Bruno Senna, winner of the 2012 Lorenzo Bandini Trophy
Bruno Senna has been named as the recipient of the famous Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, awarded to the most promising driver of the previous season. The Brazilian, who succeeds Nico Rosberg, will go to collect his trophy in Brisighella on July 15th.
For 20 years, with the exception of 1993, the Italian town of Brisighella, located twelve kilometers from Faenza, has honored the memory of the local hero, Lorenzo Bandini, who died during the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, by awarding one of the young hopefuls of the premier discipline.
Thus, after Nico Rosberg, who was rewarded in 2011 for his 2010 season, the young German’s first with Mercedes and with Michael Schumacher as a teammate, it is Bruno Senna who is honored this year after having occasionally shone with the Lotus Renault Grand Prix team at the end of last season.
Bruno Senna, who will collect his trophy in Brisighella on Sunday, July 15th, thus becomes the second Brazilian to receive this award after Felipe Massa in 2007: “It is a great honor to receive the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, especially when considering the excellent drivers who have been awarded in the past. I would like to thank the people of Brisighella for their support and generosity, as well as everyone who has helped me in my career so far. I am really looking forward to receiving my prize next month, for a ceremony that promises to be a great event,” reacted the Williams driver.
Ayrton Senna’s nephew thus adds his already prestigious name to a list that certainly doesn’t lack for accolades, as the current six world champions have been recipients of the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy before him: Jenson Button (2001), Michael Schumacher (2003), Kimi Räikkönen (2004), Fernando Alonso (2005), Sebastian Vettel (2009), and Lewis Hamilton (2010). Additionally, since Jarno Trulli, who was awarded in 2000, all the recipients have gone on to win at least once in the premier category: Bruno Senna will undoubtedly hope not to break this streak.
