Ayrton Senna

Hello. My name is Ayrton Senna, and I was a racing driver from a beautiful country called Brazil. I was born on March 21st, 1960, in a big city called São Paulo. Ever since I was a little boy, I loved things that went fast. When I was only four years old, my dad built me my very own go-kart. It was small, but it was speedy, and I would zoom around in it all day long. My love for racing grew and grew. When I turned 13, I entered my first real go-kart race, and from that moment on, all I wanted to do was race cars.

To follow my big dream of becoming a professional racer, I moved all the way to England in 1981 to race against the best drivers in the world. It was a big step, but I was ready. A few years later, in 1984, I made it to Formula One, which is the fastest and most famous kind of car racing. It was so exciting to be a part of it. I loved a challenge, especially when it started to rain during a race. People even gave me a special nickname: the 'Rain Master,' because I was so good at driving on slippery, wet tracks when others found it difficult. In 1985, I proved them right when I won my very first Formula One Grand Prix in Portugal during a huge rainstorm. Three years later, in 1988, I achieved my biggest dream—I became the Formula One World Champion.

Winning that first championship in 1988 was an amazing feeling, but I didn’t stop there. I knew I had to keep working hard. I practiced and raced with all my heart and won the championship two more times, in 1990 and 1991. For me, racing wasn't just a job; it was my life's passion. I always pushed myself to be the very best I could be, both on and off the track. I also loved my home country of Brazil very much. I always thought about the people there and wanted to find a way to help the children have better lives and bigger dreams, just like I did when I was a boy with my first go-kart.

Race car driving is a very fast sport, and because of the speed, it can be dangerous. In 1994, I was in a racing accident. I lived to be 34 years old. Even though my life was short, I am so proud of what I was able to do. People remember me for my passion for racing and for always giving my all. My dream to help children in Brazil also came true. After I was gone, my family started a foundation in my name that has helped millions of kids get a good education and follow their own dreams.