Senna won three Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles with McLaren , and—at the time of his death —held the record for most pole positions 65 , among others ; he won 41 Grands Prix across 11 seasons.
After twice finishing runner-up at the Karting World Championship , Senna progressed to Formula Ford in , dominating the British and European championships in his debut seasons. After scoring several podium finishes in his rookie season, Senna moved to Lotus in to replace Nigel Mansell , taking his maiden pole position and victory at the rain-affected Portuguese Grand Prix , a feat he repeated in Belgium.
He remained at Lotus for his and campaigns, scoring multiple wins in each and finishing third in the latter World Drivers' Championship. Senna took seven victories, including his home Grand Prix in Brazil , as he secured his third title in The dominant Williams - Renault combination prevailed throughout his remaining two seasons at McLaren, with Senna achieving several race wins in each, including his record-breaking sixth Monaco Grand Prix victory in on his way to again finishing runner-up to Prost in the championship.
Senna negotiated a move to Williams for his campaign, replacing the retired Prost to partner Damon Hill. His state funeral was attended by an estimated three million people. Following subsequent safety reforms , he was the last fatality in the Formula One World Championship until Jules Bianchi in Senna achieved 41 wins , 65 pole positions , 19 fastest laps and 80 podiums in Formula One; he remains a legendary figure within motorsport for his raw speed and aggressive driving style, and is frequently cited as a national hero of Brazil.
Senna was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Senna was highly athletic—excelling in gymnastics and other sports—and developed an interest in cars and motor racing by the age of four.
