Ayrton Senna da Silva

The late great Ayrton Senna da Silva is the sporting hero I admire most.  I came to know about him shortly after I became interested in motor racing in 1995.  A fellow car fan had casually remarked how much he hated Senna and gloated about Senna's death.  I became curious about who Senna was and why he was so loathed.  Later when I started to import Formula One VHS from Australia and watch them, I became impressed with the man - his driving skills and personality.  So I began importing more VHS and books about Senna.  The more I watched him drive, speak and behave on TV, the more I grew to idolize and admire the man.  He embodied the qualities I aspire to have: total professionalism, total commitment and total dedication.  Senna was so focused on winning races and the championship that he channelled all his will (physical, mental and emotional) towards achieving his objective.  One of the funniest quotes I read about Senna was: "If there was anyone who would sell his soul to the devil to win the championship, it was Senna."  His great rival and then teammate, Alain Prost, confronted him after they came very close to colliding at the 1988 Portugese Grand Prix and said: "I know how badly you want to win the championship.  But until today, I didn't realize you were prepared to gamble your life for it.  In that case, take it!  I renounce it!  My life and safety is more important to me than being World Champion.  Wow, I thought, such fierce determination to win at all costs and bravery to attempt overtaking manoeuvres in places where nobody else would even think about.  He became my role model and showed me the way to live.  I remember wearing the red Senna 'S' T-shirt to university exams and praying to Senna before entering the exam hall.  I painted the red Senna 'S' symbols on my red karting gloves. I even swore to Senna to name my first born son after him and consecrate the infant to his memory.  For me, Senna will always be the greatest racing driver ever.  Period.  The God of Racing.