In 1991 at the Mexican Grand Prix, after four wins of Ayrton Senna in five races, the Mexican GP which was staged at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, was the sixth round of 16 GPs in the Formula 1 calendar.

 

In the qualifying day, Senna qualified in third and had trouble getting out of his McLaren's cockpit after the incident of the fast Peraltada Parabolica, the Brazilian lost control of his McLaren, which spun backward into the gravel trap and then flipped upside down when its wheels dug into very material introduced to improve safety back then. It was one of many racing indecent after all and Senna just walked away without a scratch.

 

Just a few days before the Mexican GP, Senna was injured himself in Brazil in Friday, when he hit his head after losing control of his jet-ski in Angra dos Reis, everyone was worried to take part in the race. He was deemed fit to drive in Mexico afterward. 

 

“It was terrifying. I was upside down trapped in the wreckage of my McLaren car. I felt panic just thinking that the gasoline spilling on my back might catch on fire. I was squeezed, unable to move and I was having trouble breathing. Enormous effort was required to remove the steering wheel and seat belts to get out from underneath the car – like getting a rabbit out of its burrow.” Senna said.

 

 

“I went really fast into the corner, the car hit a roughness on the track surface and, as I was switching from sixth to fifth gear, I had only my left hand on the wheel. I lost control. I went flying, spun out and rolled over.” 

 

The Championship was still dominated by Senna despite his retirement in Canada, Ayrton had 40 points, while Nelson Piquet trailed behind him with just 16, in which was Senna’s best start to an F1 season ever.

 

Senna finished third on the podium, where he started from. However, Senna’s teammate, Gerhard Berger, who had started the race in fifth place, saw his Honda engine blow up on the main straight.

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