“Ayrton was a winner in the tracks. In life, he also achieved great victories. Senna embodied essential values which were left to us as a great legacy. Determination, motivation, surpassing, constant search for perfection and great pride for his country. This precious patrimony makes of my brother a very special person. His greatest dream, which he shared with me months before the accident in Imola, was to do something substantial for children and youth of our country who are deprived of opportunities, so that they can develop their potential in order to become real champions in life. That dream came true in 1994, when my family launched the Ayrton Senna Institute.

From then on, the activities developed by the Institute have already changed the lives of millions of boys and girls throughout Brazil and have transformed their realities. Because, as did Ayrton, Ayrton Senna Institute also believes that every one has the potential to be a winner.”
(statement) “I spent 17 years of my life racing karts. Such experience was very useful to me in other categories.” Ayrton Senna, in an interview when he was already a F1 three times world champion. Senna´s fi rst Kart, baptized as 007, was built by his father, Mr. Milton da Silva. The engine was of a mower. And the little boy, at four, would reach 60 km per hour in his “machine”. His fi rst visit to the kart tracks was at 8. At the same age he took part in an unoffi cial race and led 35 laps out of 40, but eventually skidded off. At 13, he took part in a fi rst offi cial race. It was 1973. Ayrton led from the start until the end and never stopped ever since: he won São Paulo, Brazilian and South-American Championships. Senna´s kart was number 42 and that is how he became very popular. The sheer presence of that lean and shy boy, however impeccable at the wheel, was enough to transform him into the favorite racer in every competition. Ayrton created a style that made his mark. His racing plan was always traced out in detail. He repeated curves with astonishing similarity and changed the track only when someone had a reaction.