Donington focuses on Senna

The life of Ayrton Senna will be a central theme of the 2013 Donington Historic Festival, when two anniversaries that link Senna to the East Midlands track will be celebrated.

The third Historic Festival will run on May 4/5 and marks the 30th anniversary of Senna’s first Fl test, at Donington in July 1983. Senna tested Keke Rosberg’s Monaco GP-winning Williams FW08 and immediately impressed onlookers.

A decade later, in April 1993, Senna scored one of his most famous Grand Prix victories when he passed several rivals during the opening lap en route to winning the very wet GP of Europe — Donington’s only F1 world championship race.

As well as tributes to Senna, including displays of his cars, the Donington Historic Festival will feature two days of racing for cars from the 1920s through to the 1990s.