Thirty years after his death in a crash that sent shockwaves around the world, Brazilians will pay tribute on Wednesday to Formula 1 superstar Ayrton Senna – a beloved symbol of national pride comparable only to compatriot Pele. Fans of the three-time Formula 1 world champion are expected to flock to Senna's grave at a cemetery in his hometown of Sao Paulo, where he was buried after his tragic accident at the Imola circuit on May 1, 1994.
Some will take part in a fun run set around the twists and turns of the Interlagos motorsport circuit, where Senna scored two emotional Formula 1 victories towards the end of his career in 1991 and 1993.
A flurry of television programs have been broadcast to mark the anniversary, while an exhibition titled 'I, Ayrton Senna da Silva – 30 years' opens in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday after a nationwide tour.
The exhibition features an artificial intelligence-powered recreation of Senna's voice, narrating the defining moments of his turbulent life and career.
'Brazil came to a standstill'
On Rio's famous Copacabana Beach, a procession of old and young fans stop to take photos with a bronze statue of Senna, arms raised and triumphantly waving the Brazilian flag.
Among them was Joao Paulo Bertoloni, 30 – just a baby when Senna died at 34.
“I didn't see him live, but everyone in my family was a fan of his,” Bertoloni said.
“My father, my grandparents… Everyone told me about Senna. Brazil came to a standstill on Sundays when he was racing,” the manager said.
Marilane Mattos, 66, vividly remembers the moment she saw on television Senna's Williams car careening off the Imola circuit at around 300km/h and plowing into a wall.
“It was terrible, it still makes me sad today,” she told AFP. 'But I prefer to think back to the good times. He was a simple boy, just like us.'
'Sense of pride'
Senna's legacy in Brazil extends far beyond sports theatre.
The Ayrton Senna Institute was recognized by UNESCO in 2004 for its educational projects aimed at helping children from poor neighborhoods.
“Ayrton always said that if you wanted to change things, you had to start with education,” Viviane Senna, Ayrton's sister and president of the institute, said in a recent video on social media.
The institute was founded six months after Senna's death and claims to have helped some 36 million students in 3,000 Brazilian cities and towns.
For Brazilian writer Ernesto Rodrigues, author of the biography “Ayrton: The Hero Revealed,” Senna remains an important cultural figure because he “restored the self-respect of Brazilians” at a time when the country was facing political and economic crises.
“His name is on the streets all over the country. Every time his name is mentioned, he gives Brazilians a sense of pride. His legacy has been largely preserved,” Rodrigues said.
The Brazilian government has declared three days of national mourning for Senna, who died of head injuries in an Italian hospital after the crash.
A million Brazilians came to pay their respects in Sao Paolo. They thronged the airport and lined the city streets to catch a glimpse of his coffin before he was laid to rest in a private funeral.
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