Ducati have used this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Formula 1 race to unveil a special tribute to the late, great, Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna – commemorating the 30th anniversary of his death at the Imola race circuit on 1 May 1994.
The mercurial world champ enjoyed an association with Ducati in the years before his death. Former Ducati owner Claudio Castiglioni, a big Senna fan, gifted him a 851 SP superbike in 1990, and the Brazilian was one of the first owners of the original Monster 900, which was launched in 1993. Senna went on to collaborate with Ducati to create the limited edition 916 Senna edition. Painted charcoal grey and red, it was announced in March 1994, a few months before his death in a racing accident and was sold in his memory later that year. Further Senna editions came in 1997 and 1998 while, 10 years ago, 161 examples of the 1199 Panigale S Senna edition were sold in Brazil to mark the 20th anniversary of his passing.
So the latest Ducati/Senna collaboration should be no surprise. Based on the latest Monster, it comes in a vivid yellow, blue and green livery inspired by the great man’s iconic helmet design.
At £23,500, the Monster Senna is almost £10k more expensive than the Monster SP upon which it is based. Just 341 examples will be produced, a number tenuously generated by taking the number of world championships Senna won (3) and the number of Grands Prix he triumphed in (41).
The bike is based upon the standard Monster platform, meaning the same soulful 937cc, 111bhp Testastretta motor and top notch electronics package, which includes three riding modes, eight level traction control, four level wheelie control, three level launch control, quickshifter and a cornering ABS system with three settings.
The chassis is also dripping with top notch components, including fully adjustable Öhlins suspension front and rear, yellow coloured Brembo Stylema brake calipers, Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres and model specific forged wheel rims which save almost 2kg. With other trick bits like carbon fibre mudguards, lithium ion battery and machined footrests, the Senna edition weighs in at 175kg before fuel – 4kg less than the standard model. Usual limited edition extras like a numbered plaque, certificate of authenticity and a bespoke bike cover all come as part of the package.
Even allowing for the small production run, the Senna edition is likely to be a rare sight on the roads, with most likely to find their way into the hands of collectors, speculators and Senna fans. Claudio Domenicali, big boss at Ducati, commented: "Ayrton Senna was and will forever stand as an icon. A sports legend, an extraordinary person, but also a passionate motorcyclist, whom we wish to honour with a special edition of one of the most iconic models in our range: the Monster. Senna was one of the very first owners of the Monster 900 and perfectly represented the values of this bike: style, boldness and fun. The Monster Senna is a demonstration of how honoured we are to define a champion of this incredible level a true Ducatista."
Bianca Senna, Ayrton’s niece, added: "The partnership with Ducati is historic and very relevant to this day. The Monster is a perfect motorcycle to recall Ayrton's lifestyle, focused on high performance but with the ability to enjoy moments of leisure. Fans around the world who admire Ayrton will find this partnership a genuine tribute to his legacy."
There’s no doubt Ayrton Senna was a true Ducati fan, or Ducatista, making this one of the more credible motorcycle brand associations of recent years. If you fancy one, it’s probably best to get down to your local Ducati dealership tout suite, as these limited editions rarely hang around for long.
