close
close

Did Aryton Senna Have a Wife? Guys? What You Need to Know About Their Relationship

Did Aryton Senna Have a Wife? Guys? What You Need to Know About Their Relationship

  • Netflix’s drama series “Senna” is about the career of the Formula 1 pilot and his death in 1994.
  • The series touches on his relationship with his ex-wife Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza and her girlfriend Adriane Galisteu.
  • Senna had no children but was with Galisteu at the time of his death.

Netflix’s new limited seriesSenna” gives late night the Hollywood treatment Formula 1 star Ayrton Sennahis professional career and personal life.

Starring Gabriel Leone as the title character, the six-part scripted series retells the best-known parts of Senna’s racing career, from his beginnings in karting to his eventual success in Formula 1 as a three-time world champion. It also refers to the Brazilian driver’s death when he crashed into a concrete wall at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at the age of 34.

“Senna” also explores the driver’s romantic relationships. Senna had no children, but had three serious relationships during his life: his first wife, Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza; Xuxa Meneghel, a Brazilian TV presenter; and Brazilian actor, TV presenter and model Adriane Galisteu, who was also his girlfriend when he died.

Here’s what you need to know about de Vasconcelos Souza and his relationship with Galisteu.

Senna was briefly married to his childhood friend Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza.


Alice Wegmann as Lilian and Gabriel Leone as Ayrton "Senna."

“Senna” stars Alice Wegmann as Lilian and Gabriel Leone as Ayrton.

netflix



In the Netflix series, Senna and his girlfriend Lilian (Alice Wegmann) move from Brazil to Norfolk, England, so he can race in Formula Ford, typically an entry-level race for Formula One drivers.

As Senna progresses as a driver, he finds it difficult to adapt to living in England. When Senna breaks his promise and continues racing after the agreed year, he and Lilian divorce.

Their relationship progressed similarly in real life.

According to Tom Rubython’s 2004 biography “The Life of Senna,” Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza (alternatively written as Liliane Vasconcelos Souza) came from a “wealthy Brazilian family.”

He and Senna were childhood friends who married in São Paulo in February 1981, shortly before moving to England.

As depicted in the Netflix drama, de Vasconcelos Souza did not have a life of his own in the UK. He often attended Senna’s races and supported his career.

When Senna decided to drive in England for the 1982 season, de Vasconcelos Souza told him that their marriage would end. The couple divorced quietly and she stayed away from the limelight.


Ayrton Senna at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix.

Ayrton Senna at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix.

Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images



In a 2010 interview with Brazilian news site G1De Vasconcellos Souza, who was working as a designer at the time, talked about his relationship with Senna and his absence from Asif Kapadia’s documentary “Senna: No Fear, No Limits, No Equality”.

He said it was “a very well-made film” but said he was “disturbed” that he was not involved in it, given his relationship with Senna. De Vasconcellos Souza also said after the race that he always knew it was his “second passion”.

Additionally, De Vasconcellos Souza told G1 that he and Senna’s different views on having children in the future caused their separation.

She said she had inadvertently become pregnant with Senna’s child, and that the plan was for her to raise the baby in Brazil while Senna remained in Europe to continue his racing career. De Vasconcellos Souza said she miscarried three days later.

“Something broke inside me at that moment because his goal was to get into Formula 1, mine was to have a husband I loved and start a family,” she said.

After divorcing Senna, he remarried and had a son in 1984. De Vasconcellos Souza was on his third marriage when he heard of Senna’s death on television. He did not attend Senna’s wake or funeral but did stop by the cemetery where he was buried. He also visited his mother Neyde Senna and stopped by her home in São Paulo.

At the time of his death, Senna was in a relationship with Brazilian model and actor Adriane Galisteu.


Ayrton Senna and Adriane Galisteu were on holiday in February 1994.

Ayrton Senna and Adriane Galisteu were on holiday in February 1994.

Gianni GIANSANTI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images



The last two chapters of “Senna” describe Senna’s relationship with Galisteu. In the show, they meet when Senna is celebrating her birthday. Brazilian Grand Prix victory in a club.

In the final episode, he calls Senna, frightened and worried, after hearing that Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger had a fatal crash at the Imola circuit during qualifying. When Senna died after crashing into a concrete wall during the race the next day, he was seen watching the tragedy unfold on television.

In real life, Galisteu and Senna were together from 1993 until his death at the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy.

Galisteu met Senna at the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix while working as a hospitality hostess for oil company Shell. Although they crossed paths in the hospitality suite during the race weekend, it wasn’t until Senna’s Brazilian GP celebration at the Limelight Club that they had their first interaction.

During their relationship, they traveled the world together; They visited Monaco, Hungary and other venues where F1 races are held.

According to Rubython’s biography, Senna planned to stay in Portugal with Galisteu for five months during the European racing season in 1994 and not return to Brazil during this period, which was traditional for him. This caused a rift with Senna’s family, who felt that Galisteu was not good enough for him.


Adriane Galisteu at Ayrton Senna's funeral in Brazil in May 1994.

Adriane Galisteu at Ayrton Senna’s funeral in Brazil in May 1994.

Pool RIBEIRO/SASSAKI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images



Galisteu saw Senna for the last time on 3 April 1994, weeks before his death. He was taking an English language course in Brazil in preparation for spending time in Europe and living with Senna.

According to the biography, Galisteu said Senna told him that he planned to marry her one day, move from Williams to Ferrari and finish his career with the Italian team.

Galisteu watched the San Marino GP on television at Senna’s home in Portugal. He was among the mourners at Senna’s funeral in Brazil in May 1994.

Following Senna’s death, Galisteu was married to Brazilian businessman Roberto Justus from 1998 to 1999. She has been married to Alexandre Iódice since 2010 and they have a son named Vittorio.

Galisteu is still modeling and actively posts photos of her photo shoots, her family, and her friends on Instagram. Tribute to Senna.

All episodes of “Senna” are streaming on Netflix.