Ayrton on Ayrton: His own words

[11tenths]

These direct quotes published by the Instituto Ayrton Senna may shed some new light on Senna for some, I know it was an interesting look at the man for me.

I've included the origial Portugese text from which these were translated by some kind stranger from São Paulo. Thanks Viv! I thought it appropriate to initiate a new thread for reactions to what these quotes might mean to you and what your own impressions of Ayrton Senna are.

Some of these are pretty special, IMHO:


"Você conta nos dedos da mão os pilotos que tem condições de ganhar um campeonato. Eu sou um deles"

"You can count on the fingers of one hand those drivers able to win a championship. I´m one of them."

"O ambiente na Formula 1 nao me agrada. A unica coisa que vale a pena e pilotar"

"The atmosphere in F1 doesn´t please me. The only thing that makes it worth-while is driving."

"Só sento num carro para ser o primeiro"

"I just sit in a car to be the first."

"Sempre falei que meus Ã*dolos eram o Niki Lauda e o Gilles Villeneuve"

"I always said that my idols were Nikki Lauda and Gilles Villeneuve."

"Quando vejo a galera vibrando na reta, sinto grande emoção. Tenho que corresponder ao entusiasmo com vitórias"

"When I see the fans cheering on the last section of the track, I feel a huge emotion. I have to answer to their enthusiasm with victories."

"Preciso fazer algo especial. Todos os anos alguém é campeão. Eu procuro algo além disso"

"I need to do something special. Every year somebody is champion. I search for something beyond this."

"Longe do Brasil, Ã*s vezes entro em profunda depressão. Se a folga é mais longa, retorno logo"

"Far from Brazil, sometimes I fall into a deep depression. If the rest is longer, I return soon."

"Quando você tem 22 ou 23 anos, não pensa tanto em segurança. Quando estiver com 35, vou pensar diferente"

"When you are 22 or 23 years old, you don´t think about safety very much. When I´m 35, I´ll think differently."

"O dia em que não estiver mais a fim de vencer, vou para casa"

"The day I feel I'm not up to winning, I´m going home."

"As drogas não estão com nada. Quem quer emoções fortes, que as procure no esporte. No kart, por exemplo"

"Drugs are good for nothing. Anyone that wants strong emotions, should search for them in sports. In kart, for example."

"Tenho muita coisa pela frente. É claro que vou querer bater todos os recordes possÃ*veis"

"I have a lot of things ahead. Of course I´m going to break all possible records."

"Sabe o que acontece com quem não investe? Fica para trás"

"Do you know what happens with those who don't invest? They get left behind."

"Só boto o fundilho num carro quando acho que posso enfrentar os adversários de igual para igual. E vencê-los"

"I just sit myself down in a car when I know that I can face the adversaries as an equal. And beat them."

"Sempre fui um privilegiado. Num paÃ*s pobre, nasci rico. Vencer é uma obrigação para mim, por tudo isso"

"I always was privileged. In a poor country, I was born rich. To win is my obligation, because of this."

"Com os japoneses aprendi o significado da lealdade, sentimento que envolve honra e que eleva o ser humano"

"With the Japanese I learned the meaning of loyalty, a feeling that engenders honour and elevates a person."

"É frustrante você largar numa prova sabendo que não tem chances de vencer, que no máximo pode marcar uns pontinhos"

"It´s frustrating when you start a race knowing that you don´t have a chance to win, that at the best you will score some meager points."

"Se depender de mim, esgotarei os adjetivos do dicionário"

"If it´s up to me, I´m going to wear out all the adjectives in the dictionary."

[Slippy Diff]

Originally posted by 11tenths
These direct quotes published by the Instituto Ayrton Senna may shed some new light on Senna for some

Why hrug: Most of these comments could be attributed to any driver in any form of motor sport.

[11tenths]

I suppose Senna's own words without context could be seen as rather generic from a unique perspective. I do appreciate different points of view, when presented effectively.

I dunno from which racing perspective you hail from, and there are many, no doubt. Just so ya know, here's what the F1 world thought about Senna during his lifetime:

F1 on Ayrton:

"O Senna era pra mim um Ã*dolo e um amigo. Foi o maior piloto de todos os tempos" - Rubens Barrichello, nos funerais

"Senna was an idol and a friend to me. He was the best driver of all time." Rubens Barrichello, in the funeral

"Se eu fosse dono de uma equipe de F-1, contrataria o Ayrton como piloto" - Nelson Piquet em 1994

"If I was a F1 team owner I would hire Ayrton as a driver." Nelson Piquet, in 1994

"Era como se ele tivesse quatro mãos e quatro pernas. Era um mestre controlando uma máquina" - John Watson, em 1987

