Actor Gabriel Leone stars as the Brazilian driver who claimed three world championships on his way to becoming an F1 icon now widely considered to be the fastest driver of all time.
The six-part drama will debut Nov. 29 and stars Pâmela Tomé as Senna’s TV star girlfriend, Xuxa, Matt Mella as French driver Alain Prost and Patrick Kennedy as McLaren team principal Ron Dennis.
Senna made his Formula 1 debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix with Toleman in 1984 and went on to race for Lotus and McLaren over his decade-long career before he died during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Italy following a 191-mph crash into a concrete retaining wall.
A number of changes to Formula 1 followed Senna’s death, including limitations placed on bodywork aerodynamics of cars and a pit lane speed limit, and his was the last death due to a World Championship Grands Prix until Jules Bianchi died in 2015 from injuries he’d sustained in the Japanese Grand Prix nine months earlier.
In addition to his decade of wins, Senna was famous for his fierce rivalry with fellow McLaren driver Prost, which was highlighted in the 2010 film “Senna.”
His career not only made him a legend among racing fans, but a national hero in Brazil—the country declared three days of national mourning and more than 1 million people are estimated to have lined the streets when his body was returned from Italy.