For the love of karting

Ayrton Senna’s first taste of racing was in karting in his native Brazil (picture above). He loved every moment of it. At first, he was not at ease racing in the rain, ‘not driving well’, as he said. Aware of this weakness, he decided to go and practice as much as he could, at the race track next to his home in São Paolo, whenever it rained. He became excellent.

He used to say : “I started racing go-karts, and I love karts. It’s the most breath taking sport in the world. No technology involved, just you and your driving skills. More than F1, indeed I used to like it most.”

Oddly, due to racing incidents (picture below), Ayrton Senna never succeeded to become Karting World Champion. In 1980, on the karting circuit in the little Belgian town of Nivelles, Dutchman Peter De Bruijn who was crowned. Senna later quickly moved up the motorsport ladder, and became a three-time Formula One Drivers’ Champion.