On January 25th, the city of São Paulo celebrates its 467th anniversary. Ayrton Senna was born and raised in the largest Brazilian city, where he competed in official go-kart races, before moving to Europe and achieving his dream of becoming a Formula One driver.
In São Paulo, Senna achieved his first victory on a go-kart race and won two heroic F1 races at Interlagos, in 1991 and 1993. Take a look at places in the metropolis where you can find tributes to the São Paulo-born driver:
Ayrton Senna do Brasil Square
The square honoring our three-time champion was opened on May 1st, 2017. It’s an 15,000-square-meters space, most of it (80%) covered by grass, which also features benches for visitors. Located next to the Ibirapuera Park, one of the square’s main attractions is the bronze statue “Velocidade, Alma e Emoção” [“Speed, Soul and Emotion”], weighing 2.5 tons, made in 1995 artist Melinda Garcia in honor of the driver. The bronze sculpture is 5 meters long and used to be displayed at the entrance of the Ayrton Senna Tunnel. The monument features a plaque with an Ayrton Senna quote: “I don’t have idols. I jus admire hard work, dedication and competence”.
Address: 290 Curitiba Street – Paraíso
Ayrton Senna Go-Kart Track
Ayrton won his first go-kar race in July, 1973, when he was just 13 years old. The triumph took place at the old Interlagos Go-Kart Track, which has since been renamed in his honor, as the Ayrton Senna Go-Kart Track, located behind the old Opposite Straight of the traditional São Paulo raceway.
Address: 1-311 Jacinto Júlio Avenue – Cidade Dutra
Senna S (Interlagos)
The José Carlos Pace Speedway was the setting of two heroic victories by the three-time champion. The 1991 and 1993 Brazilian GPs live on as some of the Brazilian driver’s greatest moments and went down in motor sports history. Between 1989 and 1990, the track was heavily remodeled, and the driver acted as a consultant on the renovation. As soon as the circuit was finished, Senna was honored with the “Senna S”, a sequence of corners in tribute of the Greatest F1 driver in history.
Address: 261 Sen. Teotônio Vilela Avenue – Interlagos
Mural by Eduardo Kobra on Paulista Avenue
In the week of the 2015 Brazilian Grand Prix, the mural “A Lenda do Brazil” (“Brazil’s Legend”) was unveiled at the intersection of Paulista Avenue and Consoloção Street, in the heart of São Paulo. The panel was painted by renowned artist Eduardo Kobra, in an initiative sponsored by Audi do Brasil in partnership with the Ayrton Senna Institute.
At the end of 2020, the mural “Brazil’s Legend” was revitalized in a partnership between Audi and artist Eduardo Kobra. The German company sponsors the project “The Art of Conservation”, which plans to revitalize other works by the artist. The mural is 41 meters high and 17.5 meters wide, being just one of the 12 murals that Kobra painted in honor of the three-time Formula 1 world champion.
Address: Rua da Consolação, 2608 (on the corner of Paulista Avenue, in front of José Molina Square)
Speedland
Speedland, the country’s largest go-kart complex, was opened in 2015 and features a mural in honor of Ayrton Senna. Competitors have the privilege to drive by Eduardo Kobra’s painting. Besides, every month, a different item from the Senna’s career is put on display at the venue’s lobby, located in the neighborhood of Tatuapé.
Address: 275 Ulisses Cruz Street – Tatuapé, São Paulo, SP
Jardim São Paulo Subway Station – Ayrton Senna
In 2011, the Jardim São Paulo Subway Station, part of the Blue Line 1, was renamed Jardim São Paulo – Ayrton Senna station, after the three-time F1 world champion, who spent his childhood and teenage years in São Paulo’s North Region. Ayrton was the first personality to be honored by the São Paulo Metro.
Address: 1000 Leoncio de Magalhães Avenue, Jardim São Paulo
Ayrton Senna Transit Complex
The Ayrton Senna Transit Complex is made of two tunnels that stretch for 2,991.4 meters in total. They connect downtown São Paulo to its South Region, passing under the Ibirapuera Park. Construction ended on December 7th, 1995.
Ayrton Senna – Overcoming (Interlagos)
On the 80th anniversary of Interlagos (SP), in 2020, Kobra painted a mural in honor of Ayrton Senna’s achievements on the circuit, where he won in 1991 and 1993 in spectacular races. The space was given to the muralist by the Municipal Tourism Secretariat.
The work “Ayrton Senna – Overcoming” is close to the main straight of Interlagos and is 27 meters high, in addition to 10 meters wide. The project was also supported by Senna Brands and the São Paulo City Hall, through the Municipal Tourism Secretariat.
