If drivers who are legends are the subjects of this quiz (and after a personal protest putting Prost first!), it is inevitable that Ayrton Senna da Silva would appear. So here he is!
1. Senna was the first man who retired from his first Grand Prix in 1984 at Jacarepagua. Where was his second race where he secured his first point?
2. Senna's first podium famously came at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix. Who stood at the other end of the podium on the lowest step, but was not eventually classified third?
3. Recent stats published on this very website show that Ayrton Senna would have won the Qualifying World Championships a ridiculous 7 consecutive times.
With 65 poles to his name, how many times did he secure fastest laps?
4. How many of his 41 wins were in a McLaren?
5. Senna's last wins for Lotus were the last wins for anyone in a Lotus in F1. But who was the second last man to win a race in a Lotus?
6. Senna drove car #12 for 4 years for Lotus and McLaren in 1985-88. Who is the only driver to win a race in car #12 since then?
7. Ayrton Senna's team-mates in F1. Fill in the gaps (for 1/2 of a point each)
Johnny Cecotto
Stefan Johansson
Elio De Angelis
Johnny Dumfries
Alain Prost
Gerhard Berger
Michael Andretti
Damon Hill
8. Unlike his contemporary and rival Alain Prost, Senna was not famous for success at home. However, he won 2 Grand Prix at Interlagos. However, his misfortune at home is nothing compared to countryman Rubens Barrichello. In his first 11 Brazilian GPs, Rubinho finished only one, in 1994, where Senna retired from second place in his penultimate Grand Prix. Where did Rubinho finish in the 1994 Brazilian GP?
9. There are 6 Brazilians who have won races in F1. Excluding their 3 champions, name (for 1/3 of a point each) them.
10. And so to the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. I will not relive the accident here, we all know what happened. I will instead ask a general question about the race, as if to bring back what went on after lap 7.
Nicola Larini scored his 6 of his 7 World Championship points at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, finishing 2nd. In which other year did the long-time Ferrari tester score?
I don't know that he would have beat Schumacher in 1994, but I sure wish history had seen him try. 1994 is the single most important year in Formula One history for so many ways, and 2010 has seen a return of 3 of the things lost that year. The first is "non-refuelling" racing. The second is Lotus. The third is the return to the sport of the name Senna, but nothing will ever replace Ayrton.
1. Senna was the first man who retired from his first Grand Prix in 1984 at Jacarepagua. Where was his second race where he secured his first point?
Kyalami, South Africa. Apartheid meant nothing to those running F1...!
2. Senna's first podium famously came at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix. Who stood at the other end of the podium on the lowest step, but was not eventually classified third?
Stefan Bellof, disqualified for Tyrell's misdemeanors later in the season
3. Recent stats published on this very website show that Ayrton Senna would have won the Qualifying World Championships a ridiculous 7 consecutive times.
With 65 poles to his name, how many times did he secure fastest laps?
The ultimate Saturday man only secured fastest lap a surprisingly low 19 times.
4. How many of his 41 wins were in a McLaren?
35. The remaining 6 were for Lotus.
5. Senna's last wins for Lotus were the last wins for anyone in a Lotus in F1. But who was the second last man to win a race in a Lotus?
It was after Senna's first Lotus win, and it was Elio de Angelis at the 1985 San Marino Grand Prix. The two tragic drivers were their only winners in the 80s.
6. Senna drove car #12 for 4 years for Lotus and McLaren in 1985-88. Who is the only driver to win a race in car #12 since then?
Jenson Button in the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.
7. Ayrton Senna's team-mates in F1. Fill in the gaps (for 1/2 of a point each)
Johnny Cecotto
Stefan Johansson
Elio De Angelis
Johnny Dumfries
Satoru Nakajima
Gerhard Berger
Michael Andretti
Mika Hakkinen
8. Unlike his contemporary and rival Alain Prost, Senna was not famous for success at home. However, he won 2 Grand Prix at Interlagos. However, his misfortune at home is nothing compared to countryman Rubens Barrichello. In his first 11 Brazilian GPs, Rubinho finished only one, in 1994, where Senna retired from second place in his penultimate Grand Prix. Where did Rubinho finish in the 1994 Brazilian GP?
4th for Jordan.
9. There are 6 Brazilians who have won races in F1. Excluding their 3 champions, name (for 1/3 of a point each) them.
Barrichello and Massa. (That's as close to a free point you'll ever get in a TBY quiz!) And Carlos Pace!
10. And so to the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. I will not relive the accident here, we all know what happened. I will instead ask a general question about the race, as if to bring back what went on after lap 7.
Nicola Larini scored his 6 of his 7 World Championship points at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, finishing 2nd. In which other year did the long-time Ferrari tester score?
1997, 6th for Sauber in Australia
I don't know that he would have beat Schumacher in 1994, but I sure wish history had seen him try. 1994 is the single most important year in Formula One history for so many ways, and 2010 has seen a return of 3 of the things lost that year. The first is "non-refuelling" racing. The second is Lotus. The third is the return to the sport of the name Senna, but nothing will ever replace Ayrton.