Car-Vid Classics: Senna loafing around in an NSX

Starring this week: Honda NSX, Ayrton Senna and some very 1990s shoes

This week’s Car-Vid Classic features one of the greatest Japanese sports cars ever made and arguably the most revered Formula 1 driver in history. So it’s a bit weird that the real star is a pair of slip-on shoes.

In 1992, Ayrton Senna was onhand at Suzuka International Racing Course for demonstration laps in the then-new Honda NSX Type R. In-car footage of one of his laps on the short circuit has become legendary, thanks to a close-up look at Senna’s steering, and an inset of the three-time F1 champion’s fancy footwork: heeland-toe and his unique throttle technique, rapidly blipping the pedal as he accelerates out of a corner.

That was all impressive from the start. But what has grown over the years is an appreciation of Senna’s 1990s fashion. Casually dressed for the event, his brown slip-on loafers, white socks and beige trousers are now iconic . . . in an ironic way.

It adds a lighter touch to all that NSX/Senna mythology. Contrary to popular opinion, Senna did not sketch the NSX on a napkin in the 1980s. But he did get involved with the car at Suzuka in early-1989: NSX engineers were signing off their creation and the McLaren-Honda F1 team was testing at the same time.

Senna drove the car on track and although he was reluctant to give too much advice on a production vehicle, he said the NSX felt a bit “fragile”.

Senna’s suggestions were enough to make Honda put yet more work into chassis rigidity and suspension tune, helping make the NSX what it was and still is today: sensational. There’s footage of that test too, but it’s not as thrilling as what Senna achieved in those shiny slip-ons.