Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Dear Ayrton...


Dear Ayrton,

I never had the chance to appreciate you racing skills as I was very young when your life was tragically taken away from you. My dad talked about you a lot while I was growing up and when I was old enough to appreciate your driving  he showed me videos of your racing and I could see why you are one of his favourite drivers of all time.
You were so competitive and cruel on the track but so kind and caring at the same time, off the track. You were the first one there if someone had crashes to try and help them and after the crashes you would go back to that spot and see how you could prevent it from happening again. You could drive in conditions that other driver just couldn't. You are the 'Rain Master'. At the same time you were a very controversial driver, always wanting to be perfect, having the fastest lap, pole and race win. Sometimes you pushed yourself too hard, Monaco 1988 jumps to mind and then the Japanese Grand prix in 1990 when you took out Prost to win the championship, these actions made some people dislike you, but you won over the hearts of millions.
There are two things that you said that will stick with me forever, both in 1993. The first one is: “If you no longer go for a gap you are no longer a racing driver”. And the second: “ If you think I´m fast wait to you see my nephew Bruno “ and I think if people give him a chance he will be!



Two things were always very close to your heart: Your faith in God and your beloved Brazil. You famously quoted 'When God is on your side everything becomes clearer' and 'Nothing will separate me from God' two quotes you truly believed in. Then we come to Brazil, your beloved Brazil, your home country and you own people, you gave them so much hope and so much to look forward to on weekends, you gave them something to live for.
Racing these days isn't the same, before it was more about driver skill, now a days it's more about which team has the best mechanics and designers, it's become to easy and races are becoming more boring. I much prefer to watch an old classic race, they are more entertaining and they are real men racing. Racing changed a lot since you went, noting is the same now. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say We miss your racing but most of all, we miss you.
Thank you for all the excitement and enjoyment you gave us week after week, year after year. You will be forever missed and loved.
Love from and entire nation of Formula One supporters.
'Because in a split second, it's gone'