Ayrton Senna: Remembering the F1 star on the 20th anniversary of his death

Published 1500 GMT (2300 HKT) May 1, 2014

1 of 10

The 20th anniversary of the death of three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna, who was killed in an accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, is marked on May 1. JEAN-LOUP GAUTREAU/AFP/Getty Images

Senna is widely recognized as one of the sport's greatest ever drivers, having claimed 41 grand prix wins and 80 podium finishes during a 10-year F1 career. JULIO PEREIRA/AFP/GettyImages

Senna -- born in Sao Paulo, Brazil on March 21 1960 -- made his F1 debut with Toleman in 1984, having previously impressed in karting and open-wheel racing. The Brazilian finished ninth in his maiden season. MARTTI KAINULAINEN/AFP/GettyImages

The Brazilian moved on to Lotus in 1985 and soon drove to his first grand prix victory in Portugal. Senna continued his ascendancy with the Lotus team and, in his final 1987 season with the team, he finished third in the drivers' championship. Getty Images

Senna signed for McLaren in 1988, where he would go on to enjoy the most prosperous period of his career. All three World Championships -- in 1988, 1990 and 1991 -- came during his six years with the English team. Pascal Rondeau/Allsport

Senna was teamed with his arch-rival Alain Prost at McLaren, shown here with team principal Ron Dennis. The pair shared a fierce rivalry and were involved in a number of controversial collisions as they both vied for the world title. KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images

Senna joined the Williams team in 1994. He would go on to lose his life in the third race of the season at the San Marino Grand Prix, in the town of Imola. His car crashed into a concrete wall at the flat-out Tamburello corner having left the track at around 310 kph. AFP/AFP/Getty Images

The death of Senna, the last driver killed during an F1 race, came the day after Austrian Roland Ratzenberger died during qualifying. Drivers observed a minute's silence to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of the pair moments before the start of the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix. JEANNOT LAPEYRE/AFP/Getty Images

A memorial statue to Senna stands in the town of Imola, which is to host five days of events to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his death. Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images

The anniversary of Senna's death will also be commemorated in Brazil. Many still make the visit to his grave in Sao Paulo's Morumbi Cemetery to pay tribute to a national hero. YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images