight of my life, and the most intense experience of my life,' said Leberer.

Leberer is still close to the Senna family nowadays.

Josef Leberer ex-physiotherapist of Ayrton Senna, chatting to Bruno Senna in presence of Bianca Senna, sister of Bruno

Blog in English about Ayrton Senna da Silva's history, biography, facts, pictures, videos, Formula 1, McLaren, Williams, Lotus, Toleman, Renault, Honda, Japan, Suzuka, Imola, San Marino, Xuxa, Adriane Galisteu, Carol Alt, Viviane Senna, Cristine Ferraciu, Liliane de Vasconcellos, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger, Bernie Ecclestone, F1, race, circuit, pole position, fastest lap, Michael Schumacher, Benetton, Ferrari, Mika Hakkinen, pilot, Brazil, Sao Paulo, death, accident, funeral, Morumbi, Italy, Adrian Newey, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Alfredo Popescu, Bruno Senna, Bianca Senna, Angra dos Reis, Quinta do Lago, Portugal, Senna Vive, Senna Lives On, Forever Ayrton, Damon Hill