Two exceptional handwritten letters from Ayrton Senna and dozens of previously unpublished photographs of the future Formula 1 icon

Two friends passionate about karting, Ayrton and Antonio

Ayrton Senna and Antonio were karting friends and were about the same age. Antonio, also Brazilian, worked as a journalist for a Brazilian automotive magazine ( Autoesporte ). When Ayrton went to Europe, he sent these two letters to Antonio so that he could write in-depth and exclusive articles for Autoesporte . It is not known for sure whether these articles were ever written or published.

The two friends met several times in 1979, including in Bolivia, where Antonio took these color and black-and-white photographs of Senna.

After Antonio's sudden death in 1982, his sister Glaucia kept these letters . Forty years later, she decided to pass on this collection.

Ayrton Senna used to say that karting taught him everything he needed for Formula 1

In 1979, the Champions Cup was held from 1 to 3 June at the Jesolo circuit in Italy, just before the Karting World Championship in Estoril, Portugal. This event was a crucial one for drivers and teams, including Ayrton Senna, a promising young talent affiliated with DAP who was testing liquid-cooled engines, a revolutionary innovation.

Despite mixed results due to technical problems, this competition strengthened his resilience under the pressure of big races. Between Milan, the DAP headquarters, Montreux, a resting place, and Jesolo, where preparations were taking place, Senna honed his skills and consolidated his presence in European karting.

In these two letters, Ayrton Senna illustrated something he always emphasized: that karting taught him everything he needed for Formula 1. He even stated:

“I started karting, and I love karting. It’s the most exciting sport in the world. More than F1. In fact, I liked it more.”

Autograph letter signed by Ayrton Senna, dated May 14, 1979, 13 pages (Montreux)

Written in Switzerland, this letter details the extensive testing of a revolutionary liquid-cooled engine for the time. Ayrton gives an in-depth description of the technical advantages of this engine, especially its ability to maintain a low operating temperature, which improves performance and reliability.

These tests took place at the Jesolo circuit in Italy, with the presence of Terry Fullerton, former world karting champion , and technicians from DAP, the brand with which Senna was collaborating.

This letter highlights Senna's meticulous and technical approach as he compares various engines and configurations to optimise their performance in preparation for the Champions Cup in June 1979. In addition, he included two stunning technical drawings to further explain his work to Antonio.

Some excerpts from Ayrton Senna's first letter

“Two liquid-cooled engines were tested. They proved to be fantastic, as they were half a second faster than the same model with normal cooling. […] This innovation will revolutionize the world of karting.”

“A very delicate operation is required on the rear of the piston […] To understand better, it is necessary to wear down (using a special device) a significant part of the piston, from the pin holes backwards.” (Accompanied by technical sketches)

“Alongside me were one of the DAP directors […] and Terry Fullerton. […] He is my current teammate, as in 1979 he will compete with DAP chassis and engines.”

“The debut is scheduled for May 20, in an international race on the same circuit where the Champions Cup will take place, on June 3.”

“The components of a liquid-cooled engine differ from a normal model in only three items: head, cylinder and piston. […] This makes it easy to convert a normal model to a liquid-cooled model.”

Autograph letter signed by Ayrton Senna, dated June 11, 1979, 12 pages (Milan)

Written after the Champions Cup, this letter recounts a challenging experience during a major competition at the Jesolo circuit.

Senna details the difficulties he faced : mechanical problems (a faulty carburetor, a cracked chassis), incidents in the race and tensions over regulations relating to liquid-cooled engines.

Despite these obstacles, he demonstrated resilience and his ability to analyze each situation to improve . This strengthened his mechanical understanding and his ability to collaborate with engineers — skills that would prove essential to his success in Formula 1.

The letter also mentions another race , the Swiss Grand Prix, where he demonstrated his perseverance by winning a heat, even under adverse weather conditions and intense competition.

Some excerpts from Ayrton Senna's second letter

“About the Jesolo race (1st, 2nd and 3rd of June), I can say that it was one of the worst I have ever participated in.”

“After the qualifying session, a crack appeared in the chassis tube, causing a slight vibration, which in turn affected the carburetor performance. […] We welded the chassis.”

“The race was 15 laps long. I started studying the driver in first place, Busslinger, while also simulating overtaking attempts at points where I had no real intention of passing. […] This gave me an excellent opportunity to overtake him.”

“Despite the setbacks, I managed to maintain 1st position, winning the last final race, which put me in 2nd place in the overall result for the day.”

“We started practice on the Wednesday of race week […] The chassis I was using was proving to be excellent (a new model), as were the engines, which were performing very well.”

Stunning personal photographs

This collection includes 25 rare photographs , 24 of which are of Ayrton Senna on karting circuits. It consists of two albums of color photos (12.3 cm × 9 cm) and four black and white photographs (24 cm × 19 cm).

These photographs were probably taken by Antonio, a great friend of Ayrton Senna, during the Pan-American Kart Championship in La Paz, Bolivia, in 1979.

Overview of Ayrton Senna's 25 photographs

A unique collection of Senna's letters

Apart from a few personal items — which are often difficult to authenticate — it is mainly his autographs that collectors around the world seek. Ayrton Senna wrote very few letters ; only two or three are known, in addition to those preserved by his family in Brazil, which will never be sold. None of them, however, are as long and detailed as these.

This collection brings together 25 extraordinary pages that immerse us in Senna's thoughts and reflections, revealing his obsession with racing strategy and technical mastery, illustrated by truly remarkable mechanical sketches .

The year 1979 was a year of great importance. From the age of 13, Ayrton Senna had already excelled in karting, becoming South American champion in 1977. In 1978, he joined the DAP team in Europe, where he competed against renowned drivers such as Terry Fullerton, whom he considered his most challenging rival . Runner-up in the world championship in 1979 and 1980, Senna stood out for his precision, strategy and technical involvement. These formative years were essential in shaping his resilience and competitive spirit, laying the foundations for the legend he would become in Formula 1.

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