Senna Eau Rouge
Ayrton Senna in the dynamic of Eau Rouge into Raidillon, unveiled at Autosport International in 2019 to mark 25 years, and immediately bought by McLaren to show on their famous MTC Boulevard. Modelled on real life with myself as the stunt body being the same height and a similar build to Ayrton, in Ayrton's suit, boots and helmet. Perhaps the first time I have suffered for my art – this position was excruciating! Adding to the realism with the strain of holding it repeatedly creating a dynamic that I could never have faked, the 'oversteer dance' that many viewers do in front of him is the perfect appraisal.
This bronze is the thing that changed everything, is even what I am usually introduced by now. And the start of a 10 year project with McLaren to permanently immortalise their world champions.
Limited editions are available in bronze:
60% scale 110cm 35kg
20% scale 37cm 7kg
"The thing is with inspiration, is that you never get any warning before it hits you…”
When I unveiled the Senna’s life-size ‘Eau Rouge’ bronze, everything changed. I’d been creating sculpture for a while, had already been F1’s official artist for many years and live painted regularly for teams and with Paddock Club. Indeed it was this exposure which gave me the confidence to invest so heavily in the 18 month project it took to create, but I could never have predicted where this trajectory would lead. Launched at Autosport International in January 2019 and ‘Eau Rouge’ immediately went viral through socials and motorsport press, my world went nuts, and it’s ever since been what I’m principally known for, and introduced as. McLaren bought No.1 to stand next to his dominant MP4/4 on their famous MTC boulevard and suddenly I was part of the most iconic F1 museum in the world, employed from then on to celebrate McLaren’s own history with bronze effigy’s of each of their champions, at least 10 years’ work in all. Each statue is painstakingly recreated focusing on dynamic, character and the most accurate detail, with assets borrowed from McLaren’s own archives and even the champions own DNA, using James Hunt’s son Freddie as body double in his father’s race suit. Following Ayrton, McLaren’s inspirational founder Bruce was unveiled in June 2020 by his daughter Amanda, to mark 50 since his passing. Niki Lauda was next in May 2021 to mark 3 years, and James Hunt in 2023 to commemorate 30 years. Who’s next? Stay tuned... As with most of my sculpture work limited editions are created in several scales; life-size, 60%, and 20%.
