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Ferrariarrived in a blaze of glory before fizzling out with the whispers of time. Neither Adam Driver nor Penelope Cruz could do anything to save the film while Michael Mann’s 8-year-long hiatus did nothing to improve upon his spiraling reputation as a director since the 2004 masterpiece,Collateral.
It was the unlikely Brazilian telenovela star Gabriel Leone who stole the spotlight instead. As Alfonso de Portago, Leone gained international recognition and acclaim. Now, as Senna in Netflix’s upcoming eponymous miniseries, Gabriel Leone will rise to the occasion and become the new god of Interlagos.
FerrariBrought Out the Racer in Gabriel Leone
Formula One is not for everyone. Not the winding hours on the track with g-force twisting one’s neck close to snapping on every turn, the 20 meters of track that passes by in darkness with every millisecond-long blink, the engines that burn half as hot as the surface of the sun, and the collisions that could generate up to 1000 lbs on a single spearpoint-surface of one’s body.
WhileFord v Ferraribrought out the passion and darkness that come with the sport, Michael Mann’sFerrarienvisioned the rise of an empire and the lost history behind one of the most iconic racecar brands of all time. In his role as a part of the larger story,Gabriel Leoneimprinted on the audience’s mind as Alfonso de Portago, finding ways to own the figure’s personality traits while also imbuing him with some ofMarlon Brando‘s.
Speaking toCollider, Leone revealed his process for the film and how Mann helped him find a way into the character’s mind:
I found this book, I found this old vinyl of [Alfonso de Portago] giving an interview, we had the photos, but most of all Michael wanted me to find his personality. He was a playboy of his time, he was also a sportsman, he was a noble, he was a Marquess from Spain, so that’s what we looked for during prep was to find this energy. Also, there was a mission to [evoke a] Brando style and energy, so I did some research. Of course, we watched some early Brando movies. So, that was it.
With Michael Mann’sFerrari, Gabriel Leone delivered on screen as an actor worth his mettle, whether on telenovelas or films based on Formula One.
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Incidentally, Leone’s next big project witnesses him transforming into the Brazilian legend, Ayrton Senna in the Netflix miniseries depicting the life of the 3-time world champion. With a conviction such as this, one can only expect Leone to make Senna proud.
Ayrton Senna: Life, Death, and Legacy
For those invested in the realm of motorsports, there is neither god nor man who evokes such immediate emotions of pain and worship as Ayrton Senna can. A legend beyond his time and a man humbled by his own sense of self, Senna redefined humanity in ways that can never be done again.
In a sport that thrives on adrenaline-fueled feuds and competition, Ayrton Senna seduced fans and rivals alike. If not for his philanthropy, Senna was loved for Interlagos in 1991, for singlehandedly saving Érik Comas’ life in 1992, for rushing to Martin Donnelly’s side after his accident, for the way he genuinely cared about the racers, and for bringing humanity to a sport that had been stripped down to machines on burning asphalt.
In what would become one of the darkest weekends in Formula One racing history, Austrian racer Roland Ratzenberger died after his car crashed into a concrete wall at 186 mph during qualifying at San Marino on August 01, 2025. The following day, despite Senna’s concerns, the San Marino Grand Prix proceeded as planned, beginning one out of the seven laps that ended his life.
On the seventh lap, Senna – who was leading on pole – took a flat left turn and hit the concrete wall at 190 mph. The base of his head struck the steering column and a piece of the car’s suspension penetrated his helmet resulting in a fatal brain injury. He was pronounced dead 3 hours later at a hospital in Bologna, the race kept on going, and the Supreme Court of Cessation in Italy chalked the crash up to mechanical failure.
Senna’s death would become a pivotal moment that changed F1 for the better. From safety regulations to car designs to mechanical safeguards, the FIA took measures to institute changes in place that prioritized the driver over the car. Now, the Tamburello corner stands as a stark reminder of the tragedy in Imola.
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It was more than the Lap of the Gods that deified Ayrton Senna. It was the way he fiercely challenged Michael Schumacher. It was his little acts of kindness on the tracks. It is the inconsolable racing community that will never know the likes of him again. It is the annual tribute held in his name during every Brazilian Grand Prix. It is the $400 million that he quietly donated to charity throughout his life, a record that was only made public after his death.
In his gloriously short lifetime, Ayrton Senna died chasing his dream and carving a legacy, becoming a martyr and a tragic Achillean hero who changed Formula One forever.
Sennawill premiere on Netflix Brazil on June 24, 2025, followed by a global release.
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2407
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
