Ron Dennis and Ayrton Senna had one of the most notable partnerships in F1 history, and their journey together began with an unusual decision-making process.
When Ayrton Senna joined McLaren in 1988, everyone knew he was one of the biggest talents on the grid, and naturally, he wanted to be compensated accordingly. However, Ron Dennis, known for his no-nonsense approach, wasn’t going to make it easy. The negotiation reached a stalemate over $250,000 in Senna’s three-year deal.
Dennis recounted to the BBC how this deadlock was resolved. He asked Senna, ‘Do you believe in chance? Do you believe that there are greater forces in this world and mankind?’ Senna, a religious man, responded affirmatively. Dennis then proposed, ‘Let God decide, let’s flip a coin.’ Senna laughed, as did Dennis, but they went ahead with the coin toss to break the impasse.
To avoid any confusion, Dennis even drew a picture of a head and a tail. This lighthearted moment was enough to ease the tension between them. Dennis often used humor and small bets to alleviate stress in his professional relationships.
Tragically, Senna lost his life in an accident the year after he left McLaren. When asked about how he would have coped if a driver had died while racing for him, Dennis admitted he wasn’t sure what his reaction would have been. He said, ‘Would I stop if a driver lost his life in one of my cars? I think the circumstances would have been irrelevant. There are things that you feel responsible for and there are things that you aren’t responsible for.’
Dennis emphasized that safety was always a priority for McLaren. They took numerous measures to ensure that their drivers could survive accidents and remain uninjured.
The coin flip that settled Senna’s contract remains a memorable story in F1 lore, highlighting the unique and often human elements behind high-stakes decisions in the racing world.
Source: Planetf1
