Incredibly thoughtful and highly passionate, Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian former F1 world champion, has displayed extraordinary feats at the wheel of a motor racing car. He joined Formula 1 in 1984 with Toleman and later drove for various teams, including Lotus, McLaren, and Williams.
During his 10 years in F1, he was part of a total of 161 Grands Prix, impressively winning 41. The Brazilian won three F1 World Championships in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
Unfortunately, he died on 1 May 1994 after his Williams FW16 crashed into a concrete barrier while he led the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
What is Ayrton Senna's net worth?
$ 200.000.000
Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian former F1 driver, had a net worth of $200 million at the time of his death in 1994. This makes approximately $350 million today. At the peak of his career, he was being paid $1 million per race. Moreover, he got millions more through sponsorship deals. In 1994, Williams agreed to pay him $20 million annually.
| Net worth | $ 200 million |
| Salary from Williams | $ 20 million |
| Investments | $ 20 million |
| Assets | – |
| Loans and liabilities | None |
Ayrton Senna salary from Williams
$ 20.000.000
Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian F1 legend, raced for various teams during his career. At his prime, he earned $1 million per race. In 1994, the year he had his accident, he joined Williams who paid him $20 million yearly.
Table of Contents
Watch this video to see more of Ayrton Senna’s lifestyle.
Ayrton Senna Endorsements
The Formula 1 legend, Ayrton Senna, had two major sponsors, the banking company Banerj and the denim company Pool. During his time with McLaren, he was sponsored by Philip Morris. He was also a brand ambassador for TAG Heuer.
Key takeaways
- Ayrton Senna da Silva was born into a wealthy family, on 21 March 1960 to his parents, Milton Guirado da Silva, a land and factory owner, and his wife, Neide Senna da Silva.
- Senna made his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix with Toleman in 1984. On the rainy tracks of the Monaco Grand Prix, he showed the world his phenomenal racing skills.
- In the final race of the 1988 season, in a rain-soaked Suzuka, Senna fought through the pack and won his first Championship title.
- His first home-country win in the Brazilian Grand Prix of the 1991 season was one of his most emotional and significant victories.
- During his 10 years in F1, he was part of a total of 161 Grands Prix, impressively winning 41. The Brazilian won three F1 World Championships in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
- At the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, the third race of the season, the unimaginable happened, and Senna crashed at the Tamburello corner, which resulted in his death.
- He had a net worth of $200 million, making him one of the wealthiest F1 drivers.
Learn more about Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna, one of motorsport’s most legendary figures, won the world championship three times, proving his impeccable driving skills. During his career, he scored 610 points, took 65 pole positions, and had 41 Grand Prix wins. He died in a tragic accident in the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994; however, his legacy still lives.
| Full Name | Ayrton Senna da Silva |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Date of Birth | March 21st, 1960 |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches |
| Weight | 76kg |
| Salary | $20 million |
Early life
Ayrton Senna da Silva was born into a wealthy family, on 21 March 1960 to his parents, Milton Guirado da Silva, a land and factory owner, and his wife, Neide Senna da Silva. He had two other siblings, Viviane and Leonardo. He was a huge fan of sports, and his interest in motor racing began at the age of 4. By the age of 7, he had learned to drive a jeep.
He went to the Colegio Rio Branco and graduated in 1977. He started karting at the age of 13 and won the South American Kart Championship in 1977. He took part in the Karting World Championship for the next 4 years. He later moved on to Formula Ford and won the British and European Formula Ford 2000 championships in 1982.
Before making his debut in Formula 1 in 1984, he also took part in the British Formula Three Championship.
Formula 1 Career
Toleman (1984)
Senna made his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix with Toleman in 1984. On the rainy tracks of the Monaco Grand Prix, he showed the world his phenomenal racing skills. Although his car faced technical issues during most of the season, he managed to finish 9th in the World Driver’s Championship.
Lotus (1985–1987)
Due to Toleman’s limited resources, Senna decided to join Lotus in 1985. He was partnered with an Italian driver, Elio de Angelis. In the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, the Brazilian took the first pole position of his Formula 1 career and eventually won that race. He finished the season by taking 5th in the Driver’s World Championship.
For the 1986 season, he was partnered with Johnny Dumfries. He started the season well and, with a total of 55 points, took 4th place in the driver’s standings once again. That year, Senna also started a ritual of waving the Brazilian flag every time he won a race.
For the 1987 F1 season, Senna had a new partner, Japanese driver Satoru Nakajima. He had a mixed season during the first few races and soon realized that he needed to switch teams if he wanted to reach his towering ambitions. He still managed to score 57 points and took a total of six podium finishes before taking third place in the World Driver’s Championship.
McLaren (1988–1993)
(1988 – 1990)
He signed a contract with McLaren for the 1988 season. He was partnered with Alain Prost, who had twice won the F1 championship title. At the Monaco Grand Prix, Senna managed to out-qualify Prost; however, he crashed his car into the barriers. That year, the pair won 15 out of a total of 16 races, resulting in Senna achieving his first Formula One world championship title by taking eight wins as opposed to Prost’s seven.
