Bearman moved to tears driving Senna's race-winning 1985 Lotus at Silverstone

Ollie Bearman was visibly moved to tears after driving Ayrton Senna’s race-winning 1985 Lotus 97T around Silverstone, with the Haas F1 driver’s heartfelt reaction earning him widespread admiration from fans across social media.

The 21-year-old Briton was invited to take the wheel of the iconic black-and-gold Lotus — the very car that delivered Senna his first Formula 1 victory at Estoril — alongside former F1 driver Karun Chandhok at his home grand prix circuit.

“It’s a huge step back in time,” Bearman said before firing up the engine. “Seeing the car that he raced and won his first race in is quite an emotional moment.”

After completing a few laps, Bearman returned to the pitlane visibly affected by the experience. “That was an incredibly special experience,” he reflected. “Sometimes you have these days in racing where it reminds you of why you fell in love with the sport.”

The footage resonated deeply with fans online. “What a grateful chap Ollie is — hands down one of the most respected drivers on the grid right now,” one viewer commented, while another wrote: “He’s crying because it’s Senna’s car, the fact that this is what racing is. Raw speed, nothing but man and machine. We’ve lost track of that.”

Others were equally struck by the display of genuine emotion. “The kid is a true enthusiast. So passionate that he cries to drive such a legend of motorsport,” one fan posted, with another simply calling Bearman “a proper racer, a respectful guy — all-round class act.”

Perhaps the most poignant response came from a fan who wrote: “Brought tears to my eyes — my late brother and I grew up during the Ayrton Senna age, and to see the emotional impact on Ollie, who wasn’t even born yet, hit me right in the heart. I have a newfound admiration for Ollie.”

Bearman, currently in his first full season in Formula 1 with Haas, has quickly built a reputation as one of the more grounded personalities on the grid. His reaction to the Lotus 97T drive appeared to reinforce that standing among fans who value the sport’s history as much as its present.