Norfolk scenes in Senna on Netflix shot in Argentina
Norfolk is known for its famous flat scenery but despite this a new Netflix series has depicted it with shots of misty mountainous terrain.
Senna explores the life of race driver Ayrton Senna, played by Gabriel Leone, who won three Formula One championships before he died following a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.
Producers have been quick to point out that it is a fictionalised version of events, although it does follow Senna’s timeline from his arrival in Norfolk in the early 1980s to that devastating on-track moment.
In the first episode, viewers see Senna driving at a Snetterton Circuit which is surrounded by high peaks and dramatic clouds.
Instead of filming these scenes at the circuit off the A11, producers decided to shoot in Argentina at the Juan Manuel Fangio Circuit – more than 7,000 miles from
Norfolk.”
The series, which shot in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and the UK, cost £134 million to produce making it the most expensive Brazilian television series in history.
Ayrton Senna’s time in Norfolk
Ayrton Senna became a sporting legend thanks to his exploits in Formula One which saw him win world titles in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
Many people chart his success on the track back to his time spent racing in Norfolk in the early 1980s.
He was drawn by the lure of driving for Ralph Firman, who ran the Van Diemen company, based at Snetterton.
Van Diemen had a reputation for building the best cars in Formula Ford, the first step on the ladder for drivers with Grand Prix ambitions, and aspiring racers from across the globe flocked to drive Firman’s cars.
He rented a small semi-detached bungalow in Rugge Drive, Eaton, during this time.
After dominating Formula Ford in 1981, Senna moved up to the more powerful Formula Ford 2000 category in 1982, driving for Rushen Green Racing.
For 1983, Senna moved up to Formula Three and fought a season-long tooth-and-nail battle for the title with Martin Brundle from King’s Lynn, right down to the final race of the year.
Such was the impact of the fight between the two young drivers that both went straight into Formula One for 1984.
Senna joined the mid-ranking Toleman outfit, but it wasn’t long before bigger teams were chasing his signature, and he returned to Norfolk in 1985 when Lotus successfully signed him up.
In 1988 Senna moved to McLaren and his time in East Anglia ended.
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