Born on February 3, Chico Serra played a crucial role in Ayrton Senna’s journey to becoming a professional driver in Europe.

Already an established name in the junior categories in England – including experience in F1 – Serra was instrumental in Senna’s initial negotiations to enter Formula Ford. He was also a trusted advisor and friend during Ayrton’s challenging years in England between 1981 and 1983.

As depicted in the first episode of Netflix’s Senna series, both Chico and Ralph Firman, head of the Van Diemen team, referred to Senna as a “quick man.” Ayrton was eager to secure a deal with more test sessions at a lower cost to join Firman’s team, confident in his ability to deliver strong results. The partnership proved successful, leading to Senna’s Formula Ford 1600 and FF2000 titles.

Additionally, Chico advised the young driver to change the name on his cockpit from “Ayrton da Silva” to “Ayrton Senna.” According to Chico, this change was made at the start of Senna’s British F3 campaign and ultimately remained for the rest of the three-time Formula 1 champion’s career.

In an exclusive interview with Senna TV, Chico also highlighted how unique Senna’s driving style was in karting. “Ayrton was extremely fast, very daring, and had an aggressive style. That was evident from his early karting days. Without a doubt, he is the greatest driver of all time,” Chico said.

After competing in 18 Formula 1 races between 1981 and 1983, Chico Serra went on to have a successful career in various racing categories. In Brazil, he became a three-time Stock Car champion (1999, 2000, and 2001) and today follows the career of his son, Daniel Serra, who has also won three Stock Car titles in the country’s premier motorsport series.