McLaren has released footage of the emotional moment Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo chose to place his Italian Grand Prix trophy beside the last item of silverware the legendary Ayrton Senna won.
After Ricciardo took victory in Monza to record his first win since trumping the field at the Monaco Grand Prix of 2018, the moment came for the Western Australian to find a home for his trophy at the McLaren Technology Centre, based in Surrey in England.
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Ricciardo opted to sit his silverware next to the trophy won by Senna at the Adelaide Grand Prix of 1993, during his time with McLaren.
In what was one of the darkest moments in Formula 1 history, Senna died following a horrific crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
The Brazilian’s Adelaide Grand Prix victory was the 41st and last of his phenomenal Formula 1 career, which yielded world championship titles in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
“It’s dark out, we are pretty much alone at the MTC, we’re still kind of bathing in the glory of Monza and I’ve come to put the girl in her home, in one of the many cabinets here,” Ricciardo said as he revealed where he’d be keeping his Italian Grand Prix trophy.
“This is kind of crazy and kind of surreal.
“I mentioned that my trophy would be somewhere next to one of Senna’s. This is Senna’s from Adelaide ’93. I was at the race.
“Pretty damn wild. I’m nearly speechless, so I’m going to put it there and probably going to walk away before I start sobbing like a baby.”
Ricciardo was only four as a 31-year-old Senna beat Alain Prost and Damon Hill in the final race of the 1993 world championship.
The scenes this week were spectacular as Ricciardo lapped up victory in Monza, which came as a sweet reward following a move from Red Bull to Renault reaping little success and an embattled switch to McLaren.
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While Ricciardo’s junior teammate, Lando Norris, had finished in the top five in nine of the first 10 races, Ricciardo recorded just one top-five placing in the same period.
“It means everything,” Ricciardo said.
“I definitely try not to make, or dictate, my life happiness around the sport because it’s been three-and-a-half years since I won, so I’d be pretty miserable most of the time if I just based my happiness on winning races.
“A lot has happened since Monaco 2018, so to be back here in this moment – that’s why we love the sport. It makes all those crappier days worth it and it’s as simple as that.”
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