Sao Paulo F1 Festival to Celebrate Ayrton Senna

Following the success of previous global Formula 1 Fan Festivals, Sao Paulo will host a very special event on the 9th November 2019 to celebrate the life of three times FIA Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna. The event will pay tribute to the incredible legacy he has left on Formula 1 and the people of Brazil.

The event is a major part of a series of activities led by Heineken® to celebrate the driver’s 25-year legacy in 2019. The HEINEKEN F1 FESTIVAL – SENNA TRIBUTE will be a free event, taking place at Ibirapuera Park, on Saturday November 9th, from 12 noon to 6pm (local time), as part of activity leading up to the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN GRANDE PRÊMIO DO BRASIL 2019 weekend starting on 15th November.

Fans will be able to witness modern F1 cars from Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport and the Renault F1 Team perform high-speed car runs on the streets of Sao Paulo at the hands of their drivers, including Mercedes’ Esteban Gutierrez.

F1 legends including two-time FIA Formula One World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, a major influence on Senna’s career and Felipe Massa who followed in Senna’s footsteps and was inspired by his achievements will join the celebration by driving Senna’s historic cars. They will give fans a very rare chance to see the Toleman TG184, Senna’s 1984 debut F1 car, and the iconic black and gold Lotus 97T that took him to his first F1 victory in 1985, race at high speed and up close through Sao Paulo. Mercedes AMG Petronas and Renault F1 Team will embody the current generation of F1 cars and drivers, motivated to replicate his racing records.

Sean Bratches, Managing Director of Commercial Operations, Formula 1

“Ayrton Senna is a true legend of our sport and his legacy is both immense and inspiring. It is our honour to bring Formula 1 to the streets of Sao Paulo with our partners Heineken to celebrate his life and his importance to the people of Brazil. We will be celebrating his life by giving fans the chance to get up close and personal with modern and historic F1 cars that will give them a once in a lifetime experience of the speed, sound, and excitement that F1 has to offer. Brazil has a special place in the F1 family, and we are really excited to bring this event to Sao Paulo a week before the Grand Prix at Interlagos.

Formula 1 is also delighted to announce that fellow Brazilian F1 hero’s Felipe Massa and Emerson Fittipaldi will be joining us to drive Senna’s historic cars.

Guilherme Retz, Brand Manager of Heineken Brazil

“This is a very special year as we celebrate 25 years in memory of one of the greatest idols of all times; Ayrton Senna. As F1 global sponsor, Heineken®, in partnership with the Senna family, we have developed a campaign #ObrigadoSenna (#thankyouSenna) to celebrate the life and legacy of the greatest idol in Brazil, and reconnecting Brazilians to F1. The aim of the “Heineken F1 Festival – Senna Tribute” is to bring the thrills that Ayrton Senna used to cause closer to the public, by highlighting his legacy and inspiring new generations.”

Bianca Senna, Ayrton Senna’s niece and Director of Ayrton Senna Institute

“I’m sure it will be an unforgettable day to Ayrton’s fans. The opportunity of seeing, so close, historical cars, that were part of some of his best moments in F1, will be incredible. Having the chance to see an event with so many attractions, happening in Ibirapuera, the heart of Sao Paulo, will be even more remarkable, crowning 2019, a year full of beautiful tributes to celebrate 25 years of legacy.”

Renault Sport Academy driver Caio Collet to drive in front of home crowd

Renault Sport Academy Driver Caio Collet will take the wheel of the Renault-powered E20 Formula 1 car with a live demonstration on the streets of São Paulo on Saturday, November 9.

Seventeen-year-old Caio is São Paulo born and bred and lives just a stone’s throw from Interlagos, home of the Brazilian Grand Prix. His appearance at the Fan Festival takes place at Ibirapuera Park of his hometown as a build-up to the twentieth race of the 2019 Formula 1 season, which follows a week later.

The event will be the third time Renault has supported the ground-breaking Formula 1 Fan Festivals this year. Guanyu Zhou became the first-ever Chinese driver to drive an F1 car on the streets of downtown Shanghai in April, while Daniel Ricciardo is lined up for a run through Hollywood as part of the Los Angeles Fan Festival in two weeks’ time. The São Paulo event will see Caio offer a taste of Brazil’s bright future in motor-racing.

Caio joined the Renault Sport Academy at the beginning of 2019 and is one of Brazil’s hottest racing prospects. He won the French Formula 4 title as a 16-year-old rookie last season and, recently, claimed the rookie championship in the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup with a round to spare. He has five podiums to his name so far this year, including a memorable third place on the streets of Monaco in May in front of the Formula 1 paddock.

Caio Collet: “I’m super excited for the Formula 1 Festival. It’s going to be one of the best things I’ve done in my life so far: driving a Formula 1 car on the streets of my hometown. I’m very grateful for this opportunity from Renault. It’s going to be very special with my family and friends there to watch too. Formula 1 is, clearly, very big in Brazil so to drive a Formula 1 car in front of some of the world’s most passionate fans will be amazing. I’m very proud to represent Renault for this unique experience as well as paying tribute to Ayrton Senna. It’s going to be a special day.”