SENNA vs BRUNDLE: The story of Senna’s first great championship battle, before he even reached F1

This week marks 30 years since the tragic death of three-time Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna at Imola. As we celebrate the great Brazilian’s life here on F1.com, we asked F1 Hall of Fame journalist David Tremayne to look back at the first great championship battle Senna enjoyed – his 1983 F3 season fight with Martin Brundle, for which David had a front row seat…

It might seem funny to suggest that one of the most exciting races I ever saw was only a 30-lapper at Donington Park, when the two leading cars ran nose-to-tail throughout without changing position. But if I said it was Marlboro British Formula 3 in 1983, it starts to make a bit more sense. And if the lead Ralt RT3 was driven by Martin Brundle and the second one by Ayrton Senna…