What Could Have Been: Brundle vs. Senna

Martin Brundle had the skill and passion to be a Formula One World Champion, but he never had the car to prove it.

Brundle learned the hard way that Formula One does not always reward talent; it takes a bit of luck as well.

In his 12 year F1 career he managed a mere 9 podiums in 158 starts. That dismal record had a lot more to do with the cars he drove than his own racing ability.

Brundle proved himself a skillful driver in other forms of racing. In 1988 he won the World Sportscar Championship and in 1990 he won the Le Mans 24-Hour race.

Rewind to the British Formula Three championship in 1983. The result of that year’s title race is possibly the determining factor as to why Brundle never won an F1 title, let alone an F1 race.

What stood between Brundle and a successful F1 career was rising Brazilian star Ayrton Senna. The two would go gearbox to gearbox the entire 83′ season.

Brundle drove a Ralt-Toyota for Eddie Jordan’s F3 team and similarly Senna drove a Ralt-Toyota for Dick Bennetts’ West Surrey Racing team.

Although this was Senna’s first season in F3 he was the heavy favorite which perplexed Brundle because this was his third season in F3:

"I couldn’t understand that he was perceived to be a clear favourite to take the F3 championship. I am not saying I was offended, but it caught my attention. It was a kind of warning, wasn’t it?”

A warning sign indeed. Senna won the first nine races and seemed to have built an insurmountable lead.

Brundle did not give up. In the next race at Silverstone, Senna put his car on pole early in qualifying. The British driver responded late in qualifying snatching pole from what Brundle later describes as a “flustered” Senna. Brundle went on to win the race defeating Senna for the first time.

The next race Brundle won and continued his momentum to Snetterton. Brundle was leading halfway through the race when Senna tried to pass him resulting in a collision that took Senna out of the race. Brundle held on to win his third race in a row. The incident just added to the growing drama and showed what Brundle thought was a psychological edge he gained on Senna.

Three races later at Oultan Park Senna attempted to overtake Brundle again, but this time took both drivers out of the race.

This did not faze Brundle as he was in the middle of a stretch that saw him win seven of ten races.

From twenty-two points down, Brundle climbed all the way back and held a one point lead heading into the final race at Thruxton.

Senna took pole for the fifteenth time that season and never looked back. Brundle finished third and Senna won the championship.

Brundle’s failure to win the title may have cost him a shot at a competitive car in F1. He joined the struggling Tyrrell Racing team in 1984 while Senna joined the Toleman team.

Senna was destined to be on a competitive team even before the F3 season. McLaren was already interested and it was just a matter of time for Senna.

Brundle in his Tyrrell

Brundle scored points in his F1 first race finishing fifth in Brazil while Senna retired. Although these points were later stripped from Brundle after it was discovered Tyrrell had technical infringements.

The following year Senna went to Lotus before moving to Honda-McLaren three years later and the rest is history. Senna was driving with competitive teams while Brundle  was stuck racing for mid-pack and weaker teams.

Fast forward to 1992, Brundle finally was on a competitive team. He was partnered with a young Michael Schumacher for Benetton Ford. Five of his nine podium finishes came in 92′. Unfortunately for the Brit his time at Benetton was short lived. He was dropped the following year for Riccardo Patrese.

Brundle in his 1992 Benetton Ford

That was the one and only chance Brundle had to showcase his driving talent on a quality team in F1.

It is unfortunate that a driver with so much oozing potential never saw the cards fall his way. Senna and Brundle’s rivalry in F3 showed the racing world just a peak at what could have been a historic rivalry in F1.

Work Cited

Folley, Malcolm. Senna Versus Prost. United Kingdom, Arrow Books, 2010.