Filed under: F1 News Update, Just Because | Tags: Ayrton Senna, death, F1, Imola 1994, Roland Ratzenberger, Williams
May 1, 1994′s Imola Grand Prix is known to F1 fans as “Black Sunday” and that weekend in general as some of the darkest days in Grand Prix history. On friday during practice, Rubens Barrichello had a horrific shunt but lived to tell about it. Saturday was a different story. Roland Ratzenberger had a similar accident but tragically died at the scene. Sunday is the day we all know so well.
Three times World Champion Ayrton Senna lost control of his Williams car for a split second and careened into the barrier on the right hand side of the track. I was not at this time following F1, however I have seen the race and the accident many times since. It was Ayrton who’s death transformed the sport. The GPDA came from his death, safety devices like improved helmet testing and the mandatory use of the HANS device worn today owe their use to deaths of drivers like Senna.
Senna was best known for his driving skill in the car. His pole record was one only surpassed relatively recently by Michael Schumacher. The two were bitter rivals but reconciled in the races leading up to Ayrton’s death at Imola. Schumacher was deeply shaken by the death of a man he so respected. Of course danger is an element any Grand Prix driver must deal with, but Schumacher seriously considered leaving F1 after Ratzenberger and Senna’s death.
Senna’s legacy also lives on off the track. The Senna foundation is a non profit social work group founded in Ayrton’s name by his family in Brazil.
Below are several of the best videos available on the crash and Ayrton’s driving skill.
Ayrton’s pole lap from Monaco 1989.
News announcing the death of Ayrton Senna and analysis of the accident.
Rubens Barrichello and Roland Ratzenberger’s accidents (SPEEDTV)
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