MONACO GP 1988
Ayrton was leading the race when he got distracted and crashed alone on lap 66.
Picture - Senna and Yamin visiting the curve of the circuit before the tunnel, still with the tire tracks on the asphalt; brake before the crash that took Ayrton out of the lead in the GP in 1988. Just behind, Beco's apartment building
There are some versions about the causes of this event. What Senna said right after the race and what people close to him said about this episode.
1. AYRTON SENNA'S VERSION
“From so much the team asked me to reduce the pace, I ended up losing focus” (it was said from Senna to his friend Reginaldo Leme right after the race).
2. REGINALDO LEME'S VERSION
Reginaldo Leme, in his Youtube Channel, on the 10th episode of our “Lendas do Automobilismo” (Motorsport Legends Webseries), says his opinion about the event:
“… in that GP of Monaco in '88, after opening more than 52 seconds of advantage over Alain Prost, Senna ended up losing his concentration and crashed alone almost at the entrance of the tunnel, with 12 laps to the end of the race.
What he told me, which ended up being reproduced later, is that the crash happened because…. “From so much the team asked him to reduce the pace, he ended up losing focus”. I think differently. Me, knowing Ayrton and living that phase of him intensely… I'm sure that his goal on that day was to take a ride on Alain Prost, but what happened, happened.”
Source: https://youtu.be/zZ7FAi5lepY
3. ADRIANE YAMIN'S VERSION
Adriane Yamin, in her book “My Girl”, think that day Senna could be distracted because he was worried about a situation that had been misunderstood and published in the newspapers days before . Because he returned to Brazil anxious to explain everything.
An Excerpt of her “My Girl” Book:
“Ayrton was leading the race when he got distracted and crashed alone on lap 66, and as the race was a street circuit, he was close to his apartment and went straight home, walking, leaving the entire F1 circus behind.
About this episode of the crash, I think it is important to contextualize what preceded the Grand Prix, which I myself only became aware when Beco returned to Brazil and came to my house. He was a bit anxious to clarify a news release about his departure for Monaco, because he imagined dad had read the article in the newspaper.
At the time, my father had not commented on what had been reported and I, therefore, only found out when Beco decided to clarify what had happened in front of me”.
(The whole story about what was published in the newspapers you can find in the My Girl Book).