Thirty years to the day following the death of Ayrton Senna, Brazil pays tribute on Wednesday to one of its greatest idols, a source of national pride whose aura is comparable to that of “King” Pel.
Fans of the three-time Formula 1 world champion (1988, 1989 and 1991) are expected throughout May 1 in front of his grave in a cemetery in Sao Paulo (south-east), his hometown, where he was buried in 1994, aged 34, following his tragic accident on the Italian circuit of Imola.
Like every year since his death, a foot race is organized on the Interlagos circuit, also Sao Paulo, where he won twice at the end of his career, in 1991 and 1993.
Programs paying tribute to the man who gives his name to many streets in Brazil have multiplied in recent days on local televisions.
A traveling exhibition entitled I, Ayrton Senna da Silva – 30 years old opens its doors on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, following visiting several other Brazilian metropolises.
In this exhibition, visitors can hear the pilot’s voice recounting the defining moments of his life and career using artificial intelligence.
On the splendid Copacabana beach, an emblematic site of Rio, many walkers take their photo as usual in front of the bronze statue of the pilot, which immortalizes him with his arms raised and brandishing a Brazilian flag.
Among them, Joao Paulo Bertoloni, 30, who was a baby when Senna died.
I didn’t get to see him live, but my family has always been a fan of his. My father, my grandparents… Everyone talked to me regarding Senna. At the time, Brazil stopped on Sundays to watch its races, says this business leader.
A guy like us
Marilane Mattos, 66, remembers perfectly the moment she saw the Imola accident live on television, on May 1, 1994.
It was horrible, it still makes me sad today. But I prefer to remember the good times (…). “He was a simple guy, a guy like us,” she confides, following a selfie in front of the Copacabana statue.
Beyond sporting exploits, the legacy of Alain Prost’s great rival remains alive in Brazil through the Ayrton Senna Institute, which was recognized in 2004 by UNESCO for its educational projects intended for children from disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Ayrton always said that if we wanted to change things, we had to start with education, says Viviane Senna, Ayrton’s sister and president of the institute, in a video recently published on social networks.
Founded six months following the pilot’s death, the institute says it has benefited some 36 million students in 3,000 Brazilian cities.
For the Brazilian writer Ernesto Rodrigues, author of the biography Ayrton, the Revealed Hero, Senna made an impact because he restored self-esteem to Brazilians at a time marked by political and economic crises.
When he won his world titles, Brazil had just emerged from a military dictatorship and was experiencing a period of hyperinflation.
Its heritage has been largely preserved. He gave his name to important avenues throughout the country. “Every time his name is mentioned, it gives a lot of pride to Brazilians,” concludes the biographer.
