SPORTS LETTERS

The legacy of

Ayrton Senna

From Mr S Mackay

Sir: I write in response to the article by Derick Allsop in your issue of April 27 (Senna's troubled soul still casts pall). To a large extent his analysis of Ayrton Senna's death at Imola is enlightening and accurate with the exception of his attempt to find some perspective.

Senna was the motor racing equivalent of Cantona. His concerns were not simply those of the sportsman but also those of the artist. His mystery, his arrogance and his need for perfection were part and parcel of his talent and ergo his attraction.

It is the role of sportsmen and artists to be enigmatic. Formula One in particular is a matter of spectacle and personality. For Allsop to compare Senna's suffering to that of Brazilian shanty town families is to miss the point completely. One need only have watched the footage of his funeral to fully understand his role and how his fans felt about him.

They adored him.

Like all great artists Senna enriched their lives. They worshipped him and his quest for perfection was for them more than anyone. To trivialise his pressures is to trivialise what he meant to them, which I am sure they would not want.

There is indeed a pall over F1. That pall is a mark of what Senna meant, what he achieved and what he was. To his fans Senna was more than human. I would ask Mr Allsop to leave them that legend.

Yours,

SCOTT MACKAY

Southampton,

Hants

From: S J Schweps

Had Ayrton Senna ever aimed his car at one of Nigel Mansell's supporters say, and put his foot down, there might have been cause to compare him to the likes of Eric Cantona.

It is a pity that Derick Allsop could not resist such a cheap shot, only a year after the tragic loss of the man whose talent and heart still define the very limits of the sport.

Yours,

S J SCHWEPS

Glasgow

Home and away

From Mr A Brodkin

Sirs: I was interested to learn (Sport, Saturday page 46) that, according to a recent survey carried out by Blackburn Rovers, no less than 96 per cent of their season ticket holders live within five miles of Ewood Park.

It would perhaps be equally interesting to know whether as many as four per cent of Manchester United supporters live within five (or even 50) miles of Old Trafford.

Yours etc

ADRIAN BRODKIN

London N2

All-time great?

From R W Burgess

Sir: Without in any way wishing to denigrate the memory of that courageous, determined and dedicated cricketer, R E S Wyatt, whose death was reported in The Independent on 22 April 1995, it surely cannot be maintained that his performance as a batsman, all-rounder and captain justifies the accolade of "an all-time great" (the title to Patrick Miles' article). Notably, Wyatt's modest record against Australia (only one victory as captain; 633 runs in 12 games with an average of 33 and no centuries to his name) would hardly indicate that he should be mentioned in the same breath as, for example, W G Grace, Trumper, Hobbs, Bradman and Sobers.

Moreover, it is unfortunate that Scyld Berry in his otherwise splendid obituary notice perpetuates the myth that Wyatt scored more first-class centuries than any other amateur apart from Grace. Peter May equalled Wyatt's record in this respect whilst the polymath C B Fry, most proud and jealous of his amateur status, exceeded it by six centuries.

Yours truly

R W BURGESS

Harvington,

Nr Evesham

Worcestershire

Letters should be marked "For publication" and should contain daytime and evening phone numbers. They should be sent to Sports Editor, The Independent, 1 Canada Square, London E14 5DL. They may be shortened for reasons of space.