“Ayrton Senna was a fabulous driver and human being... Everytime I think about him, I feel stronger and stronger.” 

Ray Scali, Southampton, UK

 

Ayrton Senna tragically died on 1. May 1994 at the racing circuit in Imola, but it was in 1995 that his life’s work began through the Ayrton Senna Foundation founded by his family. It was how they decided to put into reality one of Ayrton’s many dreams of which he didn’t want to speak publically during his life.

His sister Viviane is today at the head of the Foundation which carries the name of the great Brazilian pilot. She testifies: “Ayrton dreamt about giving a chance to poor children. It was a common subject of our conversations which ensued from the harsh Brazilian reality seen on the streets of our towns”. 

 

This dream came true only after Ayrton’s death and giving a chance to children is the main policy of the Ayrton Senna Foundation. In its beginning it has involved 40 000 children. This number is increasing constantly and today it is more than 300 000. The main principle of the Foundation is based on Ayrton’s attitude that we should give everyone a chance, the basis for their future life. The above numbers show that due to Ayrton this chance was given to many and so the memory of the great Brazilian pilot remains living in many hearts.

 

A MEMORY

SAUDADE

 

I don‘t care too much
For springs in bloom
Full of light
Of songs
I prefer those
Which come with rain
Serious and quiet
Like autumns
In which the only song there is
Is the one sang by the heart…

I love when the trees
Hide their leaves shivering
And the wind under the weight
Of its grey wet dress
Is silent
And tired…
I love when tears of rain
Fall gently onto the grass
Silently asleep
And the flowers
Bloom bashfully
Also for those
Who are no longer here…

These are the springs I prefer
From the time when
On a sunny day in May
My father has gone away
Suddenly…

I have just found him
And didn‘t get to tell him
Not even thank you
For the given childhood
And didn‘t get to whisper
Not even that I love him
And he was already gone
And it was Sunday
And everything, everything was lit up by the sun
Singing about life…

The springs return
And in each there is my childhood
Asleep
And prefers more
Tears of rain
To May
Full of songs…

 

Saudade – portuguese word expressing very complex feelings. It in the same time means longing as well as sadness, loneliness, sorrow, melancholy, memory, spleen… Brazilian writer and historian Joaquim Nabucco (1849-1910) says that through saudade we can express sadness over what is far away, sorrow when being separated, all scale of loss of loved people and things. People engrave this word on tombstones… Exiles feel saudade for their countries, sailors for their families, lovers for each other at the moment they can‘t be together, people feel saudade for their homes, books, friends, childhood, for the days of their lives…