Pope Francis receives Ayrton Senna sculpture in the Vatican

Pope Francis will receive a bronze sculpture depicting driver Ayrton Senna this Wednesday, April 17, at 9:30 AM, in the Vatican. Made by Brazilian artist Paula Senna Lalli, a niece of the driver, the “Meu Ayrton” [“My Ayrton”] masterpiece will be delivered by Bianca Senna, Paula’s sister and Director of the Ayrton Senna Institute. It will become part of the collection of the Vatican Museum.

The idea of turning the piece of art into a gift to the Pope (and, subsequently, to Ayrton’s fans), came from Claudio Giovanonni, a businessman and close friend of the Senna family, who knows that the driver’s faith was one of his core values.

Watch the video about the sculpture.

The action is part of another tribute to Senna in 2019, when we celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the legacy left by the three-time F1 champion. “My Ayrton” started being conceived and executed back in 2016, when the driver’s mother, Neyde Senna, commissioned it to her granddaughter, visual artist and musician Paul Senna Lalli.

“I was very proud to be given this mission by my grandmother, who wanted to portray the way he is remembered by the family with lots of warmth. I took on the challenge, even though I knew it would be hard: not many masterpieces like this are approved by our family, and even fewer by grandma (Mrs. Neyde), who is known for having high standards”, says Paula, who has just given birth to her second child and, therefore, will be represented by her sister, Bianca, the Ayrton Senna Institute Director.

The artist created the sculpture during her first pregnancy, using pictures and memories as reference. Paula was also helped by relatives, who posed for her in order to bring life to aspects of Ayrton’s anatomy that images couldn’t capture.

The tribute to Senna in the Vatican, including the sculpture’s delivery to the Pope, will also be the piece’s public unveiling.

About the Ayrton Senna Institute

For more than 20 years, the Ayrton Senna Institute has contributed to increase opportunities for children and young people through education. Our mission is to develop the human being as a whole, preparing them to life in the 21st century in all its dimensions. Driven by the wishes of three-time F1 champion Ayrton Senna to build a better Brazil, we work in partnership with public officials, teachers, researchers and other institutions to create evidence-based policies and educational practices. We believe in permanent innovation and constant investigation of new breakthroughs in order to answer the challenges of an ever-changing world.

Starting with the main challenges identified by the managers and teachers with whom we work on a daily basis, we create, organize and validate the necessary knowledge to the advancement of quality in education, in a joint effort with the public education networks. All the knowledge we create is shared with other actors through initiatives aimed at qualification, diffusion, technical collaboration and the transfer of technology.

Our actions are funded through donations, licensing fees and partnerships with the private sector. Taking into account initiatives geared towards both Elementary and High School students, we are present in 16 states and approximately 600 cities, supporting the qualification of around 45 thousand professionals every year and helping the education of more than 1.5 million students annually. www.institutoayrtonsenna.org.br