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PRIO and Nicolas Costa pay tribute to Ayrton Senna in Imola
Brazilian racing driver will be bringing a surprise in the experience of representing McLaren on the same team and circuit where Senna competed in his last race 30 years prior
Rio de Janeiro, April 15 – For motorsport fans, the Imola circuit, in Italy, and the McLaren Team are elements that remind us of the history of a Brazilian national idol: Ayrton Senna. But for driver Nicolas Costa, who joins the United Autosports McLaren team in the new season of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), this combination represents a dream come true: to compete in the next stage of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) championship, debuting on the same track where Senna raced his last race 30 years ago.
To pay homage to their idol, Nicolas Costa and PRIO – the largest independent oil and gas company in Brazil and Costa’s sponsor – prepared a helmet painted especially for the event, which will be used in the WEC’s Imola stage on 4/21. To paint the helmet, Nicolas turned to designer Alan Mosca, world famous for his creations for some of the foremost Brazilian drivers in the history of motorsports. As inspiration for creating the artwork, he sought reference from Ayrton Senna’s iconic helmet, created in 1988 by Alan’s father, Sid Mosca.
“Since I was a kid, Ayrton Senna has been my biggest idol, whom I’ve looked up to as a person, athlete, and competitor. I’m very proud to be Brazilian and to represent the country in this world championship. The will to win and be able to hear our national anthem on the podium comes strongly from Senna’s influence,” highlights Nicolas. And the tributes don’t stop there. The car’s artwork also features a special tribute to the Brazilian idol.
“Senna represents many things that PRIO believes in. The pursuit of excellence, the shunning of adverse situations, the boldness of trying something different to enhance results. It’s very gratifying to be able to honor this national idol through another great Brazilian driver (Nicolas Costa) on Team McLaren in Imola. It’s very important to celebrate our Ayrton Senna,” adds Gabriel Hackme, sponsorship manager at PRIO.
Expectations at Imola
For the next stage of the WEC, Nicolas Costa is confident to face the six-hour-long race, alongside Switzerland’s Gregoire Saucy and England’s James Cottingham, who round out the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO #59 team. After competing in the first stage in Qatar, Nicolas returns to the track with the team looking to score his first points.
The new phase in the Brazilian racer’s life follows the milestone of four years of partnership with PRIO. “It’s truly a dream come true, the result of what we have built together so far. PRIO was important not only for the sponsorship itself, but for the motivation. Sponsorship was fundamental in bringing me back to the track and is also present at this very special time, in fulfilling my dream of paying homage to Senna,” concludes Nicolas.