While 1988 marked the realization of Ayrton Senna’s dream of winning his first world title, the following season was one of the most intense for the Brazilian. Beyond the heated rivalry with teammate Alain Prost at McLaren, the way Senna lost his chance to fight for a second championship was a heavy blow to the driver’s strong convictions.
Attention: from now on, you will read information that describes some moments from the series.
Episode 5 – Hero
In addition to disqualifying Senna from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix—stripping away a hard-earned victory on track and the opportunity to contend for the title—the FISA, led by Frenchman Jean-Marie Balestre, further demanded that the Brazilian apologize for his harsh criticism of the organization. Without this letter, Senna would not have received his Super License to compete in 1990.
Find out more details about the story here.
Another true detail, portrayed in Episode 5 of the series, is that McLaren temporarily registered test driver Jonathan Palmer as a starter for 1990 alongside Gerhard Berger while Senna’s future remained uncertain. A curious fact is also shown: in his letter, the Brazilian maintained his convictions, but Ron Dennis ultimately resolved the situation with FISA, securing Senna’s place in the championship.
Amid the many controversies, Balestre traveled to São Paulo for the 1990 Grand Prix, where he faced one of the loudest boos in F1 history—a scene depicted in the series as the official appeared at Interlagos, one of his few visits that year.
It was in his Brazilian fans that Senna found the strength to defy the system. While the character “Marcelo Silva” and his letter to the Brazilian are fictional, it was common for Senna to read fan mail, and his mother, Neyde, archived the best ones. On Senna TV, we even showcased one such letter, preserved for over 25 years and handed to Luciano Tsuda, who later became a cameraman in Japan.
Of course, not all fans from other countries were on Senna’s side, as shown in earlier episodes set in England. A particularly emblematic clash is portrayed in Episode 5, with Senna winning the 1990 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, overcoming rival Alain Prost and thousands of Ferrari supporters.
This victory was critical for Senna’s second championship, bringing him to 72 points against Prost’s 56. An interesting detail: the win also earned Senna an unprecedented prize – a bet with Ron Dennis allowed him to keep the race-winning car, chassis number 6 of the MP4/5B McLaren, even in a race where Ferrari was considered the favorite.

With this result, Senna once again arrived in Suzuka to fight for the title, his third consecutive opportunity. This time, the scenario was reversed compared to 1989—Prost had to win to extend the championship fight. If neither driver scored points, Senna would become champion. Senna claimed pole position, but contrary to what had been agreed with the stewards, FISA kept the pole position on the dirtier part of the track, off the racing line.
Senna’s battle against the “system” became increasingly evident, taking on cinematic proportions when the Suzuka chicane controversy arose during the driver briefing. Nelson Piquet argued that the previous year’s confusion showed it was much safer to pass through the tire barriers inside the chicane than to reenter against the flow of traffic.
Everyone agreed, and Senna became infuriated. The dialogue portrayed in the series is identical to the real-life incident and can also be seen in Asif Kapadia’s 2010 documentary “Senna,” available on Netflix. Balestre’s authoritarian personality is further highlighted with his infamous line: “The best decision is my decision.”


Although the crash with Prost at Suzuka in 1990 was clearly retaliation for what had occurred in 1989, Senna faced sharp criticism from the media, especially in Britain. The questioning from three-time world champion Jackie Stewart led Senna to utter one of his most famous statements about a driver’s mindset: “If you no longer go for a gap, you’re no longer a racing driver”. Jackie himself discussed the topic on Senna TV.
The episode “Hero” also includes footage of Senna with his family, such as bringing gifts for his three nephews. “We joked that when he arrived, it was like Santa Claus coming, always with something new, especially from Japan,” says Bianca Senna. Neyde Senna’s care for media articles about her son is also highlighted in the episode and continues today through the Ayrton Senna Memorial, as explained in a video by Julia Lalli on Senna TV:
The gesture of raising the Brazilian flag to share victories with his fans is also depicted in Episode 5. This tradition began with his win in Detroit in 1986 while driving for Lotus.
Undoubtedly, some of the most memorable articles come from the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix. It felt like a Hollywood script, but Senna’s first F1 victory on home soil truly happened in dramatic fashion. After building a 40-second lead, his McLaren’s gearbox began to fail, eventually getting stuck in sixth gear—making it seemingly impossible to finish the race.
The euphoria of the crowd, which often gathered at the Senna family home in São Paulo’s northern zone, was commonplace in those triumphant times. Ayrton’s desire to make a difference in the lives of thousands of Brazilians, expressed during a conversation with Viviane Senna, became the seed for the creation of the Instituto Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Episode 5 concludes with Senna’s third world championship, once again at Suzuka, this time facing Nigel Mansell’s Williams. It is also true that Senna gave up the race win to allow his teammate, Gerhard Berger, to claim his first Grand Prix victory for McLaren.
Despite Williams’ dominance in the following years, 1992 and 1993, the episode still highlights Senna’s epic moments, such as his second victory at Interlagos, where he outperformed Prost and Hill’s Williams cars, which were up to two seconds per lap faster on a dry track. While Senna couldn’t secure a fourth title—he even attempted to join Williams—Prost’s veto delayed the Brazilian’s move until the Frenchman’s retirement at the end of 1993, finally opening the door for Senna in 1994.
Article originally produced for the website Senna.com by Rodrigo França.