Pimp My Carroça, in collaboration with four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, organized a special edition of the Pimp Challenge. The event was part of the #ForeverSenna, keep the legacy alive campaign, which is one of Sebastian’s V5 Projects. Watch the video:
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He and other celebrities went out to collect trash in the Jurubatuba neighborhood, in the south of São Paulo, competing to see who could earn the most money collecting and selling recyclables using a cart – watch the video.
“This race is as important as the Grand Prix. It’s a very difficult thing to do, what we did with, I don’t know, five or six people, with ten or 12 hands. These guys do it alone, every day,” Vettel commented.
Pimp My Carroça is an NGO that works to bring visibility to recyclable material collectors. In this edition of the Pimp Challenge, we challenge F1 drivers and big fans to compete in a different type of race: The Collectors’ Race – who drive their carts through streets and avenues collecting waste. The intention is to give visibility to the work done by collectors, who total around 1 million workers throughout Brazil and more than 20 million worldwide. They are responsible for handling 90% of everything that is recycled in the country (less than 4% of everything that is produced).
“Ayrton Senna is more than just a motorsports icon because he inspires people to strive for the best version of themselves in all aspects of life. He believed in the future and, because he cared about the environment and society, he was committed to leaving a positive example for future generations, just like Vettel’s initiative,” says Bianca Senna, CEO of Senna Brands and Ayrton’s niece.
“Recyclers are the true protagonists in the fight for a fairer and more sustainable planet. There are thousands of mothers and fathers, people from different backgrounds, who work with waste to survive. Whether in landfills, on the streets or in cooperatives, the reality is that there is a lack of investment and recognition for the category. We need more people to recognize us and pay us more fairly, with better prices for materials and more dignified working conditions,” says Nanci Darcolléte, a collector for over 30 years and executive director of Pimp My Carroça.
With the presence of celebrities such as actor Caio Castro, surfer Marcelo Luna, Vettel fans, journalists and Ayrton Senna’s family, represented by his nieces Bianca and Lalalli Senna, the participants were divided into four teams. The journey lasted almost an hour around Coopercaps, a selective collection cooperative located near the Interlagos Racetrack, with each team responsible for a cart, similar to those used by street collectors. The groups were guided by a professional collector, who answered questions, indicated which material was recycled and which was of greatest value, but was not allowed to touch anything.
At the end of almost an hour, the Senna team, which included Ayrton’s nieces, Bianca Senna, Lalalli Senna, actor and driver Caio Castro, Felipe Giaffone and members of the Ayrton Senna Institute, in addition to guidance from collector Guilherme Kaique Silva do Nascimento, collected 100.8 kg of recycled material, which yielded R$80.64. Next, the Vettel team, formed by the driver, Timo Glock and some friends, with guidance from Lucas Vieira de Lima, collected 93 kg, which was converted into R$74.40. The press team collected 33 kg, which yielded R$26.40, while Vettel’s fan club collected 14.4 kg, which yielded R$11.52.
“It was historic to be part of this. We are often made invisible, people mistreat us on the streets, insult us, honk our horns, but today was different. It is important that we have this opportunity to share our knowledge with more people to help us save the planet. Everyone who participated today is already a winner, I am very happy to be able to come out on top, with a new cart and the feeling that my work is recognized,” said Guilherme, champion master collector with the Senna team.
All the money raised in this collection was given to Coopercaps itself, while each guiding collector received a cash prize, as well as a new cart, used in the activity. In addition to the Pimp Challenge, the partnership between Sebastian Vettel and Pimp My Carroça also resulted in a 3-meter-tall, 300-kilo helmet made from recyclable materials by artists Ever (Brazil) and Matthias Garff (Germany), with five other assistants who produced the work in record time – see the behind-the-scenes footage here. The helmet was on display at Interlagos during the São Paulo GP and has photos of Ayrton Senna and Vettel on the inside, as well as a panel signed by all current Formula 1 drivers.