8 replies to this topic

[chr1s]

Whilst watching a YouTube documentary by Ben Collins about Ayrton Sennas' 1982 Ralt RT3 (the blue car), Collins mentioned that the 83' car (the white one) has "all but vanished off the face of the earth". 

      Now I always thought that the car Senna used to win in Macau was his regular 1983 car, (chassis no.380) albeit in Marlboro livery and is now on display in the Macau Grand Prix museum. 

     So, was the car Senna raced in Macau the same one he'd raced in British F3 (no.380)?  And is the car on display in Macau that actual car (380)?  If it is then Collins hasn't done his homework properly!  But if Senna used a different chassis in Macau, then what really did become of his 1983 championship winning car?

[Allen Brown]

Very interesting question. I don’t know if all the cars in the Macau museum are actually the cars they represent.

[2F-001]

The was an RT3 on display at Silverstone today, presented as being Senna’s 83 car (white with the ‘Pool’ jeans livery. If I can near itomorrow (I don’t recall how accessible it is) I’ll see if I can see a chassis plate… Though whether it is the genuine article I couldn’t say…

[wheadon1985]

The was an RT3 on display at Silverstone today, presented as being Senna’s 83 car (white with the ‘Pool’ jeans livery. If I can near itomorrow (I don’t recall how accessible it is) I’ll see if I can see a chassis plate… Though whether it is the genuine article I couldn’t say…

Dick Bennett himself was querying the car on Facebook this afternoon. The sidepods, wing endplates and the nose cone are wrong according to him and I'd say he would know...! 

[Ray Bell]

Or did Senna's car go on from Macao to Calder for someone else to drive?

[2F-001]

Well, indeed,Dick B should know.
i suppose it might have been ‘restored’ with ‘available’ bits rather than ‘correct’ ones…?

[chr1s]

I contacted Dick Bennett's via Facebook and he confirmed that Senna did indeed use a different chassis in Macau from his regular 1983 car, possibly 197 but he couldn't be sure, fading memory and all that!

       So the car on display in Macau may well be the actual 1983 winning car, as the museums web site emphatically claims it is. Either way, it is not chassis number 380 which,  as Collins suggests, really has all but vanished off the face of the earth!

[funformula]

RT3/197 1980: Eddie Jordan   1981: David Price Racing: Fred Krab   1982-1984: Leo Andersson

 

This is the history of chassis no.197 according to formel3guide, so most likely not the one Senna used in Macao.

[chr1s]

RT3/197 1980: Eddie Jordan   1981: David Price Racing: Fred Krab   1982-1984: Leo Andersson

 

This is the history of chassis no.197 according to formel3guide, so most likely not the one Senna used in Macao.

 

As the man said, he couldn't be sure, the point is, it wasn't chassis number 380.