Ayrton Senna's victory at Donington Park in 1993, featuring a celebrated single-lap overtaking sequence, is widely considered one of Formula One's greatest drives.
Key Facts
- Race date
- 11 April 1993
- Circuit
- Donington Park, Leicestershire
- Race length
- 76 laps laps
- Winner
- Ayrton Senna (McLaren)
- Championship round
- 3rd race of 1993 F1 World Championship
- Drivers passed on lap 1
- 4 (Schumacher, Wendlinger, Hill, Prost)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1993 Formula One World Championship calendar included a revived European Grand Prix title, last used in 1985, assigned to Donington Park. Damp conditions on race day created a treacherous circuit, setting the stage for a dramatic opening lap as drivers jostled for position from the start.
Ayrton Senna, starting fourth, overtook Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, Damon Hill, and Alain Prost in a single lap under wet conditions to seize the lead. He maintained that lead to win over 76 laps, with Damon Hill finishing second and Alain Prost third, both for Williams.
Senna's performance is regarded as one of the greatest drives in Formula One history. The race remained the only Formula One Grand Prix held at Donington Park, and the European Grand Prix title was revived as a recurring fixture on the calendar in subsequent years.