Senna in FF1600 - 1981

[Andrew Kitson]

With Senna in our thoughts 10 years on, here is a reminder of his first year in car racing in Europe.

Rick Morris asked me to do this painting for him. Thanks to info from our 'ferret' Ted Walker, I was able to finish it with the correct car numbers as was.

This was a famous Formula Ford race, a round of the RAC Championship on the Silverstone GP circuit on 21st June 1981. Ayrton Senna Da Silva in the Van Diemen RF81 had Rick (works Royale RP29) off the circuit, half-way down the hangar straight on the last lap. With two wheels on the grass, Rick held on and furious with Ayrton, caught him into the final corner, the Woodcote chicane. They were level at the entry with Rick on the outside, but he kept his foot down, bounced over the chicane and won the race! Ayrton was seething, tried to get Ralph Firman to protest but Rick had passed him inside the yellow penalty line, therefore the result stood. Mansilla finished third in the Duckhams car. Rick beat Senna on a handful of other occasions during the year but we all knew we were seeing a future star in Ayrton at the time.

I have rarely painted Senna losing a race, but a great memory for Rick from those great FF1600 days at Silverstone. Hope you like it!

[Junior Senior]

Superb as ever, Andrew. The infamous Woodcote penalty line...........!! Winner and loser of many a FF1600 race at Silverstone! The painting brings back many memories of the classic slipstreamers on the GP circuit, a sight and spectacle that sadly will never be replicated......

[Junior Senior]

By the way, would that be Carlos Abella in a Ducados backed RF81 in the background???

[Andrew Kitson]

Hi Junior. Very kind - thanks.
No, it's Mansilla in the works Duckhams RF81. Strangely, it looks a light blue in this photo, but is a mid-cobalt blue in the painting as the car was, with central yellow stripe. The later Duckhams cars were a much darker blue like the Comtec Renaults now.

As a Mallory specialist Junior, do you remember the first time that Senna was 'rattled' and had a run in with another competitor? It was earlier in '81 when Mansilla had him off at the hairpin on the last lap. Senna re-joined to follow him to finish in 2nd place. In the paddock afterwards Senna had Mansilla by the throat and Ralph and Puddy had to seperate them!

[Steve Holmes]

Great work Andrew. When did you paint this one?

[Andrew Kitson]

Thanks Steve, it was started many months ago, but a bit done at a time as more info was received, for example was it a front rad RP29 or side radiator version? Rick could not remember, nor Alan Cornock boss of Royale. But found the answer in the end. Recently finished thanks to an appeal on this forum for the correct car numbers - the only thing holding it up.

[Junior Senior]

Certainly do, Andrew...... IIRC, Quique "eased" Senna onto the grass entering the Esses, which wound Ayrton up somewhat, as various photos in the many Senna books show, with an enraged Senna being fended off by Mr Pullen.....

[Junior Senior]

Andrew, is Quique still involved in racing at all? I remember him getting as far as F2 with a James Gresham Racing March 842, but i don't think he managed to finish the 84 F2 season due to a lack of cash?

[Andrew Kitson]

No idea. Was wondering the same myself.

[Steve Holmes]

Well done Andrew. You've managed to really make it an exiting scene, which I'm sure it was. But its easier to capture the speed and noise of something like Formula One than it is the junior rank classes, where the speeds are a lot slower, so you've done extremely well.

[alesi95]

been a while since we've seen some of your stuff on the forum Andrew. Always a pleasure.

[Firefighter]

Beautiful work

[djb]

good story and visual to boot Andrew! Not knowing anything of the incident, would you say that Senna "put" the other fellow off in an unsporting manner, just curious of how an early incident could reflect on some later events.

oh, and interesting to see that by the time Senna got to Irvine's neck, he'd had some practice.....

cheers

[Andrew Kitson]

I think Senna may have learned the 'dirty' tricks from the Brazilian guy that brought him to Europe and acted as translator at the first meeting with Van Diemen's Ralph Firman. I'm talking of Chico Serra. He was Senna's mentor at the time.
In Formula Ford in 1977, Serra in his Sadia sponsored works Van Diemen had several people off, brake tested and all sorts on his way to the Townsend Thoresen championship.
I remember Oulton Park particularly, had Trevor Van Rooyen on the grass up clay Hill ( again - Van Diemen versus Royale) but TvR caught him to win - red mist!
But the sweetest thing was later in the year at Brands on the Indy circuit.
Serra had a large entourage with him from Brazil - TV crew, journalists etc all there to see him wrap up the TT title. He again had Trevor off at Clearways - two wheels on the grass but TvR spoiled his party by winning from behind again so the title had to wait! They all looked a bit glum afterwards, put in the usual protest against Trevor's engine for about the 6th time that season ( never found to be illegal - even in the following season when Kenny Acheson won with it).

[djb]

thanks Andrew for the added recollections.
David

[Pink Panther]

Andrew,
A couple of seasons back had Rick and Alan in my awning at Brands Hatch for a hour or more re-living the old days and some of his famous races with Senna. With was Rick sitting in my car at the time relaying the same story of that race. It was great to hear.

The painting is supper, really brings the scene alive. I have copy 02 of the painting from the Royale Book, smile every time I look at it!

Andy P

[Andrew Kitson]

Thanks Andy.
Here is the Royale montage - Rick is on this one too in the red RP31M shown at Mallory.

[Aysedasi]

Lovely pictures Andrew.

[alesi95]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
I think Senna may have learned the 'dirty' tricks from the Brazilian guy that brought him to Europe and acted as translator at the first meeting with Van Diemen's Ralph Firman. I'm talking of Chico Serra. He was Senna's mentor at the time.
.

Didn't know Serra acted as Senna's Mentor. I remember reading that Serra would often ask fellow F3 driver Nigel Mansell for set up advice and the correct racing line. Serra at the time was leading the championship and was being hailed as the next Fittipaldi.