Memories of Ayrton Senna’s famous rally car test – DirtFish

“He saw what was going on and instinctively got out to help fix it,” Sharp continued. “It was incredible. There was Ayrton Senna climbing on top of a van and asking for a saw to cut a branch off a tree. That's not something you would normally see a modern Formula 1 driver do.”

In the forest it was clear that Senna was far, far from his comfort zone.

Sharp added: “He told us he had never driven a rally car before, but had watched a bit on TV. One of the first cars he drove was Phil Collins' Sierra. Let's be honest, it was a brutal thing, a terrible car to get into rallying with.”

Things didn't go well.

Collins: “I had taken him around the stage and shown him where we were going. He got out and told everyone I was crazy. But then it was his turn. The first corner was a sweeping right-hander. I said to him, 'This isn't Silverstone. Don't take too wide a line or you'll end up on the marbles. Keep your nose really close.' I also reminded him that I needed the car for a championship-deciding race the following Saturday.

“Of course he completely ignored me, drove wide, onto the marbles and threw the car on its side against a Christmas tree. Luckily there was not much damage, it was a soft landing. Back on the road and he kept apologizing.

“After that, he went off and drove the other cars. Then he came back and said, 'Phil, I want to give you a ride.' I told him I was fine, but I ended up getting in the passenger seat.

“It was poetry in motion. He handled my car as if he had been driving it for years. He was bad at first – worryingly bad – but the speed at which he learned the car was so impressive and, as I said, after a few laps he was a natural.”