To commemorate 20 years of Ayrton Senna’s legacy, Azul Brazilian Airlines is paying tribute to one of the greatest idols of all time. This week, at Salgado Filho Airport, in Porto Alegre, an Embraer 195 aircraft was named #sennasempre and debuted a special new livery alluding to Senna’s career.
That’s just one of the results yielded by the partnership between Azul, the Ayrton Senna Institute and TAP M&E Brasil. The plane’s nose was painted like a helmet, in yellow, blue, green and white, the colors made famous by the three-time F-1 world champion.
The aircraft’s engines, in turn, will display the Ayrton Senna Sempre seal, celebrating the driver’s 20-year legacy. The Embraer 195’s new name (#sennasempre) is being used in every action planned by the Institute in 2014. Also as part of the partnership, Azul has donated one million TudoAzul frequent-flyer points to the Institute, aiming to help the NGO’s work throughout Brazil.
“Ayrton Senna had a lot of passion and he also made sure everything he did was impeccable. Our company really values these qualities and admires the Ayrton Senna Institute’s amazing work. Through this partnership, we want to help the NGO’s educational programs that benefit thousands of children and teenagers in Brazil”, says Gianfranco Beting, Azul’s Communication, Brand and Culture director.
“In the year we celebrate 20 years of Ayrton Senna’s legacy, the partnership with Azul is really important. The company is not only honoring our three-time champion, but also supporting the Ayrton Senna Institute. Our educational programs are present in more than 1,300 Brazilian cities, and now Azul can take us to those places”, says Marco Crespo, Ayrton Senna Institute’s Business Director.