Bruno Senna
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Bruno Senna Lalli (born October 15, 1983 in Sao Paulo) is a Brazilian racecar driver and the nephew of three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna.
When leaving McLaren at the end of 1993, Ayrton Senna said: "If you think I'm good, just wait until you see my nephew Bruno." Ayrton had raced go-karts against Bruno on the family farm, and it was clear that Ayrton regarded his nephew's potential very highly. Ayrton's tragic death brought Bruno's fledgling racing career to an abrupt halt. But in Imola in 2004, around the 10th anniversary of his uncle's death, Bruno was given his uncle's 1986 Lotus 98T as a gift from an Italian friend. Bruno drove the car at the 2004 Formula One Brazilian GP in Sao Paulo, at Interlagos, where Ayrton had twice won.
Recently, Ayrton's old team mate Gerhard Berger has advised Bruno on career choices. Bruno's sister, Bianca, is currently managing his affairs and sponsorship acquisition.
After just five races in British Formula BMW and Formula Renault he moved on to British Formula Three in 2005 with results including 3 podium finishes in the last seven races of the 2005 season, in a car fielded by Räikkönen Robertson Racing, which was started by Kimi Räikkönen and business partner Steve Robertson.
He competed in the Formula Three support races at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix, winning three of the four races [1][2], and is running a second full season in British Formula 3 with Räikkönen Robertson Racing. He has also won the first two races of the 2006 British GP calendar, at Oulton Park.
He is running with his uncle's yellow and green helmet and the Ayrton Senna Foundation web page advertisement on the rear wing.
About Michael Schumacher, he has said that, "If my uncle had not died, Schumacher would have won two titles less."
He is currently in third place in 2006 British Formula Three championship, 46 points behind Double R teammate Mike Conway, and 6 points behind Carlin's Oliver Jarvis.
Bruno had a massive crash, during the first race of round 5 of the championship at Snetterton. On lap 2, he and Hitech Racing's Salvador Durán clashed wheels on the Revett Straight (the fastest straight in Britain[1]) at nearly 150 mph. Bruno's car took off just before the bridge, and may have even clipped it, while cartwheeling through the air.[2] His car landed violently and careered along and down the safety barrier for some distance, but Bruno walked away. His car however was damaged beyond immediate repair, thus meaning that Senna missed the rest of the meeting.
In October 2006 he appeared in a five-part weekly series called Vroom Vroom on British TV station Sky One. Each week he would drive a different car being tested on the show, as quickly as possible, to the top of a multi-storey car park.
As recently as October 2006, Bruno has stated his targeted goal of being on the Formula One grid by 2009.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Snetterton website
- ^ page 72, Autosport magazine - July 20, 2006
