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Racing drivers often grow into figures bigger than life itself. Their extraordinary talent, the ever-present danger of wheel-to-wheel combat, and the intense rivalry that defines motorsport make them easy to idolise. Few, if any, have inspired devotion quite like three-time Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna. This autumn, thanks to RM Sotheby’s, one deeply committed admirer will get the chance to own perhaps the ultimate piece of memorabilia: Senna’s own 1991 Honda NSX.

Even if you do not know every fine detail of Honda’s mid-engined supercar, chances are you have heard at least something about Senna’s role in its development. The working relationship between Honda and Senna began in 1987, when the manufacturer started supplying engines for his Team Lotus race car. Senna then moved to McLaren for the 1988 season, where Honda was also the engine supplier. His years with McLaren would later be honoured by the model that carries his name, the McLaren Senna.

The turbocharged 1.5-litre V-6 helped the Brazilian secure his first drivers’ title in 1988, with a record-setting eight race wins across the season. Senna’s team-mate Alain Prost would take the championship in 1989 in controversial fashion, but Senna cemented his standing among the sport’s greats by claiming the 1990 and 1991 titles. At that time, he became the youngest driver ever to win three world championships.

Before those titles were all in the bag, Honda invited Senna to Suzuka Circuit in 1989 to sample the brand’s forthcoming “New Sportscar Experimental”, better known as the NSX. Ayrton reportedly told the team that the car’s chassis felt a little too fragile for his taste, prompting Honda to raise structural rigidity by 50 percent before the road car reached the market. Senna also contributed to suspension tuning during test sessions at Suzuka and at the ‘Ring.

Under the terms of their contract, Honda and Senna had an arrangement that provided the racing driver with a Honda NSX for personal use. This specific car, “SX-25-59”, was assigned to him for use in Portugal. He personally drove it to the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, creating some now-iconic images, and the car also appeared in the documentary Ayrton Senna: Racing Is In My Blood.

The car is now set to be offered at RM’s The London Auction event, where it will go under the hammer on October 31. Taking it home, however, will require far more than a typical Honda budget, as the estimate stands at between $680,000 and $1 million+. That would represent a record result for an NSX, but considering some of RM’s recent Monterey results, it honestly looks almost like a bargain.