Ayrton Senna remains an icon for Formula 1 fans the world over – and especially in his native Brazil – 30 years after his death.

With his life now being dramatised in a major Netflix series, one of the challenges for lead star Gabriel Leone was channelling the essence of the McLaren legend, for which Leone had the help of Senna’s family.

“I did have contact with them, especially with his sister and nephew, the ones that take care of his institute,” he said. “They were really supportive. They were really kind to me.

“I remember one of the things really stuck with me in one of our conversations, they were talking about Senna’s eyes and essence and how kind he was.

“Of course, we know the driver; he was aggressive and passionate. But they were also telling me the other side of him, the human and man side of him.”

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Leone went on to say that while it was vital he was able to physically resemble Senna, he had to capture what was beneath the surface.

“I knew that more important than that would be to find his essence and to play both the sides during the show,” he added. “So that was crucial for me.”

Leone also echoed the family’s comment about Senna’s eyes.

“Every time I was watching videos and interviews, anything about him, I was trying not only to learn his moves and the way he spoke, but also to understand what was happening on the inside,” he said.

“I found it by paying attention to his eyes. It was really the key for me to find his essence.”

Senna is streaming on Netflix – sign up from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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