Who is Gabriel Leone, the Brazilian actor cast to play F1 legend Ayrton Senna in Netflix's new series?

Netflix has brought Formula One fans, both new and old, closer to the characters in the sport through their hugely successful docu-series Drive to Survive.

While the streaming giant has tracked stars on the racetrack over the past five seasons including Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, Netflix will now take a look at a historic F1 legend in a new production.

In the wake of what would have been three-time F1 champ Ayrton Senna’s 63rd birthday yesterday (21 March), Netflix confirmed they had greenlit a six-part series looking at the Brazilian driver’s career.

Senna cemented himself in motor sporting history books by being one of three Brazilian drivers to win the World Championship, with 41 Grand Prix's and 65 pole positions under his belt before his devastating death while racing in Imola in 1994.

The series comes after Netflix created a documentary about Michael Schumacher which was met with a favourable reception, in addition to their original series Drive to Survive, which bodes well as no Senna-related project has seemingly done well since a 2010 documentary.

As Netflix confirmed the series titled Senna, they revealed the Brazilian actor who will fill the Williams’ driver’s boots and race seat as 29-year-old Gabriel Leone.

When cast as Senna, Leone said: “It is a huge responsibility and also a great honour to be able to represent an icon who inspired so many people throughout his life, showing the world Brazilian sporting talent.

“Knowing that we will bring this story to millions of people in so many countries, through Netflix, inspires me to see this as one of the great roles of my career.”

Prior to his Senna casting, Gabriel grew to international recognition through his leading role in Amazon Prime’s Original Portuguese-language series Dom. 

The Rio De Janeiro-born actor and ‘emerging talent’ is also an established musician who entered the entertainment industry in 2013.

Upon hearing who will play Ayrton Senna in the fictional series, the former F1 driver’s family expressed their confidence in the casting decision.

Senna’s sister Viviane said: “He has the ability to faithfully portray Ayrton’s unique personality, especially the Ayrton that we as a family knew, off the track.”

The Senna project was originally greenlit last August when Netflix changed its original eight episode format to six, but with the primary cast announcement now being unveiled, production should be just a quick pit-stop away.