It’s 40 years since Ayrton Senna won his first Formula 1 Grand Prix at Estoril, and we will be commemorating that day with a poignant demonstration at the 82nd Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport.
The Lotus 97T that he drove to that famous victory in torrential rain will be firing up once again to complete a series of laps of the Goodwood Motor Circuit, for what is bound to be a hugely emotional and exciting moment.
Senna, a three-time F1 World Champion, will forever be remembered as one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, and while his death in 1994 meant we never got to see him in action at Goodwood, his memory has regularly provided some of the greatest moments at both the Members’ Meeting and the Festival of Speed.
Spectators at this year’s 82nd Members’ Meeting will be treated to the iconic sight of a John Player Special-liveried Lotus F1 car in motion on the Motor Circuit, and to cap it all off, Bruno Senna, whose helmet mimics that of his legendary uncle, will be behind the wheel to evoke memories of that remarkable day in 1985.
Senna’s victory was the first for Team Lotus since 1982, and the first since the death of the team’s founder Colin Chapman. It was a huge moment not only for him, but for Lotus, too, and Goodwood will rekindle those emotions after almost exactly 40 years.
A moment that will be replicated when that 1.5-litre turbocharged Renault Gordini engine roars into life on both Saturday and Sunday at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting. The mid-‘80s were the peak of power and performance in F1’s original turbo era, and with more than 800PS (588kW) and a 12,500rpm redline, we can’t wait to see this car returned to its natural habitat.
Bruno is no stranger to driving his uncle’s most famous racing cars at Goodwood. At the 78th Members’ Meeting he took to the Motor Circuit in Senna’s 1991 World Championship-winning McLaren MP4/6, putting on a memorable show that remains one of our favourite Members’ Meeting moments.
The 82nd Members’ Meeting is just the start of this particular celebration, though. Once the Lotus 97T has completed its running here at Goodwood, it’ll head on its way to Estoril, the scene of its first victory in the hands of Senna, for an emotional recreation on the 40th anniversary of that day.
Keep an eye out on all of our channels as we follow Lotus and Bruno throughout this hugely special occasion.
The 82nd Members’ Meeting will take place on 12th and 13th April 2025 and tickets are now limited for Members and Fellows of the GRRC.
Report by Simon Ostler
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