Ducati Monster Senna Honors Three Decades Since the Legendary F1 Driver's Passing

The Brazilian-born managed to leave a permanent mark on Formula 1 in a relatively short period of time. In the span of just ten years, Senna managed to snatch the World Drivers' Champion title no less than three times (in 1988, 1990, and 1991), and managed to finish in the first position in no less than 41 races.

The driver would have probably continued to be a force to be reckoned with in the sport, but then that tragic accident everyone still remembers happened at the now-defunct (or should we say renamed) San Marino Grand Prix, in 1994.

Senna is a name that has been constantly honored by carmakers (especially McLaren), bike makers, and anyone in between. Given that this year marks 30 years without Senna in the world, Ducati thought it would be great to once again bring the Brazilian driver, his accomplishments, and his legacy back into the spotlight. And the Italians are using a special version of the Monster to do that.

The association between the Ducati and Senna is not accidental. The Formula 1 driver was always a fan of the Italian brand, and he became one of the early adopters of the Monster 900, using it to get about Monte Carlo and even to show up at the gala that followed the 1993 Monaco GP.

Before that, Senna used to ride an 851 SP, and in 1994, right before passing, he tied his name to Ducati forever by agreeing to work on something that became known as the Ducati 916 Senna. It sported a livery chosen by Senna himself, and it was initially produced in just 300 units. Its success prompted Ducati to release two more production runs in 1997 and 1998, this time with the bike benefitting from input from Ayrton's brother, Leonardo.

Closer to our time, in 2014, Ducati released the 1199 Panigale dedicated to the F1 driver, it too a limited production run of just 161 units (the number of GPs raced by Senna), but this was limited to the Brazilian market. And now comes something equally exciting, a special edition of the Monster.

The bike is the usual Monster underneath, meaning it packs pretty much the same kind of hardware as in stock form. When talking about the engine, that means a 937cc liquid-cooled twin-cylinder Testastretta 11° sitting in the frame and delivering 111 horsepower to the rear wheel.

The rest of the features, including the three riding modes, safety features, and even launch control, remain as stock on this bike as well.

An Ohlins suspension system (front fork and rear monoshock) holds the bike upright. It supports forged wheels wrapped in Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires, while Brembo hardware provides stopping power.

A series of lightweight components (mostly made from aluminum and GFRP) have been included in the build in a bid to bring the bike's weight down a bit. Thanks to things like the front frame, rear subframe, swingarm, and even the wheels, the Monster Senna tips the scales at 386 pounds (175 kg) without fuel, almost nine pounds (4 kg) lighter than the regular version.

What truly makes the Senna run of the Monster special is the livery seen on the bodywork and elsewhere (including on the otherwise black rims and the Termignoni carbon fiber silencers). There are three main colors used, namely yellow, green, and blue, all of them meant to be reminiscent of the colors the race driver wore on his helmet (and also the colors of the Brazilian flag).

The bike has also been fitted with a sports seat boasting a special logo, and full LED lights. On startup, the 4.3-inch color TFT screen and the rest of the dashboard show a special animation.

Ducati presented the Monster Senna at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola, the same place where Senna lost his life. It was there that Ducati announced the Monster Senna would be a limited run dedicated to collectors.

A total of 341 such bikes are to ever be made, a reference to the number of championships Senna won (3) and the number of races he finished in first position (41). On the American market the bike will sell from $26,995.

For that, collectors will not only get the ride itself, but also a dedicated passenger seat and motorcycle covers. To make sure everybody understands the rarity of the ride, a plaque with the model name and number of the bike is attached to the bike's triple clamp. A certificate of authenticity accompanies each of the models that will be made as part of this run.