Senna

The Netflix Senna series is a production that aims to portray Ayrton Senna's essence, not just as a driver, but as a cultural and sporting icon. Over six episodes, we are transported into a visual and emotional journey through the trajectory of one of Brazil's greatest heroes.

Technically, Senna shines with masterfully filmed racing scenes, bringing an intensity and realism that places the viewer right on the track, with each turn, acceleration, and overtaking vibrating on the screen. The sound of engines and the use of tight angles recreate the adrenaline of Formula 1 races with impressive authenticity. For those who grew up watching Senna's magical Sundays, the series manages to evoke that nostalgia, almost as if he were competing again.

Gabriel Leone's performance as Ayrton Senna is one of the production's greatest strengths. Leone does not merely imitate Senna, but embodies his essence: the passion for motorsports, his almost obsessive perfectionism, and the spiritual connection he had with what he did. Even in the most intimate and silent moments, Leone delivers nuances that humanize the legend without diminishing his brilliance.

While some critics have pointed out limitations in the dramatic development of secondary characters, it's important to recognize what Senna is: a visual and emotional tribute to the driver's legacy. The series does not aim to be a documentary, but a dramatized narrative that captures Senna's cultural impact and revives his presence in the collective imagination. In this sense, the approach works as a tribute, full of reverence and emotion.

Senna is not just a story; it's an experience. For those who remember the joy of seeing him win, this series is a gateway to the past. For new generations, it is an introduction to what made Ayrton Senna more than just a driver - a legend.

I was still young when the first Formula 1 race came to Hungary... I was there and watched in amazement a black and gold car as a young driver dismissed famous great drivers one after another. I will never forget how I saw in this driver the fighting spirit, the love of racing. I loved him from the first moment... Since 1986 I have been an unwavering fan of Ayrton Senna, the best racing driver the world has ever seen. I saw every race he did after him... I was personally there among the enthusiastic audience at many races. I read every available newspaper article, news, book about him that I could. His accident and death really affected me... I didn't watch Formula 1 racing for years afterwards. In recent years I have started watching Formula 1 races on TV again... It is very different from when he was there. Of course, this is a different generation. I miss the passion, the desire to win, the heroism that I saw in him every minute he was in the car. Ayrton Senna is a three-time world champion. Others may have more world championship titles, but they will never be as iconic as SENNA.

He was the best... He is still the best!

I call this show the FW16 of biopics because just like the car Senna was killed in, it was good but, umm...

OK, positives first. By and large, they got Senna's uncompromising nature right, especially by way of illustrating his team principals' exasperation. Attention to detail was brilliant; seeing MP4/4s race sent chills up my spine, but that shot of Senna alone in the briefing room at the end of Suzuka perfectly recreates the ITV shot from 1989.

I've seen another reviewer say that they story was one-sided. I agree, but then again, so what? The fans who followed the shenanigans in 1989 to 1993 would be familiar with the French Connection, if they didn't outright believe in its gospel truth. This is obviously a show for Senna fans, not Balestre apologists.

That said, there were a few things that the scriptwriters could have paid attention to:

1) Including Senna's personal relationships with people like Gerhard Berger and Josef Leberer would have gone a long way to humanising him;

2) They could have placed much more emphasis on the work Senna put into developing the car - he had a reputation for providing his mechanics with feedback until they begged to go home; and

3) Donnington 1993 - I can't believe they completely ignored the greatest single lap in all F1 history.

The first episodes are excellent, evoking nostalgia and making me cry. The racing scenes, paired with the actor playing Galvão Bueno, captured the magic I felt as a kid. Early on, Senna is shown as human, making mistakes, but once he joins McLaren, he's portrayed almost as a god-like figure, with amusing X-Men-style effects dramatizing his vision on the track. The show misses key elements: Senna's deep friendship with Gerhard Berger is barely explored, and his reconciliation with Prost is weak and inaccurately placed at Imola. Reginaldo Leme, crucial to Senna's early career, is reduced to the background. While nostalgic, it misses opportunities to humanize Senna further.

Senna was and still is a hero for Brazil, actually for many people in the world in different countries. The best racer of all time and his story is beautiful, he was a wonderful and respectful man. I am Brazilian and I live in United States, I wish people here watch more productions from other countries...seriously you guys lose so many wonderful stories from Brazil, Norway, France..just because "oh I don't like voiceover...but I don't like read the captions either" this limited a lot. US productions are incredible too but sometimes it's like the same as always. You guys won't retreat to watch other cultures, visions, new worlds! Netflix have a lot of Brazilian productions, it's the 2nd biggest country on Netflix after US.