In 1989, the rivalry between Senna and Prost deepened. Although Senna won the first three races, he lost to Prost in the next four due to technical faults in his car. It all came down to the season’s final race in Suzuka, where the two McLarens collided, resulting in Senna being disqualified and Prost winning the World Championship for the third time.
For the 1990 season, Senna was paired with Gerhard Berger, as Prost had moved to Ferrari. He took the lead that season by achieving six wins, two second-place finishes, and three third-place. At the final race, once again in Suzuka, Prost took the lead; however, a repeated collision between the two resulted in Senna achieving his second World Championship title.
(1991-1993)
Senna won the first four races in 1991. In the newly designed Williams-Renault, Nigel Mansell tried putting up a challenge. Still, he was defeated by the zealous Brazilian, who took his third championship title, making him the youngest ever three-time world champion. He also won the “International Racing Driver Award” for the third time, previously winning it in 1988 and 1990.
Although Senna won a number of races in 1992, throughout the season, he had heated battles with German rising star Michael Schumacher, who ultimately won the championship title, leaving Senna with a fourth place in the Driver’s championship.
After finishing second in the 1993 season’s first Grand Prix in South Africa, Senna won the Brazil and European Grand Prix, the latter being one of his phenomenal victories. He achieved a second-place finish in Spain and a record-breaking sixth win at Monaco. By the end of the season’s races, Senna had met a number of mechanical failures, and he took his final F1 career win at the season’s last race in Australia. He finished the season by taking the runner-up position in the Driver’s Championship, while Prost won his fourth world title and headed for retirement.
Williams (1994)
With Prost’s retirement, Senna finally joined Williams for the 1994 season, for which he was paid a $20 million salary. Before the beginning of the season, he expressed his discomfort with handling his car, as he initially struggled with the fast but difficult drive, FW16. He started the season by taking a pole position in the Brazil Grand Prix and failing to score any points, making it one of his worst starts to a Formula 1 Season.
At the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. In the third race of the season, the unimaginable happened. Senna crashed heavily at the Tamburello corner on lap six, during which his car’s front right wheel and attached suspension struck him on the head, leading to his unfortunate death. His death came just 24 hours after another driver, Roland Ratzenberger, died at the same track.
His death sent shock waves through F1 as it saw one of its brightest stars leave the world.
Highlights
- Senna made his F1 debut at his home race in 1984.
- His best race of 1984 was in a rain-soaked Monaco, where he dragged his car by the scruff of its neck, storming from 13th on the grid to finish second overall.
- In the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, the Brazilian took the first pole position of his Formula 1 career and eventually won that race.
- In the Monaco Grand Prix in 1988, he dominated and displayed impeccable driving skills as he out-qualified Prost, leading most of the race before crashing on lap 67.
- In the final race of the 1988 season, in a rain-soaked Suzuka, Senna fought through the pack and won his first Championship title.
- In Japan Grand Prix’s final race of the 1990 season, Prost took the lead; however, a repeated collision between the two resulted in Senna achieving his second World Championship title.
- His first home-country win in the Brazillian Grand Prix of the 1991 season was one of his most emotional and significant victories.
- In 1991, the Brazilian became the youngest ever three-time world champion, taking seven wins and increasing his pole position record to 60.
- Even though in 1992, William’s cars were more advanced, Senna showed his outstanding driving skills and went on to win the Monaco, Hungary, and Italy Grand Prix.
- In the European Grand Prix 1993, in Donnington, he unleashed his wet track skills, mesmerizing the crowds and making it one of the most incredible laps in history.
- The Australian Grand Prix, the final for the 1993 season, was his last race with McLaren, along with being his last pole position and win.
- At the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, the third race of the season, the unimaginable happened, and Senna crashed at the Tamburello corner, which resulted in his death.
“I am not designed to come second or third. I am designed to win.” - Ayrton Senna
Favorite Quotes from Aryton Senna
The Formula 1 legend and star Ayrton Senna was a man of selfless personality. During his lifetime, he has enlightened his fans and fellow F1 drivers with some great words. Listed below are some of the favorite quotes from one of the most extraordinary Formula 1 drivers of all time.
- “Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose.”
- “If you have God on your side, everything becomes clear.”
- “I have no idols. I admire work, dedication and competence.”
- “Because in a split second, it’s gone.”
- “I am not designed to come second or third. I am designed to win.”
- “Money is a strange business. People who haven’t got it aim strongly. People who have are full of troubles.”
- “Winning is the most important. Everything is a consequence of that.”
- “Fear is exciting for me.”
- “Women – always in trouble with them, but can’t live without them.”
- “My biggest error? Something that is yet to happen.”
- “It’s going to be a season with lots of accidents, and I’ll risk saying that we’ll be lucky if something really serious doesn’t happen.”
Ayrton Senna Personal Life
Ayrton Senna had been married to Lilian De Vasconcelos Souza; however, they were only married for a short while, from 1981 to 1983. Senna and Lilian had been childhood friends, with their respective mothers being friends as well. They reportedly parted ways because Senna was more interested in racing than starting a family.
