1989 Spanish Grand Prix

Somewhere in all the controversy, acrimony and infamy that characterised the Spanish Grand Prix, Ayrton Senna racked up his 20th F1 victory and McLaren International overtook Team Lotus International to lie second to Ferrari in the all-time wins ratings, 80 to 97.

Those statistics went rather unnoticed, however, but one that didn’t was Senna’s 40th pole position.

The Brazilian’s commitment to his F1 career is legendary, but also prompts him from time to time into the sort of rashness that makes one hesitate before applying the adjective ‘great’ to his performances. It would have been hard to envisage Jim Clark or Stirling Moss, for example, indulging in the ill-advised hot-headedness which sometimes characterises Senna.