Visual artist and influencer Karol Stefanini took social media by storm last Sunday (September 11) when he unveiled the personalized helmet he was planning to give Lewis Hamilton as a gift when the F1 star visited Sao Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Karol revealed on his network how he gained behind-the-scenes access to the race at the Interlagos circuit and got within just meters of the British driver. However, before Hamilton could deliver the gift, a member of the Ferrari team snatched the helmet from the artist’s hands, and Hamilton was unable to witness the tribute up close.
fart big cityKarol said the story began a few days before race day when he found some helmets discarded in the middle of the road. With the aim of turning what others considered trash into art, the artist decided to dedicate this work to Hamilton after receiving suggestions from his followers.
“For this art, I was inspired by the color of Ayrton Senna’s helmet, mainly yellow, and by Senna’s famous curve at the Interlagos circuit. Senna is Hamilton’s biggest idol, so I knew he would love this homage,” he said.
“During my research, I learned that his dog and best friend Roscoe had passed away, and my artist heart immediately connected this pain with the pain I felt when I lost Senna. So I painted the puppy with angel wings, handed over by Hamilton to Ayrton Senna with a halo,” the artist explains.
“Additionally, the helmet is decorated with gold leaf and features phrases such as Hamilton’s tattoos, number, and the car he drives. This art is like a piece of Brazil that he can take home. He is my favorite driver and I am proud of him. “When I started posting new videos of helmet personalization, the public following me were very enthusiastic about the idea of delivering helmets live, directly to drivers at GPs,” he said.
This influencer had just four days to complete her piece of art. And until then I didn’t know how to reach F1 star.
The response of Karol’s video on social media was huge and she managed to make the influencer’s dream come true. The publication guaranteed her a VIP ticket to the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, with access to the team’s garage, including Ferrari. Along the way, she met greats like Maisa and Adrien Galisteu, who were in attendance at the event, and got a close-up look at the artist’s tribute to Senna.
“I went to sleep one night without a ticket, went to SP with no guarantees, and woke up the next day with a VIP ticket that gave me access to the Ferrari pits. Things like this only happen in movies, right?” Karol joked.
Karol was just a few meters away from delivering the helmet directly to Lewis Hamilton. And that dream seemed more real than ever. However, the Ferrari team member accepted the gift from the influencer’s hands before he had a chance to see the driver up close.
fart big citythe artist said he had not received any information about the whereabouts of the helmet or whether it actually reached the British player. However, someone on social media claiming to have F1 experience told her that the artwork would need to be approved by the Ferrari team and then hand-picked by Hamilton’s personal team in order to ultimately reach the driver’s personal collection. “The only thing I know for sure is that they took away personal helmets,” he said.
Even if the helmet story didn’t reach the results the influencer expected, Karol admits he would still have shined just as brightly. “I feel so happy and fulfilled, because even if I couldn’t reach him directly, the best thing was seeing the support and emotion from Brazil trying to help me!” she celebrates. But this Wednesday morning (12/11), she was noticed by Hamilton on social media.
The big city contacted Scuderia Ferrari’s communications team and asked about the whereabouts of the personalized gift. The Italian racing team has not yet responded to the report. The space remains open.
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