Senna, Pele and Fangio: Ayrton's 'electric' final Brazilian GP win

Most cars came in for wet tyres, but Prost stayed out, and immediately paid the price. Heading into the first corner, the Williams man lost control and smashed into Minardi’s Christian Fittipaldi – he was out.

After a safety car period to allow the downpour to pass, Damon Hill led Senna with the field setting off on an-already drying track.

In a typically masterful judgement, the McLaren made the call earlier than the Williams to go back to dry tyres. When Hill emerged from the pits after his switch, the Brazilian bore down menacingly before throwing his MP4/8 up the inside at Ferrardura.

Despite running on the soaking wet asphalt off-line, Senna showed beautiful car control to brake late and slingshot past, with the home fans sent into raptures.

Fangio – Senna’s only hero

From there the race was his – the memory is still vivid for Ramirez as ever.

“It was electric, the Brazilian tifosi, with the way they celebrate, are some of the best in the world,” he says. “It was one of those races, with a little bit of rain in the air, the atmosphere was perfect.”

“Of course, Juan Manuel Fangio was there to give him the trophy, that made it very special.”

The five-time champion, who was then F1’s most successful driver, held a unique place in the heart of Senna.

“Ayrton never had any heroes except for Fangio, and Fangio said he saw himself in Ayrton. They got on really well. Fangio also gave me a reference for my first job in F1 with Maserati. He was very significant for both of us.”

From there, more South American sporting legends joined the celebrations.

“Of course that evening we have the most unbelievable party in a nightclub in Sao Paulo,” he says.

“If you can you imagine, we were then joined by Pele! Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the grand Pele! Incredible.

“It was such a big battle that year,” Ramirez says of the fight to keep Senna. “After the Hungarian Grand Prix, I got a lift with Ayrton in his private jet down to Monaco before we headed on our respective summer holidays.

“As I was going to the plane, Ron said, ‘You know what your job is? You just have to convince him, whatever it takes, to stop him talking to Williams and stay with us.’ That was my mission.”

Despite his best efforts to sway Senna’s mind, Ramirez found himself up against an immovable roadblock.

“I gave all the arguments I could give to Ayrton, the plans, the new car etc. But the one thing I had no answer to was when he said ‘Look, I want to win races not just with McLaren.’

“’I want to win races and championships with other teams. I want to have a more complete career.’

“’Fangio won five world championships with four different cars. I want to be like him.”

Sure enough Senna was signed to Williams for a ’94 tenure which would end in tragedy, but as is well documented his short stay was not a contented one.

“We failed to keep him but you know, he was never really happy at Williams,” says Ramirez.

“He would come to the McLaren motorhome to have his morning coffee, we were still friends.

“Ayrton asked me to get him a helicopter after the race [at Imola in ’94, which he would sadly never take]. He said, ‘At Williams I may be the best-paid member in the team but nobody does anything for you. I have to do it all myself.’

“It was that was very nice that we remained friends. Ron Dennis and I, we always knew that eventually he would come back to McLaren.”

Despite the hugely bittersweet memories from Senna’s final year at McLaren, Ramirez still says it has a special place in the mind of those at Woking – a year in which the Brazilian won five races to champion Prost’s seven whilst at a significant performance disadvantage.

“I always remember saying to Ayrton ‘OK, you didn’t win the championship, but you won the five races of the season when the hands and the feet made the difference. We didn’t have the best car, but you still won’. I was happy with that.”