http://www.jackals-forge.com/TMP/senna_nsx.avi

 

From the video it appears that he is unfamiliar with the car. Almost like it was his first time in the car. Even so, a great drive. Obviously, it is Senna, so he is a great and one of the best drivers ever.

 

I'm thinking this is his first run in the NSX-R. Senna, as has been rehashed over and over, was instrumental in the suspension tuning and chassis development of the NSX - as a driver.

If I adopted his throttle modulation technique, I think my instructor would be have a good laugh...

 

i did not get sound with the video so i may have missed something, but why was the passenger(on the left so you know i'm looking at the correct seat) moving his legs like he is shifting?

 

The feet on the left is actually Senna's feet, they just put that footage from the camera watching his feet in that spot.

Anyone else notice he's wearing loafers? Kinda crazy, but cool.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by george34 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i did not get sound with the video so i may have missed something, but why was the passenger(on the left so you know i'm looking at the correct seat) moving his legs like he is shifting?

</TD></TR></TABLE>


Uh, I had to read what you wrote a few times.....but there was no passenger on the left.... what you see on the left in the small window are Senna's feet doing the shifting. There's a small camera aimed at the pedals and the image is burned into the final production of the video.

OT: Not taking anything away from Zanardi, but I often wondered why Honda never released a "Senna Edition" or would the Type-R be considered that?

DOH....got beat by a minute with the above post....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by george34 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i did not get sound with the video so i may have missed something, but why was the passenger(on the left so you know i'm looking at the correct seat) moving his legs like he is shifting?

</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by brianSilverTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Anyone else notice he's wearing loafers? Kinda crazy, but cool.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Came straight outta church! lol...

Its funny because there's a clip of Gansan blasting through the Nurburgring in the prototype s2000 w/ the same type of loafers...

Maybe Senna made that much of an impact in Japan?

 

I like how Senna doesn't really use the heel of the foot/shoe to blip the throttle. He simply uses the side of it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RagingAngel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">OT: Not taking anything away from Zanardi, but I often wondered why Honda never released a "Senna Edition" or would the Type-R be considered that? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Probably because Senna's family has been very protective of his name since his death. Have you ever noticed that nobody released a Senna replica helmet? I would buy that in a heartbeat, but it isn't available because his family guards anything to do with him. They did finally release a limited edition run of like 200 of his helmets just recently, but for thousands each. If he had survived a bit longer, I bet the Zanardi NSX would have been just that, a Senna NSX, but he died only 3 years after the NSX was born, and before the thought of a limited edition one entered anybody's mind.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JOEY F. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Maybe Senna made that much of an impact in Japan? </TD></TR></TABLE>

There's a few pics around of he and Soichiro Honda. Word is Mr. Honda loved him like a son.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ponyboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm thinking this is his first run in the NSX-R. Senna, as has been rehashed over and over, was instrumental in the suspension tuning and chassis development of the NSX - as a driver.

If I adopted his throttle modulation technique, I think my instructor would be have a good laugh...</TD></TR></TABLE>

This video was pure PR and you have to remember Senna's involvment was not to make the car faster but to make the driving feel better a very different standard. Also if you've never driven the 92-95 NSX-R it's a much different car than others even the Type S zero and the track there is very smooth so don't take his driving there as a matter of fact based on your own car.

Unless you think you can drive that car there faster than him, which of course is not probable that you can ever know.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITRbroham &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I like how Senna doesn't really use the heel of the foot/shoe to blip the throttle. He simply uses the side of it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought that's what everyone did...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by speedracer33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Probably because Senna's family has been very protective of his name since his death. Have you ever noticed that nobody released a Senna replica helmet? I would buy that in a heartbeat, but it isn't available because his family guards anything to do with him. They did finally release a limited edition run of like 200 of his helmets just recently, but for thousands each. If he had survived a bit longer, I bet the Zanardi NSX would have been just that, a Senna NSX, but he died only 3 years after the NSX was born, and before the thought of a limited edition one entered anybody's mind.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought they have a movie in producation of senna's life?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ponyboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
If I adopted his throttle modulation technique, I think my instructor would be have a good laugh...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Interesting that. I remember watching some other F1 video where Johnny Herbert was talking about how many drivers including Senna would go on-off-on-off the throttle like that when pulling out of a corner. Is this a normal technique that a lot of drivers use? I've always been taught to just gently roll on to the throttle when unwinding out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by e9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> ...Senna's involvment was not to make the car faster but to make the driving feel better a very different standard.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's not true. Senna's influence over the suspension tuning and chassis development (he wanted it stiffer and stiffer) undoubtedly made the car quicker. Hell, even Bobby Rahal had a hand in the suspension tuning.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by e9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also if you've never driven the 92-95 NSX-R it's a much different car than others even the Type S zero and the track there is very smooth so don't take his driving there as a matter of fact based on your own car.

