Ducati Monster Senna, special series in tribute to Ayrton

The setting - the Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari in Imola - is the same one that witnessed the terrible accident that cost Ayrton Senna his life exactly 30 years ago: here Ducati unveiled today the new Monster Senna, a tribute to the Brazilian rider. The unveiling took place during the F1 Grand Prix of Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna, with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, Senna Brands CEO Bianca Senna and F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali in attendance. Monster Senna is a limited and numbered edition, created in only 341 examples, a number that contains the "3", the world titles won by Senna in Formula 1, and "41", the Grand Prix won by Ayrton.

The livery of the new Monster, created by the Ducati Style Centre with the participation of Senna Brands, echoes that of the helmet with which Ayrton used to race, with numerous parts in yellow, green and blue, the colours of the carioca flag, also taken up by the yellow/green/blue tags on the black rims, and the yellow details on the Brembo brake calipers and Termignoni carbon fibre approved silencers. Each model has a plaque on the steering plate with model name and serial number, and "Senna" lettering on the tank and tail; each time the bike is started, the dashboard shows a dedicated animation. The Monster Senna is a premium version of the Ducati legend: weighing only 175 kg, it is fitted with the 937 cc Testastretta 11° twin-cylinder engine, capable of 111 horsepower, with a chassis derived from Superbike, with fully adjustable Öhlins suspension, Brembo Stylema front brake calipers and segment-leading electronics.

The Monster Senna special series is a celebration of the relationship between Ducati and Ayrton, a mutual passion that the Borgo Panigale company still cultivates today with the Brazilian rider's family and with Senna Brands. The choice of the model is not random: Ayrton was one of the very first owners of the Monster 900, the bike used for his city commute in Monte Carlo with which he appeared at the 1993 Monaco Gp gala. In reality, the feeling between Senna and Ducati was born three years earlier, in 1990, when the then owner Claudio Castiglioni, a Senna fan, gave the three-time world champion an 851 Sp. The idyll continued with the Ducati 916, so much so that Senna gave his name to the special series of 300 units whose livery he chose: it was the first months of the tragic 1994; in May, Ayrton's death stopped the project, which, in agreement with the Senna family, was presented by Ducati at the '94 Motor Show, with great success (two other limited series followed). Ducati's collaboration with Senna Brands resumed in 2014, on the 20th anniversary of the champion's death, with the 1199 Panigale (a limited series of 161 examples, as many as the number of Gp disputed by Ayrton), and now continues with the Monster Senna.

The Monster Senna is on sale for 25,000 euros; to reserve it, you must contact your local dealer.