Ayrton Senna is arguably one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers and McLaren is paying tribute with liveries on its F1 cars and of course, its Senna hypercar. Ayrton Senna raced for McLaren between 1988 to 1993, winning three Formula 1 World Championships while tragically passing away in 1994. The liveries include artwork created by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) on a pre-production McLaren Senna from McLaren’s own heritage collection.
This includes a one-off livery for the MCL38 Formula 1 cars that will be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix while the Senna Sempre livery features a hand-painted tribute to Ayrton applied on a pre-production McLaren Senna from McLaren’s own heritage collection. The Senna is the most extreme hypercar ever made and was first unveiled in 2017.
Inspired by Ayrton Senna’s legacy, the McLaren Senna bears both the name of the legendary Formula 1 driver and champion and the Senna ‘Double S’ logo alongside the McLaren badge. The Double S also features a visual tribute to the bespoke MCL38 Formula 1 car; the logo being visible on the blue panel bridging the vents housed within the front clamshell, which complements the Senna script on the bright green rear wing.
The colors also reflect the Brazilian flag, with bright yellow, green, and blue tones brought together using a wash technique newly developed by MSO. This technique allows the paints to blend into each other without creating any additional colors, while also evoking speed and the movement of a waving flag. This effect is also applied to the McLaren badge on the nose of the car.
Green and white border lines running around the car’s glasshouse and the venting at the base of the windscreen are directly inspired by the detailing on Ayrton Senna’s iconic race helmet design.
On the panels shrouding the large air intakes on the side of the car, MSO’s paint technicians have created two representations of Ayrton Senna. Applied by hand, the dot matrix effect comes to life from a distance, depicting him on and off track.
Contrasting with the bright gloss paint finishes, there is a satin finish exposed visual carbon fiber panels featuring on the car’s exterior and interior. Inside, you will find bespoke yellow Alcantara upholstery with green perforations and a white 12 o’clock marker on the car’s steering wheel. The sills of the black Alcantara upholstered doors are decorated with Ayrton Senna’s signature alongside his quotation explaining his ethics and philosophy; “I have no idols. I admire work, dedication, and competence.”
“Ayrton Senna was born to race, and his passion for performance and perfection lives on at McLaren. The McLaren Senna bears his name and embodies his spirit – it is the ultimate road-going McLaren for focused track performance, and this masterfully detailed inspiration captures Ayrton’s infectious energy. Our collaboration with McLaren Racing to honor the Senna racing legacy 30 years on is a shared celebration of Ayrton’s unique racing abilities, and the Monaco street circuit he made his own is the perfect place to reflect on his incredible achievements.” Michael Leiters, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive
