Senna Documentary’s Unfitting Snub for Oscar Nomination

Photo Credit: MPH The Prestige & Performance Motor Show

Not completely familiar with the nomination procedure for the Academy Awards, I was eagerly awaiting the chance to announce a best documentary nod for the film that detailed a great Brazilian athlete. Sadly, when I realized that the documentary did not even make the list for nomination contenders, I was left feeling that the Senna movie did not receive the attention the flamboyant 3-time Formula 1 champion’s story deserved.

Nominated for the 2012 Oscar category for best feature documentary is Hell and Back Again, If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, Pina and Undefeated. A fine set of films demonstrating the exploration that documentary teams have made in the year that was 2011, members and fans of the motorsport community noted the omission of one compelling documentary from the Academy Awards nomination list. A very powerful film profiling the awesome career of Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna, the documentary Senna has been a gripping characterization of a most passionate race car driver.

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

Spending a short time fighting for distribution, 2011 started with Senna (a Universal Pictures and Working Title production) earning Best Documentary film prize at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. Recognized by the esteemed judging panel at Sundance, Senna became that rare motorsport-related film that wins over non-auto racing fans. A life compiled by acclaimed European director Asif Kapadia through the interviews and dramatic lifestyle of Formula 1 racing, the documentary movie Senna eventually made it across Europe, South American and into North American this past summer. Fortunate enough to catch the movie in Toronto in August 2011, I had not seen such a master documentary film as to the first time seeing Senna. In honesty, when I recommended Senna, I knew I was not favouring a movie merely on my commitment to my motorsport passion. Senna was a unique time at the theater that a popular figure’s life was captured in such a well-rounded manner. In a detailed review on Automoblog.net, I spoke glowingly about the film and desire that I have convinced at least one or two others to see this documentary.

Photo Credit: MPH The Prestige & Performance Motor Show

Providing an honesty and impartiality rarely seen in even recent documentary films, Senna was by no means a “fluff piece” about the driver and his sport. Senna was especially brilliant in delivering a rich narrative of a man who changed a sport (and how the sport changed the man). From the start of his grand prix, viewers saw Ayrton Senna driving his Toleman Formula 1 car as a young man simply living his dream of high-speed auto racing. At no point was Ayrton Senna portrayed as the “Hollywood underdog”. The documentary film shows the legendary Brazilian driver’s conviction to Formula 1 with McLaren F1 was on display through the middle of Senna only to be rattled up until his fatal crash in the 1994 European Grand Prix.

Such a wonderful piece of filmmaking, Sundance would only be the earliest award show recognition for Senna. Though 2011 and into 2012, Senna has been nominated 19 times total for 12 wins. Winning prizes at the National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival, the highest-touted honours for Senna came from the recent 2012 BAFTA Awards where the movie received Best Editing as well as Best Documentary. Based on the success at so many other film honours, the snub at the 2012 Oscars seems even more bizarre.

Photo Credit: Veloce

Perhaps I speak with a person with bias towards motorsports. Through my time blogging on this site (as well as my articles in other publications I have been fortunate to collaborate), it is hard for me to argue my complete impartiality. The entire auto racing world is a soulful, graceful and impassioned arena that not everyone quite understands or accepts. Getting lost behind the machinery, the sponsorship logos and isolated crowds who only claim attending auto races to see crashes, the people within the motorsports community (not just the drivers but the owners, crew members, track workers, etc.) are committed to be guardians to the an incredible display every time an race car’s engine starts. Physical as well as mental strain on drivers and crew member is an athletic ability shown all-too clearly in NASCAR, NHRA, INDYCAR or Formula 1 events.

As the 2012 Academy Awards is being held Sunday, my point for writing this declaration for the Senna documentary was not meant to shame those for not picking the movie for an Oscar nod. Rather, it is my intent to properly honour a documentary that captures the spirit for which stories are told on film.

Senna's 1991 McLaren F1 Race Car Turned Model Kit Selling at Auction

Photo Credit: Adam Jacob’s Photography

When current race car drivers are asked to name an all-time competitor who represents the best in motorsports, many would name the Brazilian Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna. Driving Formula 1 cars for Toleman, Team Lotus, McLaren and Williams, it was his time with McLaren team where legend of Senna is cemented. With a Marboro-sponsored McLaren race car, Senna captured his three career World Championships. The final title coming in the 1991 season, Ayrton Senna won 7 races en route to the victorious honour. Constructed in the context of an unassembled model kit, one of the McLaren MP4/6 Formula 1 race cars Senna rode in that 1991 tour will be available at a German auction. 

The art piece was actually created back in 1992 by than art student Jay Burridge. Burridge, who had since creating the McLaren MP4/6 sculpture became a BBC television personality, requested and received the blessing from McLaren team principal Ron Dennis to create his artistic design from a series of previously-used carbon fiber pieces. After Senna's death at teh San Marino Grand Prix in 1994, Dennis and Burridge agreed to keep the sculpture in storage out of respect for the Brazilian driver. The art piece would not be exhibited again until 2004 where it was presented in a Ayrton Senna tribute at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Carbon fiber body panels remains intact depicting the wear of Formula 1 competition. Due to current restrictions in tobacco advertising, the only modification done to the McLaren MP4/6 formula 1 car was the replacement of decals wearing the Marlboro name with the unnamed strobe decals. While a change to the particular race-used structure, the livery presentation is accurate to what was used in certain European events through the 1991 Formula 1 season. Both Britain and Germany had outlawed tobacco sponsorship in the 1980s requiring many Formula 1 race teams to adopt this camouflage.

Former McLaren team manager Dennis Rushen commented on the piece saying,“I was really impressed with the Senna sculpture. Such a clever idea and it really stands out as something really different." Rushen also mentioned that Ayrton Senna would have appreciated the art piece saying that the Brazilian driver would often fly a remote-controlled helicopter at team meetings.

Being a former race car once handled by legendary Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna, this McLaren MP4/6 is given extra special prestige since its sale is an exception to a policy within the McLaren F1 race team. Typically after a grand prix event, McLaren F1 engineers dismantles a race car for examination and would either reuse or destroy any components. The sale of the Ayrton Senna McLaren Formula 1 car sculpture is a rare instant where parts from a race-used vehicle from the popular auto racing constructor will be available to the public.

Listed as lot #112 in the catalogue for the Coys auction held in conjunction with the 39th Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany, the Ayrton Senna McLaren MP4/6 model kit sculpture was previewed July 16th at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. When the unique and historically significant item heads to auction on August 13th, Coys has estimated bidding as high as 50,000 Euros (about $71,500 US). With the career of the Brazilian racer being one of the most celebrated in motorsports, the value could go well north of that number. With whole crop of racers referring to Ayrton Senna as an inspiration, his legend is recently being fostered by a critically acclaimed documentary retelling the legacy of the three-time Formula 1 champion.