Ayrton Senna's career – in pictures

1980 Senna started his career racing go-karts. He finished runner-up in the World Championship in both 1979 and 1980 Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1983 Senna wins the British Formula 3 championship, driving for the West Surrey Racing team. He won the championship at the final round after a season-long battle with Martin Brundle Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1983 Senna tests the Toleman TG183B for the first time at Silverstone before joining the team for the 1984 season, making his grand prix debut at the 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1984 Senna's speed and performance in the Toleman at a wet Monaco was a statement of intent, he was in second, chasing down Alain Prost, when when the race was red-flagged Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1985 A year later, after moving to Lotus, Senna took his first F1 victory, winning the Portuguese Grand Prix in terrible conditions by over a minute from Michele Alboreto Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1986 Senna wins the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Nigel Mansell (left), just 0.014s ahead of the British driver – one of the closest finishes in Formula 1 history Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1987 Senna wins the Monaco Grand Prix for the first of his six victories in the race Photograph: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch/Getty Images

1988 After moving to McLaren, having received the approval of Alain Prost, Senna goes on to win his first world championship. The seeds of a bitter career-long rivalry with team-mate Prost were also sown Photograph: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch/Rainer Schlegelmilch

1989 The pair's animosity came to a head at the Japanese Grand Prix, where the team-mates crashed, Senna went on to win the race but was disqualified for cutting the chicane after the collision, allowing Prost to take the title Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1990 With rival Prost now at Ferrari, the battles on track continued. Once again at Suzuka, Senna refused to relent to Prost at the first corner, resulting in the pair crashing out and ensuring the Brazilian won the World Championship for a second time Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1991 After coming to a halt on the final lap of the British Grand Prix, Mansell gave Senna a lift as he passed by on his victory lap but Senna would take the title becoming the youngest ever three-time World Champion Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1991 Senna and Mansell again, this time going wheel-to-wheel inches apart at the Spanish Grand Prix, where ultimately Mansell, in the Williams, took the flag Photograph: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch/Getty Images

1992 This year saw the start of a rivalry between Senna and the young German driver Michael Schumacher. After several run-ins on track, Senna went on to confront Schumacher in the pits at the German Grand Prix, accusing him of blocking Photograph: Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images

1993 Lacking a team for the 1993 season, Senna agreed to test the McLaren ahead of the South African Grand Prix. He found the car to be surprisingly quick, and agreed to race for the team on a race-by-race basis, although he stayed for the season Photograph: Jerome Prevost/ Jerome Prevost/TempSport/Corbis

1993 Arguably Senna's greatest race, having dropped from fourth to fifth after a start in torrential rain he had taken the lead by the end of the first lap. He went on to win after four pit stops as the track veered between wet and dry conditions Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

1994 After signing for Williams-Renault, the 1994 season started badly. Senna voiced concerns about the handling of the car and, at Imola on 1 May 1994, crashed into the wall at the Tamburello corner. He died aged 34 Photograph: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch/Getty Images