It was thirty years ago… On May 1, 1994, in Bologna, Ayrton Senna was died following an accident during the Saint-Martin Grand Prix. Considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula 1, the man who lost his life at the age of 34 had won the world champion title three times, in 1988, 1990 and 1991. Furthermore, he had achieved 65 pole positions during the eleven seasons he competed in. Although he did not have children, he had a few romantic relationships.
In February 1981, the racing driver married Lilian Vasconcelos in Sao Pauloa former high school friend. Shortly after saying 'I do', the couple moved to the United Kingdom. So, the young woman mainly attended her husband's races and supported his career. Finally, it was while Ayrton Senna was immersed in the work that Lilian Vasconcelos, who according to a biography came from a
“rich Brazilian family” preferred to divorce.
Lilian Vasconcelos: “He loved me, but his first passion was racing”
In an interview, the ex-wife of the Formula 1 champion remembered: “Ayrton was an exceptional personality. He respected me and was constantly looking for affection. I loved him, he loved me, but his first passion was racing… There was nothing more important in the world to him, not his family, not his wife, nothing.”.
In a 2010 interview with the Brazilian news site G1, Lilian Vasconcelos also declared that she and her husband's divergent views on having children in the future had caused their breakup. Having fallen pregnant when it was not planned, Ayrton Senna told her that it would be best for her to raise the baby in Brazil while he remained in Europe to pursue his racing career. Three days later, the young woman suffered a miscarriage.
Lilian Vasconcelos: “Something was cut inside me”
Moved, the young woman indicated during this interview:
“At that moment something was cut inside me, because
his goal was to make Formula 1and mine was to have a husband I love and to start a family.”.
After her divorce from Ayrton Senna in 1983, Lilian Vasconcelos remarried and had a son in 1984. After learning of her ex-husband's death on television, she did not attend his wake or funeral, but stopped at the cemetery where he was buried. Furthermore, she also visited the athlete's mother, Neyde Senna.