Death
The triple Formula 1 champion, Ayrton Senna, died on May 1, 1994, while he lost control of his FW16 on the San Marino Grand Prix at Italy’s Imola circuit, crashing into a concrete wall, causing his car’s front right wheel and attached suspension to pierce through his helmet, which resulted in fatal injuries. Even though he was flown to hospital 37 minutes after the crash, he was shortly announced dead.
This was his third race with the Formula 1 team Williams, which he joined after leaving McLaren in 1993.
Trivia
- His very first Formula 1 race in Monaco is still considered, to this day, one of the greatest drives of all time. He remains an unmatched master of Monaco, winning on the tracks six times.
- He was also a fantastic chess player and often played with Sir Frank Williams.
- He could shift gears with either hand under immense pressure.
- He had a philosophical way of looking at things.
- Senna predicted someone would die in the exact place he died.
- He saved the life of a fellow driver, Erik Comas, by shutting off his engine so it wouldn’t catch fire and holding his neck until paramedics arrived.
- When he died, they found an Austrian flag in his car that he had decided to wave, after winning the race, in memory of Roland Ratzenberger, who had died qualifying the day before.
- To date, every single F1 car made by Williams has Senna’s face or logo as a tribute to him.
- Over three million people lined the streets for his funeral procession, making it one of the largest funerals in history.
- After his fatal accident, his nephew, Bruno Senna, whom Senna regarded as a better driver than himself, was forced to give up a promising racing career.
- He was passionate about helping the poor community of his homeland and had donated an estimated $400 million of his personal fortune to children’s charities.
- Before racing, he would observe and study every little detail of the car he would drive.
What else does he own?
Aryton Senna owned the family business, Senna Import, which also signed a contract with Audi for importing and selling Audi cars in Brazil.
Ayrton Senna cars
Ayrton Senna, three-time F1 World Champion, was a huge fan of fast cars, both on and off track. The Ford Escort XR3, Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti along with the Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC C126 were a few of his personal cars during his early career.
Some of the other cars he owned were:
- Audi S4, which he received as part of a business deal with Audi.
- Honda NSX, which he helped develop.
- Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16, the first Mercedes to join his car collection, which he won in a “Race Of Champions”.
- Porsche 930 cabriolet, which he bought in 1987.
Ayrton Senna House
Ayrton Senna lived in a European Home in Portugal at a lovely place called Quinta Do Lago. The 6-bedroom luxury mansion featured a flood-lit tennis court/soccer pitch, children’s climbing frame, an inset trampoline, along with a huge swimming pool heated by solar panels. However, his beautiful villa was up for sale in 2015.
During the 1980s, the Brazilian star also lived in a rented house in the village of Tilehurst, near Reading. He had also lived with some of his close friends in Chelsea Close, on Pottery Road Estate.
Ayrton Senna boat/yacht
Although Ayrton Senna did not own any yacht or boat during his lifetime, ISA Yachts, along with designer Enrico Gobbi, paid tribute to the Brazilian Formula 1 star by creating the Ayrton Yacht series, which had a total of three different models, the Ayrton 63, Ayrton 50 and Ayrton 70.
Ayrton Senna Charity
In his home country, Brazil, Ayrton Senna was termed a god. He regularly donated to different charities to uplift the poor. He especially donated to charities to educate Brazil’s children. After his death, it was reported that he had spent $400 million of his personal wealth on children’s charities.
After his death, his sister founded a charity, The Ayrton Senna Institute, a non-profit organization providing opportunities for Brazilian students to develop their potential through quality education.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Ayrton Senna earn in a year in F1?
How rich was Ayrton Senna?
Why was Ayrton Senna so rich?
Where did Ayrton Senna get his money?
Was Ayrton Senna a billionaire?
Ayrton Senna net worth compared to active Formula 1 drivers
Ayrton Senna is one of the greatest names in F1 history. At the time of his death, he had a networth of $200 million, making him one of the wealthiest F1 drivers. He has a higher net worth as compared to most active F1 drivers. If he were alive today, his net worth would be $350 million, which is higher than Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who have a net worth of $250 million and $285 million, respectively. If compared to drivers like Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, the former Brazilian legend has a much higher net worth.
Ayrton Senna's net worth compared to former Formula 1 drivers
Ayrton Senna, thrice World Champion, had a net worth of $200 million, making him one of the richest F1 drivers. Compared to other former motor racers, his net worth is on the higher end. His rivals, Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell, have net worths of $185 million and $90 million, respectively, making Senna’s net worth higher. However, he still falls way behind the former five-time winner of the world championship, Michael Schumacher, who has a whopping net worth of $780-800 million.
Conclusion
One of Formula 1’s most legendary drivers, Ayrton Senna, remains an example of raw talent and allure. While he soared in his career, he never forgot his roots. He is remembered for his fierce competition and an overpowering desire to win. During his F1 career, he won the championship three times and won a total of 41 Grand Prix.
At the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, the unimaginable happened. Senna’s car crashed at the Tamburello corner, resulting in his death. Although it has almost been three decades since his death, his legacy goes beyond winning world championships and races.
