Everyone is well aware of the unwavering determination Ayrton Senna brought to car racing, from the start of his career through the Formula One years, where he earned the title of world champion three times. Many also recall the Brazilian’s deep respect for cars, the objects he valued most in the sport’s premier category. Yet Senna was also a motorcycle aficionado. On this May 1st, marking 32 years since his passing, Ducati brought together for the first time in history the motorcycles that carry the mark of the Brazilian idol. And it happened at a landmark venue in his career: the Interlagos Autodrome, in São Paulo (SP).
During “Senna Day,” a street-racing event held at the sports plaza in the southern district of São Paulo, the Italian manufacturer brought together three models bearing the champion’s name: the Ducati 916 Senna, the Ducati Panigale S Senna, which recently was showcased in a tribune dedicated to the three-time champion at the São Paulo Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the Ducati Monster 341, the latest and which also carries the driver’s name.
The Ducati 916 Senna was produced in a limited run of only 301 units in 1994, incorporating modifications proposed years earlier by Ayrton. The model features carbon-fiber components that reduce weight, and it sports a gray color with orange wheels. The bike was launched at the end of 1994, though it had been approved by the rider months before. It houses a Superquadro twin-cylinder L engine displacing 1,198 cm³, delivering 114 hp, with a top speed of 263 km/h.
Years later, in 2014, the Italian manufacturer introduced the Ducati Panigale S Senna, limited to 161 units, the same number of Grands Prix Ayrton contested in F1. The model is equipped with a Superquadro two-cylinder L-twin engine capable of generating 195 hp and 13.4 kgf.m of torque, weighs 166.5 kilograms, and, with a six-speed gearbox, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.0 seconds. The top speed is 298 km/h. The color scheme mirrors that of the Ducati 916 Senna.
Now the Ducati Monster Senna 341, a name chosen to echo the three world titles and Senna’s 41 victories, was released in 2024, the year the driver’s legacy marked 30 years. The special edition of the model had 341 units produced and features a Testastretta engine of 911 cm³ delivering 111 hp and 9.4 kgf.m of torque. It uses a six-speed transmission, and the maximum speed was not disclosed.
During the display of the motorcycles, held at the Senna S corner of the Interlagos circuit, were in attendance Bianca Senna, Ayrton’s niece and CEO of Senna Brands, and Daniel Paixão, CEO of Ducati Brasil, who posed for photos with the vehicles.
“Those who know me know that I, being Portuguese, am a fan of Senna, and to be able to do this and, on top of that, to be here with Ducati, which he was a big admirer of, and to carry out this tribute and all the preparation is something indescribable. There are no words. We can only be glad to help and to participate,” Paixão said to journalists at the Interlagos Autodrome.
In addition to the motorcycles, Senna Day featured other vehicles from Ayrton Senna’s history at Interlagos. Among them were the Honda NSX, a model that benefited from the driver’s input during its development, and the Audi S4. There was also the Lotus 98T, the model driven by the three-time champion in the 1986 season, when Senna triumphed in Detroit and Jerez.
