Hero grown even larger in death than in life

Motor Sport/10th anniversary of the death of Ayrton Senna: While Senna's memory is put on a pedestal, his image is so ubiquitous in Brazilian life that he is virtually impossible to ignore, writes Alex Bellos in Sao Paulo

In the centre of Sao Paulo's exclusive Morumbi cemetery lies the grave of Ayrton Senna. It is not an ornate graveyard, as one might expect in Roman Catholic Brazil, but an understated garden of remembrance where the tombs are buried under a well-tended lawn.

Senna's spot is cordoned off with black-and-yellow tape and is surrounded by plants and flowers. A small Brazilian flag waves in the breeze.

Senna's grave is remarkably discreet considering the three-time world champion's position as possibly Brazil's greatest hero. Only outside the cemetery is there an inkling of the late Formula One driver's status: a hut by the entrance sells Senna memorabilia, including helmets, photographs and stick-on tattoos.

"He is immortal," says Sonia Barbosa, who has run the hut since immediately after Senna died at Imola 10 years ago on May 1st. "He was a simple, humble man who captivated the world."

Senna's death left a mark on the Brazilian psyche perhaps greater than any other event in the country's history. The driver is idolised in a way that is not even afforded to its most famous footballers. "Brazilians revere Senna in almost the same way that Argentina covets Carlos Gardel (the king of tango) or Evita Peron, idols enveloped with the aura of saints," wrote the news magazine Veja last week.

"Senna was the guy who people would wake up to on Sunday mornings and watch wave the Brazilian flag at a time when the country was in political crisis. He represented victorious Brazil," says the sports columnist Juca Kfouri. "But his death took unprecedented dimensions in the popular consciousness. The national trauma was so much greater because everyone saw it live on TV."

When Senna's coffin returned to Sao Paulo half a million people followed it through the streets. It was the beginning of Senna's sanctification.

A measure of the extent to which he was idolised is that only last week was the first serious biography written by a Brazilian published. For years no one dared demystify Senna.

Even though Senna was often a shrewd, calculating and aggressive driver, he is revered as an honest and hard-working winner in the European mould.

Unlike Brazil's footballers, who perform in their own playful, tricksy way, Senna is considered to have beaten the First World at its own game.

But, while Senna's memory is put on a pedestal, his image is so ubiquitous in Brazilian life that he is virtually impossible to ignore. Throughout Brazil, streets, garages, schools and shops are named after him. And not just small culs-de-sac. The motorway into Sao Paulo from the airport bears his name, as does one of Rio de Janeiro's main arteries.

The brand Senna - and the spin-offs Senninha, a children's cartoon character, and Senninha Baby - are thriving, earning about €3 million in royalties every year.

More than 100,000 Brazilians have a Senna credit card which earns them points to buy Senna merchandise as well as contributing to the Ayrton Senna Institute, which strives to improve education in Brazil.

Adriane Galisteu, Senna's girlfriend when he died, has become a popular media figure and presents an evening chat show on one of the main television channels.

Senna launched Senninha shortly before he died. Rather than retiring him after Imola, Senninha has grown from strength to strength and now rivals Mickey Mouse in the hearts of young Brazilians, even those born years after Senna died.

Senninha is a boy who lives with a community of friends by a race track. Rather than playing football, he races a go-kart. Senninha has all the qualities that celebrate Senna: he is simple, honest, hard-working and, above all, a winner.

There are more than 200 Senninha products, including books, shoes, cosmetics and foodstuffs. TAM, Brazil's second airline, is developing an in-flight safety video using the character. You can even buy Senninha Baby nappies.

"Senninha has broken through the barrier of Senna. He survives independently," says Rodrigo Silveira, marketing director of Senna brands. "Young people don't understand the feeling that my generation have for Ayrton. But they still want to buy Senninha products."

For grown-ups, there is an ever-expanding line of Senna luxury goods. The range includes sunglasses, jet boats and, launched last week, a 31 ft Senna yacht. There are plans for Senna helicopters.

The demand for products around the world - especially in Japan - is such that annual, limited-edition TAG-Heuer watches with the Senna S2 logo sell out almost immediately, even though, at €2,500, they are about 10 per cent more expensive than the equivalent non-Senna watches.

According to Silveira, the earnings from Senna brands and merchandise are growing by 12-15 per cent each year. The royalties are channelled into the Ayrton Senna Institute, run by his older sister Viviane.

The institute focuses on education, because shortly before Senna died he told Viviane that he wanted to do something for Brazilian children. She set up the institute a few months after his death and it has grown so fast that it has now reached some four million children.

Viviane is one of Brazil's most high-profile women and, when President Lula da Silva was elected in 2002, it was reported that he wanted to make her a government minister.

Of the many projects that the institute has pioneered, several use the iconography of Senna and motor racing metaphors. Accelerate Brazil, for one, is a programme to stop school pupils repeating years and has been adopted as part of four state governments' education policies. Other projects deal with illiteracy, computers, sport and art.

Margareth Goldenberg, who coordinates the social projects, says:

"For a long time all the characteristics of Brazil's heroes were that they were crafty and sly. Ayrton was the opposite. He said you win with honesty, perseverance and hard work. This is what we try to pass to the kids. Ayrton was a symbol of how to do things properly." Guardian Service