McLaren is pulling out all the stops with the McLaren Senna Sempre livery for the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, a race famously won a record six times by Ayrton Senna. The Senna Sempre livery, alongside a bespoke livery for the MCL38 Formula 1 cars that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will drive at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, commemorates the racing brilliance of Ayrton Senna, marking 30 years since his passing in 1994.
Related: McLaren Senna GTR
The Senna Sempre is a hand-painted tribute to Ayrton Senna, crafted as part of McLaren's ongoing collaboration with the Ayrton Senna Institute. The colors of the McLaren Senna Sempre Livery were specifically chosen to reflect the colors of the Brazilian flag, using a wash technique that's been newly developed by MSO. According to McLaren, "This technique allows the paints to blend into each other without creating any additional colors, while also evoking speed and the movement of a waving flag."
Drawing inspiration from Ayrton Senna’s enduring legacy, the McLaren Senna proudly displays the name and the ‘Double S’ logo of the iconic Formula 1 driver and champion next to the McLaren badge. This logo is also integrated into the car's detailed paintwork as part of several visual tributes to Senna, matching elements found on the bespoke MCL38 Formula 1 car. The logo appears on a blue panel that spans the vents in the front clamshell, perfectly paired with the Senna script on the vibrant green rear wing, creating a striking homage to the racing legend.
Green and white border lines tracing around the McLaren Senna Sempre Livery glasshouse and the venting at the base of the windscreen are inspired by the distinctive detailing found on Ayrton Senna’s iconic racing helmet. Additionally, the panels that cover the large air intakes on the side of the car feature two unique portraits of Ayrton Senna, skillfully created by MSO’s paint technicians.
Check out: Ayrton Senna in Monaco
Every inch of the Senna Sempre Livery honors Ayrton Senna's legacy. The inside is decorated with bespoke yellow Alcantara upholstery, accented with green perforations, and a white 12 o’clock marker on the steering wheel. The door sills, covered in black Alcantara, feature Ayrton Senna’s signature and famous quote: “I have no idols. I admire work, dedication, and competence.”
The Senna Sempre livery is an honorable tribute to Ayrton Senna, regarded as McLaren's greatest driver. It's no doubt that Senna's spirit continues to live in every McLaren. Senna's sister, Bianca Senna, is proud to keep Ayrton's legacy alive, she says: "It’s an honor to recognize Ayrton through these liveries in collaboration with both McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive. It's a fantastic way to celebrate his life and legacy through his iconic colors on both cars. McLaren meant a lot to him, and together they achieved a lot of success, much of which he is still remembered for today by so many. It will be special to see it race the streets of Monaco, a circuit which gave him so much joy and many triumphs." The McLaren Senna Sempre livery will make a public appearance this weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix—stay tuned for all the excitement.