Formula One legend Ayrton Senna died at the wheel of his racing car, but remains an idol to millions worldwide. His star is set to rise again when he becomes the subject of a documentary film to be released in UK cinemas in June.

Ahead of that release, Primelocation International can bring you news that the Portuguese villa owned by the double world champion in the three years before his accident on May 1 1994 is now on the market and could be yours – providing you have a Grand Prix-style income to pay the 10m euro price tag.

Senna designed the home as his European base for the eight months of the typical F1 season and would  return to his native Brazil each winter; for that reason it is larger than the typical Algarve holiday home.

The villa sits on the exclusive Quinta do Lago resort and boasts six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, a games den, home cinema and study, plus what the selling agent calls ‘a cosy winter snug’ – that’s a sunken lounge with a fireplace. There is also a three bedroom guest annexe where Senna entertained, amongst others, fellow-Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, now a F1 veteran in his own right and another Algarve resident.

The grounds of Senna’s villa are large – the whole plot is 113,000 square feet – and reflects the driver’s reputation as a fitness devotee. There is a large pool, floodlit tennis court and football pitch as well as a four-hole putting green, trampoline and woodland.

Andre Jordan, the Brazilian who designed the resort back in 1970, says Senna was “exactly the sort of person Quinta do Lago was created for” – well-known, wealthy “but wanting to completely relax in an informal yet exclusive environment.”

The villa is located on Avenida Ayrton Senna – renamed in his honour in 1995 – a sign that whatever happens to the home in the future, the memory of its original owner will live on.

The property is on the market through Savills International

Primelocation is sponsoring this year’s  International Property Awards in association with Bloomberg Television, the housing world’s answer to the Oscars with a red carpet event to be held on November 25th and 26th this year in central London. 

So could your next home end up with an international gong for its architecture, build quality or a range of other categories?

These awards may not offer the same glamour and stars as the yearly Oscars in Hollywood, but in many ways they are not far off with categories that include best golf development, international property, apartment and interior design.

The event began it began in 1994 and has developed into a global concern with regional heats held across the world during the build up to the final in London. This comes to a glamorous climax at an event attended by the leading lights of the property world and celebrities.

These in past years have included Rick Wakeman of 1970s supergroup Yes, BBC Royal Correspondent Jenny Bond, interiors expert Linda Barker and Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer. And the awards have high profile sponsors too. As well as Primelocation.com these include newspaper The New York Times, Google, Bloomberg Television and Maserati.

But one thing that doesn’t change is the robust judging process. Every year the world’s industry experts gather to judge - including this time round Primelocation.com’s Nigel Lewis - whether the hundreds of entries from across the globe pass the quality test.

A wide range of residential and commercial properties are judged from grand villas in Dubai to office developments in Budapest, and previous winners have included UK agent Knight Frank, developer Berkeley Homes (for its Sugar House development in London) and the Dunas Douradas Beach Club on Portugal’s Algarve coast. But winners come from a wide range of countries including Panama, Brazil, India, Singapore, South Africa and Cape Verde.

The clocks have gone back, frosty mornings have started and some places have even had snow already. Winter has arrived in the UK, but if you’d prefer to jet away to sunnier climes during the colder months, here’s a round-up of some of the top winter sun property destinations.

Cape Verde
Located 400 miles northwest of the coast of Africa, the Cape Verde archipelago of islands is a key property location that’s attracted a lot of interest in the last few years. An emerging property destination, it boasts a year round tropical climate and beautiful sandy beaches, so is the perfect getaway for winter sun seekers.

Barbados
Areas of the Caribbean, such as Barbados, bask in glorious sunshine all year round, so they’re a great favourite for winter property owners. In fact, a range of celebrities, including David and Victoria Beckham, Hugh Grant and Simon Cowell are amongst the owners of properties here. If you’re also considering renting out your home, then Barbados seems a good location for holiday lets.

The Canary Islands
A long-term favourite with Brits and attracting 10 million visitors a year, the Canary Islands are a popular choice for winter sun seekers, where the average annual temperature is 22°C. The largest of the islands, Tenerife, has a five-year building moratorium in place, so new developments are limited and existing properties are in demand.

Dubai
Home to a growing number of British expats working in the United Arab Emirates, the city of Dubai is blessed with a subtropical climate. There’s currently a lot of interest in property here and rental yields of about 8% plus can be achieved. As an added bonus, Dubai has favourable tax incentives and there’s no VAT or stamp duty on property purchases.

Brazil
The largest country in Latin America, Brazil has a year-round average temperature of 26°C and, together with an array of stunning beaches, it’s an ideal getaway for the winter months. Areas around the north east coast are currently appealing to both property buyers and tourists, and you’ll find plenty of new build and off-plan developments available. 

James Bond, one of the world’s best loved action heroes is back with his latest adventure, Quantum of Solace. The films are notorious for taking place in some of the world’s most stunning locations and, if you want to follow in his footsteps and live where Bond’s been, here’s a round-up of some of the top property locations 007 films have featured.

Panama City
Panama makes its appearance in Quantum of Solace and it’s a very well-timed inclusion, as property in the country is booming at the moment. Located between Colombia and Costa Rica, Panama’s a comparable size to Ireland and has coastlines bordering the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It’s already very popular with North American buyers and tourism in Panama has become one of the fastest growing in Central America. As well as areas around the coastline, Panama City is one of the hottest places to invest in property.

Montenegro
The film Casino Royale was partially set in Montenegro, with a particularly high stakes poker game located in a Montenegrin casino. The country has recently become even more accessible for property buyers, thanks to the launch of direct flights from the UK. With tourism increasing, there are likely to be good opportunities for renting out properties too.

The Bahamas
The sandy white beaches and pure blue seas of the Caribbean islands in the Bahamas have featured in several Bond films (no wonder, as they’re gorgeous), including Thunderball with Sean Connery and Casino Royale with Daniel Craig. The Caribbean is one of the ultimate dream locations for foreign property buyers and, with no income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax, it’s got definite perks.

Cagliari, Sardinia

Sardinia
The beautiful Italian island of Sardinia, the second largest in the Mediterranean, was included as a location in The Spy Who Loved Me. Located 120 miles from mainland Italy, it’s blessed with a diverse landscape and numerous sheltered sandy beaches. Already favoured by many rich and famous stars, Bond fits into the lifestyle here perfectly. The Spy Who Loved Me was filmed in the Porto Cervo area of Sardinia, one of the most popular areas of the Costa Smeralda on the north-western shores of the island.