Ayrton Senna da Silva

Ayrton Senna da Silva was born on 21 March 1960 in Santana, a neighbourhood of São Paulo, Brazil, he developed an interest in cars and motor racing at the age of four. The 30^th Macau Grand Prix in 1983 was held over two legs of fierce battle with the first-ever Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. It was his first and only visit to Macao, Senna had qualified with a fastest lap of 2:22.02, putting him on pole position for the start of the first leg.

Losing out at the start of the first leg to the more experienced Grand Prix driver Roberto Guerrero beside him, Senna executed a pass that left the Columbian in awe, going on to cross the line with 6 seconds lead to take victory in the opening leg. Senna won the second leg with ease and, took the first Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix victory. He took the lead in the race and his lap record of Formula 3 has been kept for 7 years. 

Senna summed up his first experience of the Guia Circuit, “I think it is a very challenging circuit. You have got very high straight line speed. I think the fastest ever in Formula 3, around 150mph. Then, suddenly you have to go really slow on the tight bends on top of the hill. You are not allowed for a little mistake at all, otherwise you crash.”