1-193-073 - National Motor Museum/Heritage Images

Ayrton Senna, 1987. Starting racing in karting as a boy, Senna graduated to Formula 1 in 1984. He won his first race in atrocious wet conditions in Portugal the following season, and went on to add a further 40 victories, 61 qualifying pole positions and three World Drivers' Championships. His death in the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994 shocked the sport and led to the introduction of greatly improved safety measures.