We carefully watched Netflix’s new drama “Senna” and discovered a thoroughly meticulous portrayal of Ayrton Senna’s life, capturing his genius and flaws.
Netflix is releasing its new Formula 1 series on November 29, centered on Ayrton Senna. Simply titled “Senna,” it recounts in six roughly one-hour episodes the life and career of the Brazilian triple world champion, who passed away just over 30 years ago at Imola.
The first part of this review is guaranteed spoiler-free, and we will let you know when they appear! We will address the overall quality of the series first, then, in a second part of the article, come back to the episodes and the show’s content.
First of all, we can commend Gabriel Leone’s acting, which compensates for a face that differs somewhat from that of the Brazilian triple world champion through expressions, but above all through a voice and diction that are very close to “Magic.”
The series employs classic tropes of the genre: ego wars, a romance disrupted by the main protagonist’s sporting ambitions, editing techniques already seen for race scenes, lengthy “face-to-face” shots with the driver’s eyes, and an antagonist somewhat undermined by an overly simplistic portrayal.
Nevertheless, the segment covering the start of his career is engaging, and the direction is meticulous for the off-track scenes. For the on-track scenes, the sense of speed is well conveyed, though certain creative choices may make purists cringe.
For example, all the scenes in lower categories take place on the same track. The production likely deemed it too complex to shoot at multiple circuits, so the same track appears each time. More broadly, the circuits are not always accurately depicted.
Moreover, the footage of on-track battles in the Formula 1 scenes relies on a somewhat noticeable amount of 3D visual effects. Not always successful, they nonetheless provide decent immersion in these sequences.
Aside from Leone, one must commend the overall work of the actors in embodying their roles. Notably, the portrayals of Niki Lauda, James Hunt (then a commentator), and Jean-Marie Balestre stand out.
Finally, it is always pleasant—yet somewhat unsettling—to fictionally relive the most striking moments of Senna’s career, often marked by various controversies and tensions with those around him. These scenes mostly did happen, and all draw on real inspiration.
What new dimension does Netflix’s “Senna” bring to Formula 1’s greatest legend?
If you do not wish to know more about the series, we advise you not to read on, as the rest of this article contains spoilers about the six episodes of the season.
The first episode begins directly on May 1, 1994, at the time of the Brazilian driver’s fatal accident, which is not shown but is perceived from Brazil. We are quickly immersed in Senna’s homeland, discovering his youth and his love of motorsport.
With ample use of pop and rock music, this opening segment shows Senna’s departure for Europe, his debut in Formula Ford under the name Ayrton Da Silva. His first victory, first off-track excursion, first confrontation, first doubts about his personal life: all the moments that shaped the beginning of his career are there.
The second episode highlights his sacrifices, starting with his romantic relationship, in order to keep racing in the United Kingdom even though he initially intended to spend only one season in England. The sporting backdrop of this second episode is his rivalry with Martin Brundle in F3 and his handling of doubts and pressure.
It is also in this episode that he secures a seat at Toleman, and we see him stepping into one of the team’s single-seaters. His first F1 test goes unmentioned, but that narrative arc remains interesting.
We discover Nelson Piquet, Niki Lauda, and Alain Prost. The 1984 season is recounted, focusing on the famous Monaco Grand Prix where he secured his first podium in a torrential downpour.
Amid archival footage and dynamic editing with short, close-up shots, there are some rather believable external race scenes, with the action followed in a way that is fairly true to reality.
Given the breadth of Ayrton Senna’s career, Episode 3 jumps straight to the 1985 season and his first Formula 1 victory at the Portuguese Grand Prix. It extends through 1988 and the Brazilian driver’s first world title.
Episode 4 opens directly with the disagreement between Senna and Prost at Imola in 1989, with the Frenchman clearly depicted as the main antagonist in Senna’s life and career, which he indeed was.
Regrettably, there is sometimes a tendency to overplay Prost’s villainous side, along with a provocative aspect never before shown to such an extent. The series indulges in narratives that openly incriminate Prost, even occasionally suggesting collusion with FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre.
Episode 5 begins in the off-season between 1989 and 1990, after the Brazilian’s world title loss triggers a crisis of confidence. A slightly dramatized scene shows him committing at the last moment for the 1990 season.
Unlike the early-2010s documentary “Senna,” the film does not lapse into an overly black-and-white portrayal, forcing the main character into the role of the good guy set against an evil Prost.
Senna’s darker side is revealed in this Episode 5, where he and Gerhard Berger plot the collision with Prost that enabled him to clinch the world title but strained their relationship for several years. The series offers a brief western-style face-off at the height of tension between the two drivers.
Another of this episode’s most iconic moments is Ayrton Senna’s first victory before his home crowd, at Interlagos in 1991, with a car on its last legs and his arms battered by the absence of power steering and only one gear.
The 1992 season is entirely absent from the episode and the series, while 1993 is reduced to a conversation between Senna and Dennis about the Brazilian’s wish to join Williams for 1994.
Episode 6, the final one, jumps straight to Imola 1994. This concluding episode is highly instructive regarding the new regulations, the weekend’s accidents, and the difficulties faced by Williams and Senna with the FW16.
Notably, the storytelling takes a few liberties, such as having Senna arrive at the scene of Roland Ratzenberger’s accident, whereas the Brazilian only went out on track at the end of the day.
The revival of the GPDA, the drivers’ association, is somewhat dramatized, as is a lengthy exchange between Prost and Senna following Ratzenberger’s accident. However, this sequence also softens Prost’s negative image and lends some substance to their personal relationship.
The accident itself is shown solely through a series of close-ups on the faces of Senna’s loved ones. Archival footage then intertwines with filmed sequences—one of the series’ consistent strengths—of the funeral procession for a man who had become a national idol.
The series closes with a statement from the real Ayrton Senna, philosophizing on his life on camera, before Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” resonates over various Senna clips, echoing scenes from all six episodes.
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