Ayrton Senna once had to be lifted out of an F1 car because his fitness levels were so low

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Ayrton Senna is considered one of the greatest drivers in terms of natural talent that F1 has ever seen, but he was met with a big wake-up call following the completion of his first-ever Grand Prix.

The Brazilian legend is one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of Formula 1, and his legacy has proven to stand the test of time.

F1 drivers are still being compared to Ayrton Senna’s exploits to this very day, with Max Verstappen earning multiple comparisons to the three-time world champion for his impressive drives in difficult conditions.

However, like many drivers who have served stints in the pinnacle of single-seater motorsports, Senna’s arrival in F1 sent alarm bells ringing over his readiness for the power that comes with a car that houses over 1000bhp.

• READ MORE: Ayrton Senna still holds an F1 fastest lap record that will never be broken due to rule change

Zak Brown thinks Ayrton Senna is the GOAT, prove him wrong

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Pat Symonds reveals how Ayrton Senna had to be lifted out of his F1 car after finishing his first Grand Prix

During an appearance on the Autocar podcast, Cadillac chief Pat Symonds was asked about his time at the Toleman F1 outfit in the 1980s. The team is best known for giving Senna his Formula 1 debut in 1984.

The engineer-turned-executive recalled the legendary Brazilian driver’s first forays with the British constructor whilst highlighting Senna’s ‘only failing’ during his maiden season as an F1 driver.

Symonds said, “Martin [Brundle] is a driver I have a hell of a lot of time for; he was definitely one of the best guys we had in our team, but I think Alex [Hawkeridge] saw something in Ayrton.

“He tested the 183 at Silverstone, and he was incredibly quick in it. And so we signed him. The other teams could see the same as us, but they’re probably less risk-averse.

“Since we started in Formula 1, we weren’t risk-averse to the point where we were doing some crazy things. So we signed Ayrton. Originally, he was driving the 183.

“It was a difficult, heavy car to drive with these huge front under wings, which made the steering very heavy. We didn’t have power steering in those days.

“Ayrton’s one failing at that time was that he wasn’t fit. So he found it very difficult to drive the car. And certainly his performance would drop off during a race as he got tired.

“In fact, at the first race he finished in Kyalami, we had to lift him out of the car. Of course, Kyalami is difficult because it’s high altitude, your breathing suffers and things like that. Nevertheless, it was difficult for him.”

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Pat Symonds says that Michael Schumacher was the best driver he has ever worked with

As well as being an integral part of Senna’s career in F1, Symonds was also a key figure in the early success of Michael Schumacher, another candidate for the title of the greatest racecar driver of all time.

After the Toleman racing outfit was absorbed by Benetton upon their takeover of the team in 1986, Symonds stayed on as an engineer and worked his way up the ladder to become the German legend’s race engineer in the mid-1990s.

Those years proved to be Schumacher’s most successful at the constructor, winning his first two of seven drivers’ championships with Symonds as his right-hand man.

During his appearance on the Autocar podcast, the 72-year-old was asked who the best driver he had ever worked with was, to which he replied, “All round, Michael Schumacher.

“Great driver, and as I said earlier, he was a lovely guy and a good friend.”