Here is some rare archival footage of Ayrton Senna undergoing his first tests in Formula One back in 1983 when he was dominating in British Formula Three. Senna’s F3 dominance was creating headlines and he was granted testing opportunities with several teams, including Williams, McLaren and Toleman.

With driving contracts already in place at Williams and McLaren it was with Ted Toleman’s team that Senna made his F1 debut in 1984. Senna’s words at the end of this clip proved true, when he claimed podium finishes at Britain and Portugal.

Senna would go on to secure three World Championships with McLaren (1988, 1990, 1991) before, fatefully, suffering a life-ending accident in a Williams at Imola in 1994.

[via Motorsport Retro]