Brazil has one Senna but no winner Von Jens Marx,

Nov 24, 2011, 11:39 GMT

Sao Paulo, Brazil - Felipe Massa came closest three years ago in a bitter-sweet victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix as the South American nation longs for a first Formula One world champion since Ayrton Senna.

Massa felt like a champion for a few seconds after crossing the finish line in Interlagos but his and his nation's dream went up in smoke when Lewis Hamilton stole the title by overtaking Timo Glock in the second-from-last turn of the final lap.

Massa's fate of losing the championship by one point is somewhat symptomatic as Brazilians have always stood in the shadow of others since Senna lost his life at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.

Senna won three world titles 1988, 1990 and 1991 and is widely considered the best driver the sport has ever produced. Adored in his home country, it was clear that future Brazilians would have a hard time in the sport, let alone become as successful.

But the latest Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday highlights that neither Massa nor veteran Rubens Barrichello - let alone Senna's nephew Bruno - have come close to the legend.

Massa, 30, can't escape the thrill of the home race as he celebrates the end of his 10th year in the sport and the 100th race for Ferrari, but ranked sixth in the championship he is not even close to the top and fearing for his future once his contract expires after the 2012 campaign.

'Putting it all together, makes this something really special for me. It will be an emotional time and what I would like to add to it all would be a good result come Sunday afternoon,' he said.

'I well know that next year is crucial for me. I will have to do better and return to normality, which means getting back to winning and fighting for the championship. I've always believed in my work and my potential. I know that things will change and all this will happen.'

The 2008 home race was the last of his 11 Grand Prix victories as apart from his glory that year he always stood in the shadow of a team-mate, first Schumacher, then the 2007 champion Raikkonen and now Fernando Alonso.

Barrichello, who turns 40 next year, knows this feeling as well, having driven behind Schumacher at the Scuderia for many years and famously once being told by the team to 'let Michael pass for the championship' when he was ahead of the German.

Like Massa, Barrichello has won 11 Grands Prix, the last one in 2009 when his then Brawn team-mate Jenson Button lifted the trophy.

Now at Williams, the 2002 and 2004 championship runner-up Barrichello will be fighting for his future in what will be an unrivalled 322nd Grand Prix on Sunday as he is desperate to complete two decades in the sport.

'I'm going to 40 years of age with 20 years of racing next season so it's almost a must for me to be there next year. I'm doing everything I can to be on the grid. I'm even looking at other things such as getting sponsors if that's what we need,' Barrichello said recently.

Williams are allegedly close to hiring Raikkonen in the Finn's return to the sport which could mean that Sunday's race is Barrichello's last.

The same could apply to Senna, who doesn't have his place at Renault guaranteed even though Robert Kubica has delayed his return in an ongoing recovery from a rally crash in February.

Senna took the place of Kubica's original replacement Nick Heidfeld midway through the season but has managed only two championship points in seven races.

The 28-year-old delayed his start in the sport because of his famous uncle's death, but will now also compete in front of a home crowd again, not far from Ayrton Senna's grave.

'A home race is always exciting, especially if your name is Senna and you are from Brazil,' Bruno Senna said.

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