Audi do Brasil and Senna Brands Launch Project “O Legato do S”

São Paulo, Brasil – Audi do Brasil announces the launch of a special project in which it is mapping thousands of roads and highways in the country in search of curves similar to Senna’s S sequence of historic curves of the Interlagos racetrack, created by the idol Ayrton Senna, also responsible for bringing to the country the mark of the four rings exactly 30 years ago.

“Ayrton Senna was one of the greatest idols in the country and his legacy is still present in the lives of Brazilians, either through his outstanding performance on the tracks, through his connection and concern for the future of Brazil, by the creation of the S of Senna, one of the most challenging curves in world motorsport or through Audi do Brasil, brought to the country by his hands. Now, in the same way that Senna brought Audi to Brazil, we are giving back by taking the Senna curve to the whole country. We want to continue building a common history with Senna and this project is moving towards strengthening and perpetuating its legacy,” says Daniel Rojas, President and CEO of Audi do Brasil.

“We inherited from Ayrton Senna our thirst for challenges and achievements that pave a legacy for future generations. This project involved a challenging work of hundreds of people, collaborators and partners, who came together around a common goal: to honor and celebrate Senna in a creative, light and innovative way. It was a joint effort at the height of our idol, in order to further strengthen his legacy and his partnership with the four-ring brand,” highlights Gerold Pillekamp, Head of Marketing and Communication at Audi do Brasil.

Although it is known by the name of the pilot, the history behind the creation of Senna’s S is not widely known. Designed by Ayrton, in the reform that modernized the Interlagos racetrack in 1989, it is considered one of the pilot’s legacies for motorsport. Inspired by this heritage, Audi is mapping roads and highways throughout Brazil in search of curves similar to Senna’s S, transforming something that used to be just road stretches into a curious tribute.

“Audi is making it possible to create new points of contact between fans and idol. What, until today, was a legacy restricted to the Interlagos circuit and professional pilots, is now present in our daily paths,” says Sthefan Ko, Executive Director of Creation of iD\TBWA, the advertising agency responsible for the idea. The action had as a technology partner Bolha, a digital innovation studio, which developed advanced algorithms that analyze road curves and calculate a percentage of similarity in relation to the original curve following its layout, length and direction as a reference. “This technology, which combines geolocation, data analysis and artificial intelligence, allows you to identify and signal sections in different regions of the country, expanding the history of the curve created by Senna in a tangible and accessible way,” highlights Nagib Nassif Filho, CEO and Co-founder of Bolha.

For the launch of this project, a mini-documentary entitled The Legacy of S was produced in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and Sweet Filmes. The film explores the pilot’s relationship with the German brand, the history of Senna’s S and what is behind the search for excerpts similar to the S, all told through testimonies of characters who had close contact with the pilot. Among them are Reginaldo Leme, renowned motorsport journalist; former driver Christian Fittipaldi; and Leonardo Senna, Ayrton’s brother and partner of the driver at Senna Imports, a pioneer in Brazil in the import of Audi cars. “This is a content that carries the DNA of the Discovery brand, which has a long experience in telling real stories that move people, in addition to reinforcing the current moment of the WBD that increasingly aims to connect fans to a national idol, always being part of the conversation, whether on social networks or guiding sociocultural changes,” highlights Eduardo Teixeira, Director of Creative Brand Solutions at Warner Bros. Discovery

The action represents the main activation of Audi do Brasil since the resumption of the partnership with Senna Brands, which took place in March of this year, in honor of the anniversary of three decades of operations of the four-ring brand in the country.

The documentary O Legado do S, which reveals Senna’s first S found on a road in Brazil, will be available on September 24 to the general public on Discovery Br’s Youtube channel. 

The premiere marks the beginning of the actions that will continue to seek new curves to perpetuate the memory of Ayrton Senna and the impact of his vision beyond the tracks along with Audi.

“This tribute was one of the most creative ideas we’ve ever seen. Mapping Senna’s S in other places in Brazil is a way to allow more people to have contact, in some way, with this iconic stretch of Interlagos. This further reinforces the genuine way Ayrton connects with our country and our people. In addition, this tribute involved and will continue to involve many people, that is, a great teamwork, exactly as Ayrton has always done,” highlights Thiago Fernandes, COO of Senna Brands, the company responsible for managing the image and brands linked to Ayrton Senna.

“Senna and Audi formed a successful partnership 30 years ago. Being able to resignify this partnership and bring the new generations closer by creating a project that unites creativity, innovation and experience is much more than a campaign, it is a tribute and is just beginning,” celebrates Camila Costa, CEO and partner of iD\TBWA.

Audi of Brazil
Audi celebrates 30 years in Brazil in 2024, a trajectory full of challenges, overcoming and achievements. The first appearance in the country occurred in 1992, at the São Paulo Motor Show, with the Audi 100 sedan. The following year, the eternal idol Ayrton Senna became the official representative of the brand on national soil, with Senna Import.

In 1994, the coveted vehicles of the automaker began to be officially marketed here and soon gained the streets of the country, with unprecedented technologies and unprecedented driving dynamics. Currently, the brand of the four rings is consolidated as one of the most desired in the country, with administrative headquarters in the city of São Paulo (SP), logistics terminal in Vinhedo (SP) and vehicle factory in São José dos Pinhais, in the metropolitan region of Curitiba (PR), where the Audi Q3 and Audi Q3 Sportback models are currently produced.

Audi do Brasil has an integrated business and sustainability strategy, with projects that incorporate environmental and social commitments on the themes of electrification, reduction of carbon emissions, diversity, inclusion, culture and education. It is one of the pioneers in the ESG agenda by encouraging electromobility and has already invested almost R$ 90 million in charging infrastructure in Brazilian territory, offering electric chargers in more than 40 dealerships and in several other points. It is a global commitment of the company to act to shape the sustainable mobility of the future and generate a positive impact on society and the environment.

About Senna Brands
Group created by the family of the three-time champion who is dedicated to managing and optimizing the assets associated with the iconic Senna and Senninha brands. Through important partnerships with prominent national and international brands, Senna Brands is committed to preserving Ayrton Senna’s legacy, engaging the passionate community of fans and admirers around the world. For more information, access the website https://senna.com/a-marca-senna/