Past World Champ Senna to Race Formula One

Former world champion driver Ayrton Senna will be able to race on the Formula One circuit this year after being granted a license today by the International Auto Sports Federation.

The Brazilian was one of two McLaren-Honda drivers among 35 competitors named on a revised federation list as having been granted the special license required for the circuit.

The original list did not include Senna’s name. The 1988 driving champion has been feuding with racing authorities since he charged that last year’s competition was rigged so Alain Prost, then his teammate, would win the championship.

The release included an undated letter apparently signed by Senna to the Federation World Motor Council. It cautiously retracted remarks he made about Prost and the championship.

The first list had Jonathan Palmer of Britain as the second McLaren-Honda driver, in addition to Gerhard Berger of Austria. An hour later, the federation distributed a revised list with Senna in place of Palmer.

The revised list came with a letter from federation President Jean-Marie Balestre, dated Feb. 15, the deadline for applying for the license.

“We have received your letter of Feb. 15,” Balestre’s letter said. “We send you your super license and we wish you success in the championship, which promises a fine sporting season where you can express the qualities of a champion that we have never contested.”

The Formula One season opens March 11 with a race in Phoenix.