Gabriel Leone – Ayrton Senna – Picture: Raquel Espírito Santo / Netflix / Getty Images
Described as Netflix’s “most ambitious series ever in Latin America,” a biopic of the life of Ayrton Senna, the three-time world championship-winning driver of Formula 1, is in development. We’re keeping track of everything you need to know about Senna, including the plot, cast news, production updates, and the Netflix release date.
Senna is an upcoming Brazilian Netflix Original biopic based on the life and career of legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna. The project was first announced back in 2020.
In 2022, it was revealed that the series would be directed by Vicente Amorim, who previously directed features such as Yakuza Princess, Dirty Hearts, and Good.
Amorim had the following to say about the project:
I’ve had many idols in the sport, but only one hero, Senna. I watched his races, I rooted for him, I was inspired by him and I was in tears the day he died.
Senna was an international hero and through Netflix a series about him will have global reach – it will be an international series, produced and directed by Brazilians, that will move the home crowd and tell Senna’s fantastic story to new audiences and old fans all over the world.
Action and emotion defined who Senna was and what this series will be. We will put the audience in the driver’s seat, with Senna, in each of the cars he drove and try to reveal his genius while, at the same time, striving to understand the man, to open a window into his personal life, his challenges and his incredibly victorious career in a sport rigged against non-Europeans
What is the plot of Senna?
We have the confirmed synopsis for the Senna series;
The miniseries will explore Ayrton Senna da Silva’s personality and family relationships. The starting point will be Ayrton’s career debut, when he moved to England, and will culminate in the tragic accident in Imola, Italy, during the San Marino Grand Prix, when he died.
Who was Ayrton Senna?
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver, a legend of Formula 1, and considered to be one of the greatest F1 drivers in the history of the sport.
One of three Brazilian drivers to become world champion, Senna won the world championship three times while driving for the racing team McLaren. Senna won a total of 41 Grands Prix and held the record for most positions (65) until it was eventually beaten in 2006.
Senna (center) the winner of the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix
Sadly, on May 1st, 1994, during the San Marino Grand Prix, a tragic accident during the race lead to the death of Ayrton Senna. On the 7th lap of the race, Senna’s car left the racing line off the track at Tamburello at 196 miles per hour (309 km/h), and while attempting to break hard, slammed into the wall of an unprotected concrete barrier. The crash resulted in several devasting injuries to his head and despite the best efforts of the medical personnel at the race, Senna’s heart had stopped beating. The doctors at the hospital he had been taken to were able to restart his heart, and Senna was temporarily placed on a life support machine while his family could arrange for a priest to perform the last rites.
In a tragic twist of fate, it was later revealed that Senna had planned to unfurl an Austrian flag he had hidden in the cockpit of the car to honor the death of fellow driver Roland Ratzenberger who had died in qualifying the day before.
The Brazilian government declared three days of national mourning as his body was flown back to his home country for a state funeral. On the streets of his hometown of Sau Paulo, over three million people lined the streets to pay their respects to their hero.
The state of the funeral of Ayrton Senna
The tragic weekend that resulted in the deaths of two drivers, and saw several dangerous collisions resulted in much-needed safety improvements from the FIA, F1’s governing body. Every year further efforts are made to improve the safety of drivers.
The halo is one of many new safety measures introduced to F1 over the years.
Who are the cast members of Senna?
In March 2023, Netflix announced the first new cast member for Senna in the form of Gabriel Leone.
Following the announcement of his casting, Leone released a statement via Netflix’s media site saying:
“It is a huge responsibility and also a great honor to be able to represent an icon who inspired so many people throughout his life, showing the world Brazilian sporting talent,” says Leone. “Knowing that we will bring this story to millions of people in so many countries, through Netflix, inspires me to see this as one of the great roles of my career.”
Leone is well known throughout Latin America for roles in titles such as Dom, Duetto, Dark Days, and Velho chico.
Gabriel Leone will play Ayrton Senna in Senna – Raquel Espírito Santo / Netflix
What is the episode count?
Initially, the series was set to consist of a total of eight episodes but has since been reduced to six.
Each episode will have an approximate runtime of 60 minutes.
What language will Senna be filmed in?
We can confirm that Senna will be filmed in both Portuguese and English.
What is the production status of Senna?
Reported Production Status: Pre-Production (Last Updated: 16/01/2023)
Senna is reportedly in pre-production. However, we’re yet to see any cast member reveals or given any filming dates. We would expect filming to begin at some point in 2023.
Given the story of Senna’s life, we would expect filming to take place in various locations across Brazil, and the UK. Filming could also occur in various locations worldwide where the circuits Senna had raced in Formula 1.
When is the Senna Netflix release date?
Given the potential scale and ambition of Senna, the filming schedule is likely to be incredibly extensive. This means a 2023 release date is super unlikely, and a mid to late 2024 release date is more realistic.
Are you looking forward to watching Senna on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