"It was like he had four hands and four legs. He was a master controlling a machine." John Watson, in 1987

"Uso tudo o que sei de pilotagem e ainda fico um segundo atrás de Ayrton!" - Gerhard Berger, em 1991

"I use everything I know about driving and I´m still a second behind Ayrton!" Gerhard Berger, in 1991

"Senna é uma lenda. Nunca vi Fangio e outros ex-grandes pilotos, mas o Senna me parecia fora do normal, único. A F-1 nunca será mais a mesma" - Gil de Ferran, nos funerais

"Senna is a legend. I never saw Fangio and the other great former drivers, but to me Senna was out of the ordinary, unique. F1 will never be the same." - Gil de Ferran, in the funeral

"Ayrton é o único piloto em condições de igualar meu pentacampeonato" - Juan Manuel Fangio, em 1991

"Ayrton is the only driver able to equal my fifth championship." - Juan Manuel Fangio, in 1991

"Senna é, seguramente, o melhor piloto de sua geração" - Jackie Stewart, em 1988

"Senna is, undoubtedly, the best driver of his generation." Jackie Stewart, in 1988

"Nem o Brasil sabia que amava tanto Ayrton Senna" - Emerson Fittipaldi, nos funerais

"Not even Brazil knew how much she loved Ayrton Senna." - Émerson Fittipaldi, in the funeral

"Ayrton é a sétima maravilha do mundo" - Clay Regazzone, em 1990

"Ayrton is the seventh wonder of the world." - Clay Regazzone, in 1990

"Senna é um piloto genial. Mas não me comparem a ele. Eu sou o Schumacher" - Michael Schumacher, quando surgiu na F-1

"Senna is an outstanding driver. But don´t compare me to him. I´m Schumacher." - Michael Schumacher, when he began in F1

"Nenhum outro piloto tem tanta garra quanto o Ayrton. Não tem meio termo: ganha ou perde" - Mauricio Gugelmin, em 1988

"No other driver has so much willpower as Ayrton does. There is no middle ground: he wins or loses." MaurÃ*cio Gugelmin, in 1988

"Ele me fechou nas últimas quatro voltas, curva após curva. Mas foi extremamente limpo. Não tenho do que me queixar" - Nigel Mansell, 2nd colocado em Monaco, em 1992

"He cut me off in the last four laps, curve after curve. But he was extrememly fair. I can´t complain." Nigel Mansell, 2nd place in Monaco, in 1992

"Sabia que podia contar com ele enquanto fomos companheiros de equipe" - Michael Andretti, nos funerais

"I knew that I could count on him while we were team mates." Michael Andretti, in the funeral

"Fomos rivais dentro e fora das pistas. E só agora percebo o quanto ele era importante para mim. Metade da minha vida se vai. Ele era o meu parâmetro" - Alain Prost, nos funerais

"We were rivals, in and outside the lanes. And only now do I see how he was important to me. Half of my life is gone. He was my parameter." - Alain Prost, in the funeral

[Slippy Diff]

I don't doubt that he was probably the best of his generation, just seems funny that a lot of the quotees forgot to add that he would of run them off the track and into the armco quicker than they could say "for sure" if it meant him winning a championship.

[11tenths]

Well, since you're from the UK, maybe that's about you and your affinity for Nigel? No worries, mate!

[Slippy Diff]

What difference does it make where I was born? I have no affinity to Nigel Mansell whatsoever as much as I don't to any current F1 driver. I am simply being subjective and do not wear rose tinted specs and for the life of me I can't find 'fawning' listed in my dictionary.
I understand where you are coming from, but quotes like that can be attributed to a multitude of drivers over the last 50 years.

[11tenths]

I don't doubt that. Ones' affinity belongs to oneself. The interesting part is how ya express it.

The trick is, if you think you've got 50 years worth of F1 history on file, last I checked ya 'gotta reprazent on here to claim your stake!

I'm open to understanding what's on file if that's your insuation. Just make make sure it applies to current regs.

So let's see it!

[Slippy Diff]

I am not sure you realise what I was trying to say. I am not disputing that those comments were made by or about Senna, more the fact that, that 'type' of comment can be made about many drivers or ,equally, can be a comment made by the same drivers themselves.

[11tenths]

Let us know when you're finished with that thought.

[Gt_R]

Hmm..kids bickering?

Senna's great no doubt, and that tribute has to be paid. But honestly, most of the quotes don't mean much, except for a couple, and that we can just change the name and use it on another driver.... (in fact, some of the quotes have been used on other drivers).

[Slippy Diff]

Originally posted by 11tenths
Let us know when you're finished with that thought.

hrug: So, have you realised what I was getting at or is that just another smug post?

