Senna is not only the flat-out best documentary we’ve seen about a Brazilian race-car driver, it’s also a lead contender for our favorite documentary of the summer. Asif Kapadia’s film looks at the rise of Ayrton Senna, the Formula One driver who seemingly came out of no where and went on to dominate the sport in the ’80s and early ’90s. Charming, gorgeous, competitive, well-born, spiritual, and intelligent, Senna had many fans, especially in his home country. But within the sport, Senna was not the most political of players and had a long-time rivalry with former teammate Alain Prost, which adds fuel to this firey story. Slickly crafted from amazing archival footage, Senna is a champion in our books, a real must-see.

Senna is an Independent Pictures release.

(Originally appeared on Flavorpill.com in August 2011)