I set up this little vignette using a modified Denizen 43rd scale metal figure and a Minichamps Lotus.

It’s based on the famous photo taken before he clinched his first victory in Portugal in 1985.  Ayrton Senna sits dejected at the rear of his JPS Lotus 97T after it’s clutch broke during practice for the Portugese Grand Prix in Estoril.

He overcame a number of technical problems (switching to his spare car) and qualifying on pole for the race.  The weather on race-day was overcast and damp following a number of rain showers and all drivers opted to start on wet tyres.  Senna led the filed away and was never challenged for the entire 67 laps.  The rain became very heavy half way through and many teams felt the race might be stopped.  Senna took the first of his 41 career wins driving relentlessly in what were in the final stages atrocious conditions.  He lapped all but second place man Michele Alboreto (Ferrari) who finished over a minute behind him.

As the piece is now on Ebay featuring a revised helmet and gloves combination I’m posting pictures here of how that revision to the helmet and gloves was carried out.  I drilled out the top of the Denizen helmet into which I inserted a metal pin – the other end of which I attached the Denizen gloves -after filling the gaps with Miliput I gave the lot a couple of coats of primer, painted it up applied the decals and finished with a couple of coats of Klear – job done!

Denizen produce a beautiful casting of driving gloves and they are the ideal companion to an accompanying helmet when displaying a bareheaded figure.  The problem I’ve experienced with this set-up,  is the gloves are so small they can get lost in a display so by attaching them to the helmet they won’t “go walkies” and at the same time they become more prominent and really set the piece off.  It involves a little more work but it definitely looks better as a finished piece.

source|pictures: © p-m-art.com