Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva playfully donned the green and yellow IZOD IndyCar Series helmet and enthusiastically pledged his support for the inaugural São Paulo Indy 300.
President Lula met with Brazilian IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights drivers Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Mario Moraes, Vitor Meira, Raphael Matos, Ana Beatriz and Mario Romancini in the capital of Brasilia on Feb. 2.
The March 14 race on the temporary street circuit will be the first for the IZOD IndyCar Series in South America and kick off the 17-race schedule. All the drivers signed the helmet prepared by renowned Brazilian designer Sid Mosca as a memento for the president, who possibly will present the race winner's trophy in Victory Circle.
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'The president was interested in knowing about the racing, about the use of Brazilian ethanol that is very important to the country,' Beatriz said.
IZOD IndyCar Series cars utilize 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol - the only motorsports series to use a renewable and environmentally responsible fuel -- from Brazilian sugar cane in the Honda Indy V-8 engines. Brazil is the world's largest sugar cane-based ethanol producer and exporter. Through its year-old partnership with the IZOD IndyCar Series, Apex-Brasil -- the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency - and ethanol producers, represented by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), already have realized significant market expansion.
On Feb. 3, the group visited with São Paulo Mayor Gilberto Kassab to tour the venue that incorporates the Sambodromo - permanent grandstands used primarily for the colorful parades of Carnival in mid-February - into the 2.6-mile, 11-turn course.
'It will be a great event,' Kassab said, 'and I hope a Brazilian wins it.'
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