David Farnor | On 04, May 2024

Netflix is stepping behind the steering wheel of a F1 legend this year with new drama Senna – and a trailer gives us a moving first glimpse of what’s in store.

The six-part scripted series will showcase Senna’s journey of triumphs, disappointments, joys, and sorrows, unveiling his personality and personal relationships. It begins with the start of the three-time Formula 1 champion’s motor racing career, when he moves to England to compete in Formula Ford, and continues to his fatal accident in Imola, Italy, during the San Marino Grand Prix.

The story has been chronicled on screen before in the 2010 documentary Senna by Asif Kapadia. Also simply called Senna, Netflix’s series is produced by Gullane with the participation of the driver’s family. The streamer will be hoping to both emulate the documentary’s success and the popularity of its own docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

Gabriel Leone stars as Senna, alongside Pâmela Tomé as his TV star girlfriend, Xuxa, Matt Mella as rival driver Alain Prost, Patrick Kennedy as McLaren team principal Ron Dennis, and Gabriel Louchard as Brazilian sports announcer Galvão Bueno. You can see them in action later this year, when the series premieres on Netflix. Until then, here’s the new teaser, which recreates the moment when Senna won for the first time in his hometown — after being stuck in sixth gear for the entire race.

 

Netflix announces first fictional drama about Ayrton Senna

4th September 2020

Netflix has announced the first fictional drama about Formula 1 racing legend Ayrton Senna da Silva.

The eight-episode series will give fans the chance to remember remarkable moments in his career, as well as explore the personality and family relationships of the three-time F1 champion.

The show is produced by Gullane for Netflix with the participation of the driver’s family. The miniseries will have international locations in addition to intimate sets such as the house where Senna grew up, in São Paulo state, and to which his relatives granted unprecedented access.

The starting point will be Ayrton’s career debut, when he moved to England in order to compete on the The story will culminate in the tragic accident in Imola, Italy, during the 1994 Grand Prix of San Marino.

“Senna started his journey in São Paulo and conquered the world, we are honored to take his inspiring journey to all his fans, wherever they are. Ayrton Senna has a legacy that spans generations and boundaries and Netflix is ​​proud to take this new look at the man behind the driver to subscribers in more than 190 countries,” commented Maria Angela de Jesus, director of original international productions at Netflix in Brazil.

“It is very special to be able to announce that we will tell the story that only a few people know about him. The Senna family is committed in making this project something totally unique and unprecedented. And no one better than Netflix, that has a global reach, to be our partner,” said Viviane Senna, Ayrton’s sister.

The series will be shot in English and Brazilian Portuguese and will launch in 2022.

🇬🇧 Big news today: Netflix, in partnership with Gullane and Senna Brands, is adapting the story behind the national hero and world idol of Formula 1, Ayrton Senna, in an 8-chapters miniseries #sennananetflix pic.twitter.com/h19NWBiuhE

— Ayrton Senna (@ayrtonsenna) September 3, 2020

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