The man behind the driver and the Ayrton Senna Institute
Abstract
This article aims to highlight the hidden side of one of the greatest F1
drivers of all time: Ayrton Senna, his relationship with his home country and
how he was really ahead of time with his idea of making a positive impact and
in wich way he is still helping people with less opportunities.
Ayrton Senna and his quest for equality.
“Wealthy men can't live in an
island that is encircled by poverty. We all breathe the
same air. We must give a chance to everyone, at least a basic chance.”
This sentence,
without any framework, could be pronounced by a president, a UN member or any
kind of authority, but those are the words of one of the most talented racing drivers
ever existed: Ayrton Senna.
The track and his
records speak for himself but there is much more behind the suit of a racing
driver that was as talented as inspiring.
In these years a lot
of athletes are fighting for social, ethical and environmental battles, just
like Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton but, back then, it was difficult for
sport professionals to expose themselves in such way.
Senna was different
and during his career, due also to his strong sense of ethics and religion, showed
several times his willingness to make a positive impact for his home country.
For this reason, he
always wanted to find a way for helping people that did not have the
possibility to create their own future. He was often making regular donation
for the poor children of Brazil but he thought that it wasn’t enough.
The
death of Ayrton and the born of his Institute.
1994 was the year
that changed motorsport forever and for several reasons.[1]
In that year Ayrton was starting acknowledging that his career will not last
forever and this made him think more about how to help others.
Some months before
the tragic Imola’s 1994 F1 Grand Prix, Senna confessed to his sister Viviane
that he wanted to make more for Brazil, for his people, the ones that cherished
him on every circuit and from their homes, the ones that saw him just like a
divinity because he was not only a racing driver, he was the pride of a nation,
a story of success and redemption for an entire country.
Unfortunately, the 1st
May 1994, at lap 6 of the Imola F1 GP Senna lost the control on his car at the Tamburello
curve, a flat out turn that had no gravel at the side and a concrete wall
sideways. The impact was huge and despite the prompt intervention of medics,
Senna died in the Bologna’s Ospedale Maggiore that day.
This tragedy shocked the entire
world. The loss of Ayrton was a heartbreak not only for motorsport but also for
all the people that saw in him a model and a hope.
But his death, like the death of
any inspiring person, killed a man but not his ideas and just after this event,
his sister decided to create the Ayrton Senna Institute to fulfil his desire to
make the world a better place and to give to every person the opportunity to
follow their dreams throughout education.
The Ayrton Senna Institute
Founded in November 1994, the Ayrton Senna
Institute is a non-profit organization committed to comprehensive education. In
2004 it was also the first non-profit organization to be acknowledge as a
UNESCO Chair, a programme made for advancing knowledge and practice in key
areas of interest for this International organization.
Its activities are focused on promoting and creating
opportunities for young Brazilian children and young people, helping them to
recognize and develop their full potential. During its three decades of
activities, the Institute helped more than 34 million students and it is established
in more than 16 States and 570 municipalities.
Another key activity of the Institute is the creation
of evidence-based educational policies and practices. They have established a
wide network with education professionals, researchers from the various fields
of knowledge, other third sector organizations, businesspeople and citizens who
are engaged in promoting a solid change to the foundations of schools. Their
main sources of funding are based on private donation, licensing and
partnership with the private sector. [2]
Conclusions
The name of Ayrton Senna will always be engraved
in the legend of motorsport but his legacy will continue also beyond his
professional career. His willingness to help others and his ability to make a
positive impact on the world is carried on by his sister and the Ayrton Senna
Institute.
We will always remember Ayrton, but the best way
to do that in not only by celebrating his talent, but mostly by taking, in our
everyday life, his approach about the positive impact we can have in the world without
forgetting that, after all: We all
breathe the same air. We must give a chance to everyone, at least a basic
chance.”
[1] For an in-depth analysis on this
point: https://dbmotorsportf1.blogspot.com/2022/05/how-sennas-death-changed-motorsport.html
[2] All these information and in-depth
reports about the Ayrton Senna Institute con be found on its official site: https://institutoayrtonsenna.org.br/en/
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