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<strong>Ayrton Senna Special:</strong> Part 4 - Ayrton and karting - The last race (1982)

Ayrton Senna Special: Part 4 - Ayrton and karting - The last race (1982)

Published on 02 Apr 2019 19:00
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By: Fergal Walsh

In December 1982, Ayrton arrived in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to obtain a new title in karting. This time, the South American karting championship was held at the Tarumâ International Go-Kart Circuit in Viamâo, a city in the Porte Alegre region.

The driver who was his big rival that weekend was a driver born in Porto Alegre, Neco Fornari. During practice on Thursday, Ayrton drove two seconds faster than the track record. While many drivers watched with respect and awe, Fornari tried to improve on Ayrton's fastest time. He finally succeeded and the fastest time dropped from 35 to 34 seconds. Later that day, when everyone had already packed up their stuff, Ayrton decided to go out on the track again. He beat Fornari's fastest time and set the track record even lower.

On Friday and Saturday, there were more practice sessions were held before qualifying. Ayrton ended up in second place on the grid, while Renato Russo crowned himself the polesitter. Russo is still the man who holds most Brazilian kart titles.

Ayrton dealt a psychological blow as soon as the first race started. He had developed a strategy in Euroa to control the air-fuel ratio in the engine with his right hand, while he only used his left hand for steering. Neco Fornari, who had started in third place, did not give up. He overtook Russo and then approached Ayrton. They made contact when Fornari hit Ayrton from behind at the end of the straight through a hairpin, and he shot through into the lead.

Ayrton eventually won all three rounds, and made it a great show, explaining why he came second twice in the World Karting Championship.

The Porto Alegre race yielded one of Ayrton's last international kart trophies before he concentrated on British Formula 3 in 1983. He became the South American kart champion while already active in motorsport in England in 1981 and 1982.

PalmarKart careereer Ayrton Senna:

1982 World Karting Championship, 14th

1981 World Karting Championship, 4th
Brazilian Karting Championship, 1st

1980 World Karting Championship, 2nd
South American Karting Inter Championship, 1st
Brazilian Karting Inter Championship, 1st

1979 World Karting Inter Championship, 2nd
South American Karting Inter Championship,    2nd
   Brazilian Karting Inter Championship, 1st

1978 World Karting Championship, 6th
South American Karting Inter Championship, 1st
Brazilian Karting Inter Championship, 1st
Sao Paulo Karting Inter Championship, 2nd

1977 South American Karting Inter Championship, 1st
Brazilian Karting Inter Championship, 2nd
Sao Paulo Karting Inter Championship, 2nd

1976 Brazilian 100cc Karting B Championship, 3rd
Sao Paulo 100cc Karting B Championship,    1st

1975 Brazilian Junior Karting Championship, 2nd

1974 Sao Paulo Junior Karting Championship, 1st

1973 First Kart race,
First victory, July 1, 1973