Like many people, my strongest recollection of Formula One icon Ayrton Senna is that he died while competing.
But having never been an F1 fan, and being just 12 years old when he passed away, I knew little about the Senna story. All I could remember was the outpouring of grief and the strong, tragic element to his death suffered on the track on May 1, 1994.
So when I entered the cinema to see Senna, the self-titled documentary based on his life, I came into it with an open mind.
The film had been recommended to me by friends in both Australia and overseas who raved about it, and had also received critical acclaim.
As a lover of sports documentaries, I can see why. Senna is a fanastic film.
Filmmaker Asif Kapadia has created an incredible piece of content through years and years of painstaking research and dedication. The film utilises Senna’s home movies, newsreels, old interviews of the Brazilian driver, race footage and unbelievable shots from inside his car to illustrate the complete story.
The viewer is given the entire picture of his life, from privileged background in Brazil to onto the European go-karting circuit, to F1 star and international icon, and eventually slain driver.
You hear interviews with key figures in Senna’s life – colleagues, family members, racing officials, journalists, rivals like Prost – but you never see them. The film is treated like a live action event, not something from the past, and that is one of its many strengths.
The footage taken from inside Senna’s car as it flys around the track both is thrilling and illuminating. You quickly respect the skill he had, particularly in the wet, and the danger that all drivers put themselves in.
It is through Kapadia’s immense attention to detail that we learn about Senna’s battles with Alain Prost, his dramatic races in Japan and his conflict with the F1 administration.
We also learn about Senna the person, his love of speed and also his fear of death. This is a well-rounded documentary that presents the Brazilian in a positive light but not as a saint.
As a F1 novice, I was thrilled with the drama, passion and emotion of this story and the sport itself.
I had new-found admiration for racing drivers and couldn’t help but be moved by the plight of Senna’s life.
He didn’t chase death, as some have suggested, but he chased perfection and showed concern for his fellow injured drivers.
Arguably one of the best things about this documentary is the way it doesn’t focus purely on his death. There is more to the Senna story than that fateful day at the San Marino Grand Prix 17 years ago.
At a time when the NRL and AFL semi-finals are raging and the Rugby World Cup is dominating sports pages, this film probably hasn’t received the attention it deserves.
But you will be hard-pressed to find a better sports documentary made in recent years.
I urge every sports lover, F1 nut or not, to see Senna on the silver screen while you still can. You won’t be disappointed.
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