I am not a fan of F1. I don’t give shit about the classmates who has delicate model of formula cars since I was in primary school. When I finally grown up, I become a racing driver. I still have passion on those rally racing, instead of track racing like F1. I am really not interested in paying all the attention to keep the car in the line each cycle without sliding. Schumacher seems to be synonymous with F1 for people of my age. However, I don’t worship him at all. I don’t even have a feeling about him. Until one day I heard about the man whose name is Senna. He left racing which he loved most when I was 20. I knew that after he crashed and killed himself, Schumacher won the championship of the tragic event. I figured out that I need to know more about Senna.

When you are watching a F1 match, if there is not a professional commentator, it will be hard for you to understand what is going on in the race. It would even be hard for you to recognize who is the driver of each racing car. All you hear would be the noise of the engine and cars passing by quickly. After watching many videos of Senna, I started to notice the helmet with the color of green and yellow. Because the green and yellow was always overtaking, like floating clouds and flowing water. That is Senna.

I have tried my best to invite the famous F1 commentator Robin (Gong Huaizhu) to visit the hometown of Senna with me. At the first year of his career (1994), he experienced the death of Senna. I think that is why he would like to come with me. In addition, I found a BMW 2002 which is Robin’s favorite car in Brazil. Finally, he was persuaded by me and change plane three times, and fly for two whole days from Taipei to get together with me in Sao Paulo.

Here are some dates for you to get a better understanding of Senna:

Born on March 21, 1960

Died on 1 May 1994

In his career of racing, he achieved 65 times of pole position, 41 times of championship in station match. Moreover, he won three times of world championship which are 1988,1990 and 1991. The number of his grave in his mother land Sao Paulo, Brazil, is 0011.

The aim of this trip to Brazil is not to validate great feats of Senna in F1 history. I just wanted to know how people think of Senna and racing in Brazil. Why there are so many top racing drivers who are born in Brazil.

I was sharing my option upon F1 with Robin in a bulletproof car, while listening to the driver talking about the chaos in San Paulo. The photographer was forced to close the window of the car by the driver when he opened it to take pictures of the empty streets. After closing the window, the driver starts to talk that everyone in Brazil must know Senna. He is the hero of all Brazil people. They think Senna represents the people pf Brazil. In Brazil, it is okay for you to not watch football games, or do not know who Belly is. You can even not watch car racing matches. However, you can’t say that you don’t know Senna. In Brazil, gap between rich and poor in is quite big, and the crime rate is quite high. However, Senna didn’t forget about the poor children in Brazil. He created Senna Foundation to support the children in the poor families.

During our trip in Brazil, we went to the two Karting tracks where Senna used to go to when he was at his teenager time. One is the TARUMA track in the port of Alegre, and the other is the Interlagos kart track in Senna's hometown of Sao Paulo, both of which are outdoor karting tracks. TARUMA track set aside a whole afternoon for us, and the fee is surprisingly cheap. The boss and all field technicians’ collective cooperate with shooting well. That is because we did it for Senna. They are willing to do everything for Senna. Of course, the fee to book the track need to be paid.

We didn't see any other players coming here because of the booking, so we have two questions. Firstly, is that because this place is too far from the city or the people here are not so interested in karting racing? Both questions were answered shortly after we returned to the Interlagos track in Sao Paulo.

At the weekend of Senna's birthday on March 21, we bought Senna's favorite yellow and green daisies, after that we arrived at Senna's cemetery early in the morning of sunrise. The shopkeeper of the flower shop is very outgoing. She was surprised that we remember the birthday of Senna. She says even for Brazilians it is hard to remember Senna’s birthday, because it has been so long since he died. When we talk about what happened 21 years ago, she said the whole country is in the sad mood. The state funeral procession passed through the front door of her flower shop. She didn’t open the shop that day. She just thought that how can it be possible. It has been 21 years, she still wanted to forget about it. When mentioned that, she still felt that she can see the scene, wiping away her tears from time to time.

The cemetery was not as busy as we thought it would be. It was quiet. There is a Portuguese saying on his tomb. There is nothing to keep me from god's love. Senna said once after Monaco grand prix in 1988 he suddenly realized that he is no longer deliberately driving, the world is not the same for him, the whole circuit is like channel, only need to advance forward, he realized that it is beyond the scope of common sense.

It began to rain, and the rain dripping on the memorial album of Senna we bought. It is just like the tears dropping off from Senna’s eyes. At that moment, you can not help yourself but raised your head to let your own tears and rain get together, you try to cover the sadness, but he was looking at you with a smile near god. I think Senna actually don't want to let us so sad at the cemetery, since rain, then he wants us in the rain, his favorite track rose up and went to Interlagos karting track.

The question was answered immediately after we arrived at the track. People here have so much passion on karting racing. We arrived at the track at the noon of Friday. The rain turned from light to heavy until it was dark, we waited six hours for a night's game. 10 kilometers of track took 40 minutes, including 10 minutes track rules introduction and wearing equipment. Qualifying laps and heating the wheel before formal game at the same time, and there will be a re-rank according to the practice result to avoid the block. Robin didn’t want to play with us at first. However, he was affected by the environment, so he changed the suit and come aboard with us. It was pity that he wore the presbyopic glasses, so he is terribly affected by the fog on the glasses.

On a special day at karting track under spotlights with a group of Brazilian fans, we recalled Senna’s first carding trophy won here in 1974. I think this must be the best way to honor the great god of racing, and my gift to him is the pole position and the ultimate champion of this track.

When mentioned 1974, it was the year of my birth, and I got to contact with the classic car party in Brazil. There was a BMW 2002(1974) which got my attention. I also got to know Delso who was a good friend of Senna when he was racing through this 2002.

It is not hard for you to imagine that the former racing driver like Delso, now old antique car shop owner who is nearly sixty years holding the Senna picture album, carefully turn over each page. He pointed each photo of the match scene. He cannot help himself to pick up the sticker of Senna’s helmet and kissed it. Finally, he used one movement to show his miss of Senna. He used his right fist against his left chest and said that he is here!

In Brazil, there are a lot of highway, tunnel and square named after Senna, he is the symbol of national spirit, every time he won, he would raise the Brazilian flags, eventually he was buried cover flag, leave his favorite car and us...

Han Yue

March 2015

From Brazil