Unless you think you can drive that car there faster than him, which of course is not probable that you can ever know.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok.

I'm still fairly certain a DE instructor would not condone that kind of throttle technique.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Burgh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Interesting that. I remember watching some other F1 video where Johnny Herbert was talking about how many drivers including Senna would go on-off-on-off the throttle like that when pulling out of a corner. Is this a normal technique that a lot of drivers use? I've always been taught to just gently roll on to the throttle when unwinding out. </TD></TR></TABLE>

IIRC, the throttle wasn't on-off-on-off, it was more just 25%-80%-35%-75%-50%-90%....etc.

It's modulating it, not just going on and off. I've done what Senna is doing to try to get the car to rotate...looks like he's doing the same thing. You upset the rear and then plant it...mid-engined cars will then sometimes take a set and rotate on power once you get that initial rotation. Of course, I'm doing it at low speed autocross compared to a track.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JeffS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I thought that's what everyone did... </TD></TR></TABLE>

You mean everyone with shoe size larger than an 8?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITRbroham &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You mean everyone with shoe size larger than an 8?</TD></TR></TABLE>

pretty much. i wear a 9.5-10 and can use my heel fine, my brother on the other hand, who wears a size 14 can't and has to use the side of his foot.

 

I've always used the side of my foot, just because it's smoother and easier to me. The actual moving the heel over to the right always upset the pressure on the brake pedal.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PseudoRealityX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">IIRC, the throttle wasn't on-off-on-off, it was more just 25%-80%-35%-75%-50%-90%....etc.

It's modulating it, not just going on and off. I've done what Senna is doing to try to get the car to rotate...looks like he's doing the same thing. You upset the rear and then plant it...mid-engined cars will then sometimes take a set and rotate on power once you get that initial rotation. Of course, I'm doing it at low speed autocross compared to a track.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You tried this on a FWD car? And it works?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Burgh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You tried this on a FWD car? And it works? </TD></TR></TABLE>

MR2...not FWD.

 

I don't think Senna would be working the throttle that much in his race car. Remember, even with as good as the NSX is, it is still a street car and needs some drastic inputs to get it to do what the driver wants. It looks to me like he's intentionally abrupt with his inputs just to get a feel for it. Senna's on the ragged edge in a few spots. His throttle and steering inputs are perhaps a little excessive because he's getting it to rotate, then working the controls to keep it pointed where he wants it.

Smooth at 8.5 tenths and smooth at 10/10ths look different in the cockpit. There's more wear and tear on the steering rack and throttle cable when the tire slip angles are near their limits!

 

trackrat:

you'd be incorrect in that count.

he drives a kart exactly like that too. I have most of his documentaries and there is one (i think it's racing is in my blood) where they did a fairly lengthy segment of him booting it around in his kart track in the 90s, and the throttle sounded exactly like what he was doing in that nsx clip.

read another piece somewhere that his throttle control in an F1 car is similar during the turbo era. not sure if it changed when he was driving NA Honda and Williams.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Track rat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Smooth at 8.5 tenths and smooth at 10/10ths look different in the cockpit. There's more wear and tear on the steering rack and throttle cable when the tire slip angles are near their limits!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think my closing comment above sums it up. I've watched Senna's kart footage... in awe , but I still don't think he tossed his F1 car around that much.