Special 'Senna Now' art car to be exhibited at Imola

The Ayrton Senna Museum at Imola will showcase a unique piece during next weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

A former McLaren F1 showcar has been transformed into a work of art called 'Senna Now' dedicated to the memory of the great Brazilian driver.

One side of the car was entrusted to French street artist Jisbar who was given free rein to express himself while inspired by Senna, while the other side of the car is a patchwork of three iconic liveries - the black-and-gold of Lotus, the Rothmans Williams and Marlboro McLaren – associated with the three-time world champion's F1 career.

The 'Senna Now' art car project was put together by Italian fashion designer Matteo Macchiavelli who was a massive fan of Senna during his youth.

"I spent my childhood following the races and the 'magic' of my hero,' said macchiavelli. "I was inspired by his lifestyle and his teachings, that are still with me now that I’m older.

"The charisma of Ayrton Senna, his personality, all the challenges he faced and his humanity have given so much inspiration to me and to a lot of people, that I started to imagine how to create something that could centralise and make emerge some of the aspects of the special message that he was able to transmit: challenge, creativity and humanity."

After Imola , the art piece, donated by Italian collector Gianluca Tramonti, will be exhibited at the Miami and Monaco GPs as well as at art fairs in Venice and in Miami, after which the car will be auctioned, with all proceeds benefitting the Ayrton Senna Foundation.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.