Estoril to wear one-off kit in homage to Ayrton Senna

Estoril Praia have enjoyed a positive season and the innovative club from the Lisbon coast are making waves off the pitch too.

Beyond football, think Estoril and most people think glamour, thanks to the town’s famous casino and the motor-racing circuit, which in the not-too-distant past used to regularly stage Formula One races.

On Saturday Estoril will give a nod to its legacy and at the same time pay tribute to one of the best ever Formula One drivers by wearing a specially designed kit in homage to the late, great Ayrton Senna. 

The “Rain Master” is born

The Brazilian racer’s first ever Formula 1 victory was forty years ago, on 21 April 1985, at the mythical Estoril Circuit, where he earned his “Rain Master” nickname after dominating a race from start to finish under a torrential downpour.

Four decades on, Estoril Praia pays tribute to a sportsman who marked a generation with 41 grand prix triumphs and three World Championships. The kit is based on the design of Senna’s helmet and the colours of the Lotus 97T car he drove on his debut win.

Black is the dominant colour, with Estoril Praia’s symbol and its sponsors in relief, adorned by golden details on the collar and sleeves. The lower right-hand side also contains embroidered in gold, the date of the race, the silhouette of the Estoril circuit and a recreation of Senna’s celebration as he passed the chequered flag.

The shirt is dominated, however, by the green, yellow and navy-blue stripes that mirror the legendary helmet worn by the three-time motor-racing world champion.  

An icon for Brazil

Vinícius Zanocelo, the sole Brazilian player in Estoril Praia’s first-team squad, explained the significance of Senna for the Brazilian people.

“Ayrton is an idol for Brazil,” he said. “It’s a huge honour to pay homage to him like this. I’m really happy to, in a certain way, celebrate a person so important for me and my country. Senna is seen as a hero because he transmitted happiness to a people who, at times, faced a lot of difficulties. The kit is beautiful.”

Estoril’s Marketing Director António Nobre explained the thinking behind the tribute:

“The goal of the launch of this kit is, on the one hand, to celebrate one of the most beautiful legacies of the region of Cascais. From the emotional point of view, this story marked several generations and continues to be remembered with a lot of affection. This is why Estoril Praia wants to pay homage to Ayrton Senna.

“On the other hand, it is remembering that it was here that the greatest ever Formula 1 driver was born through his first victory, and that Senna chose to live a considerable proportion of his life in the council of Cascais and in Portugal.”

Senna’s strong Portugal link

Senna resided in Portugal for several months of each year during his racing career, making the country his European base. Curiously, the Brazilian even became a paying member of Os Belenenses football club during this time.

“We are extremely proud that Ayrton Senna’s victorious trajectory started in Estoril,” continues Nobre. “The memories from that rainy afternoon are and will be transmitted from generation to generation, both by the locals of our region and by all Portuguese people who have a passion for motor racing.”

By Tom Kundert

 

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