Forty years after Ayrton Senna's maiden Formula 1 victory at the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, the iconic Lotus 97T will return to the Estoril circuit in a special tribute to the legendary driver.
Ayrton Senna's nephew - and former F1 driver himself - Bruno Senna, will drive the pioneering racing car that his uncle steered to his legendary first F1 win.
The event, scheduled for the 21st of April, marks the 40th anniversary of Senna's historic achievement and also coincides with the 75th anniversary of Formula 1, highlighting Lotus's significant contribution to the sport.
Senna's victory at Estoril is remembered as a masterclass in wet-weather driving, where he lapped nearly the entire field to secure the first of his 41 F1 wins. Senna himself considered this his greatest drive, even above his famous 1993 Donington victory that many hold up as his finest win, with the man himself quoted as saying “No way! I had traction control there. It was a good win but compared with Estoril ‘85 it was nothing."
The Lotus 97T is most notable for being the first to feature vertical aerodynamic devices behind the front wheels, which evolved into modern F1 bargeboards, and before its return to Estoril, the car will also make an appearance at the 82nd Goodwood Members' Meeting on April 12th and 13th.
“For Team Lotus, Ayrton’s arrival was a defining moment," said Clive Chapman, managing director of Classic Team Lotus, and son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman.
"His talent, technical understanding and relentless drive helped push the team forward. This anniversary allows us to relive that magic and honour his legacy.
"Bruno Senna’s commemorative drive at Estoril promises to be an emotional and historic moment, bringing the past full circle and cementing Senna’s enduring impact on motorsport."
Senna drove for Team Lotus from 1985 to 1987, a period marked by intense competition in the turbocharged era of Formula 1. The Lotus 97T, produced in 1985, was powered by a turbocharged Renault EF15 V6 engine with an output of between 580kW and 630kW, depending on its state of tune.
