The fan festival event will take place leading up to the Brazilian Grand Prix
Photo: Motorsport Images
Formula 1 has announced a fan festival celebrating the life of Ayrton Senna that will take place in the lead up to the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo.
Modern F1 cars from Mercedes and Renault will be part of the demonstration alongside those driven by Senna during his career.
The Toleman TG184 and the Lotus 97T Senna drove in 1984 and ’85 respectively will be driven by Brazilian compatriots Felipe Massa and Emerson Fittipaldi.
Senna famously took the Toleman to second in the ’84 Monaco Grand Prix and may well have won the race but for a red flag as he overtook Alain Prost.
The three-time champion took the 97T to victory twice the following season at Estoril and Spa.
The festival follows the success of similar events in the UK, US, France and China.
Managing Director of Commercial Operations for Formula 1 Sean Bratches said the festival would be a great tribute to one of the sport’s greatest drivers.
Related content
“Ayrton Senna is a true legend of our sport and his legacy is both immense and inspiring.
“We will be celebrating his life by giving fans the chance to get up close and personal with modern and historic F1 cars that will give them a once in a lifetime experience of the speed, sound, and excitement that F1 has to offer.
“Brazil has a special place in the F1 family, and we are really excited to bring this event to Sao Paulo a week before the Grand Prix at Interlagos.
Bianca Senna, niece of Ayrton and Director of the Ayrton Senna institute added that the event would be a truly unique event for Senna and F1 fans.
“I’m sure it will be an unforgettable day to Ayrton’s fans,” she said.
“The opportunity of seeing, so close, historical cars, that were part of some of his best moments in F1, will be incredible.
“Having the chance to see an event with so many attractions, happening in Ibirapuera, the heart of Sao Paulo, will be even more remarkable, crowning 2019, a year full of beautiful tributes to celebrate 25 years of legacy.”
The event is set to take place on November 9, a week before the Brazilian Grand Prix and will follow a similar structure to previous events with the inclusion of live music in addition to esports and pitstop challenges.
Max Verstappen could secure his fourth F1 drivers' crown at this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix. Motor Sport looks back on the key races which could put the Dutchman's name among F1's greatest
The Formula 1 drivers' title might be as good as won, but the race towards the constructors' championship could find new traction in Las Vegas — with a new series and the cold desert air possibly throwing a spanner in the works
An "aggressive" Las Vegas GP schedule last year saw F1 drivers ill and exhausted after a week in the dark, juggling "showbiz" commitments before travelling on the longest flight in the world. It's part of the job, they say
He won GP titles with Benetton, Ferrari and his own Brawn team, then helped steer F1 to unprecedented popularity. As Ross Brawn turns 70, Matt Bishop looks back at a remarkable career — plus the multiple times he antagonised the engineer