GT_R, I can assure you that I was not bickering but merely pointing out what you have also pointed out. I still fail to see what is 'pretty special' about those quotes.

[Nicholosophy]

Back and forward, back and forward.

I thought this was a motorsport forum, not a tennis forum..

[Gt_R]

Indeed i see the quotes as just paying a respectable tribute to Senna, nothing really surprising nor special.

Except for two which particularly caught my eye:

1)"We were rivals, in and outside the lanes. And only now do I see how he was important to me. Half of my life is gone. He was my parameter." - Alain Prost, in the funeral.

It's always nice to see, when the war on track has ended and the dust settled, that all rivalry ends up as a deep respect and possibly friendship.

2) "Ayrton is the only driver able to equal my fifth championship." - Juan Manuel Fangio, in 1991

I think 5 is very much possible with Ayrton, but unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to make it. But i'm glad that Schumacher came along and finished what Senna din't get the chance to do, and deservedly so.

[Mattracer]

Very thoughtful quote from Prost. Beautiful tribute to him actually. Senna almost certaily would have felt the same. It just wasn't the same F1.

[11tenths]

Quotes like these and even these 'types' of quotes can be said about many, many people. I choose to call people like these heroes. They, like us, are human. People have strengths and weaknesses, and are not perfect in every aspect, last I checked. What people like Senna have done is find in themselves is a special ability to play the game of life well to their own strengths. A quality I greatly admire.

But, even still, you might not be getting the point yet.

So to all you players who choose to ignore greatness, _please_:

Do us all the favor of documenting and presenting a representative collection of quotes about someone elses' life in contest before you even _think_ about starting with an attitude of "what's so special" about Ayrton Senna after reading what his former competitors thought of the man.

Thanks.

Don't hate the player, hate the game. Really.

[ASCII Man]

Originally posted by Gt_R
2) "Ayrton is the only driver able to equal my fifth championship." - Juan Manuel Fangio, in 1991

I think 5 is very much possible with Ayrton, but unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to make it. But i'm glad that Schumacher came along and finished what Senna din't get the chance to do, and deservedly so.

I think Fangio meant that he equalled his fifth championship title, not his amount of 5 titles though.
Touching nonetheless...

[Adam43]

Originally posted by 11tenths
So to all you players who choose to ignore greatness,

You will struggle to find anyone in this forum who doesn't acknowledge some greatness in Senna and, I am fairly sure, everyone who has posted in this thread accepts it. If you think so I think you have missed the point of their post.

Originally posted by 11tenths But, even still, you might not be getting the point yet.

Your opening posts seemed to lack direction and maybe stopped people from seeing whatever point you were trying to make?:

Originally posted by 11tenths
_please_:

Do us all the favor of documenting and presenting a representative collection of quotes about someone elses' life in contest before you even _think_ about starting with an attitude of "what's so special"...

Tone it down a little, please. People round here are well versed in the life of Senna and are entitled to their opinion. He had a great racing spirit, which many love and many love that spirit in others too.

As for the quotes? I like a lot of them, but there is little to say about them.

[alesi95]

"I always said that my idols were Nikki Lauda and Gilles Villeneuve."


Really. I thought his idol was Fangio.

[11tenths]

Thanks for the post, will do. I take no great pleasure in posting just to defend my opinions, but the chips will fly when others try to insinuate their own slights upon them without equal basis.

The thing is, this only works when we respect others' rights to differ in opinion from our own, so I appreciate your concern, and the opinions and beliefs of others.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the quotes.

[Schummy]

It's always interesting to read words from someone who is/was great. But one of the worst ways to know about a person is hearing his/her own opinions about himself/herself. Sentences about racing in generaL are fine, though.

Another no good data is hearing someone speaking about someone else in his/her funeral!

When I hear someone's words I ask myself if he/she could afford/dare to say something different.

[11tenths]

Interesting, Schummy.

I find these days it's less about what someone does or does not dare to say as much as mean and do what they say.

Talk's pretty cheap, the saying goes, no matter what one dares to say.

[Dutton]

11tenths, I think you are interpreting there to be prejudices and problems with people that actually do not exist.

There has been a crossing of wires, me thinks.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Mattracer
Very thoughtful quote from Prost. Beautiful tribute to him actually. Senna almost certaily would have felt the same. It just wasn't the same F1.

.... and hasn't been since.

[Slippy Diff]

Originally posted by Dutton
11tenths, I think you are interpreting there to be prejudices and problems with people that actually do not exist.

There has been a crossing of wires, me thinks.

11tenths does not understand that, so I think one is wasting one's times over this issue. You would think that one would be able to see what one's fellow postees were trying to say. I think one should now forget one's posts and go back to one's breakfast.