Reply With Quote.... I remember it like it was yesterday, it was just unbelievable at the time........
Friday 29 April 1994 was the first day of the third round of that year's Formula 1 World Championship. The triple World Champion, Ayrton Senna, had failed to score a point - or indeed finish - either of the preceding races. Having left McLaren, with whom he had enjoyed great success, albeit against the background of an acrimonious relationship with team-mate Alain Prost, he'd made the move to Williams, who's car was designed by an up and coming new designer, Adrian Newey, in the hope of having a front-running car having spent the previous season outperforming an under-powered McLaren.
Back then, Qualifying was split over two days, and the Friday session was marred by an enormous crash for Rubens Barrichello, in only his second season in Formula 1. Barrichello's Jordan hit a kerb at the last chicane, Variante Bassa, which had a very fast entry, and was launched, clipping the top of a wall and tyre barrier before hitting the debris fence and rolling. Barrichello was concussed, and spent the rest of the weekend in hospital.
Second Qualifying on the Saturday saw the first fatality at a Formula 1 race meeting for twelve years, when Roland Ratzenberger crashed as a result of a front wing failure at the fastest part of the circuit. The Start/Finish straight turned left into a flat-out corner, Tamburello, which then kinked slightly right into the braking area for the slow left-hander at Tosa. Ratzenberger's front wing failure meant that he couldn't slow the car for Tosa, and despite a gravel trap he hit the outside wall almost head-on.
Naturally, the death of Ratzenberger cast a pall over the paddock, and there wasn't a great deal of enthusiasm for the race on Sunday. Least of all from Senna, who had asked to be taken to the scene of Ratzenberger's crash, and later had an emotional discussion with the great Professor Sid Watkins, the FIA's senior medical consultant, and the only man that Bernie Ecclestone never argued with. Watkins had become a personal friend to Senna, and having seen how the fatality affected him, "Prof" tried to persuade Senna to withdraw from the race, and indeed retire from racing.
A start line collision brought out the Safety Car while debris was removed. A wheel from one of the cars involved had cleared the debris fence and flown into a grandstand, injuring several spectators.
What happened next has been debated and argued over for two decades. Speculation blames a failure of the steering column on Senna's car, which had been modified, but this has never been conclusively proved. Certainly, the Safety Car was travelling too slowly, although it wasn't able to go any faster. Tyres lost heat and pressure, which reduced ride heights, and there were bumps on the inside of the Tamburello corner, just at the point where Senna appeared to lose control.
The race was stopped and restarted. A mechanic was injured in the pit lane when he was hit by Michele Alboreto - this was before the pit lane speed limit.
News filtered through that Senna had succumbed to his injuries. The effect on the Formula 1 fraternity and fans was the same as that which followed the death of Jim Clark who. like Senna, was held in high regard by his rivals - along the lines of "If it can happen to him..............."
What isn't in doubt is that Formula 1 learned from the events of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Mandated changes to car design and improvements to driver safety have saved a good few drivers in subsequent years, as evidenced by crashes such as Luciano Burti at Spa and Robert Kubica at Montreal. Safety Cars are now faster, and driven by actual racing drivers. The pit lane speed limit was introduced, and spectator protection has improved.
Nobody should underestimate the efforts made by the FIA, particularly under Max Mosley, to improve safety in motor racing. Nobody should make the mistake of assuming that it's safe, either.
Remembering Ayrton Senna has become a bit of an industry, and the airwaves will be full of reminiscences this weekend. Rightly so, as he had transcended the sport before he was prematurely taken from us. Roland Ratzenberger will also be remembered, but he hadn't had the time or the opportunity to make an impact on the sport, although of course to his family, friends and fans his death was no less a tragedy.
Motor racing should never forget the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, and I believe that it never will. Grand Prix racing has had twenty years without a fatality, and long may that continue.
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
.... I remember it like it was yesterday, it was just unbelievable at the time........
Cheers..
Jase
Great post Ian.
The footage of Senna's crash looks easily survivable by todays standard of safety. Of course, that's a good thing from the safety point of view, but it's horrible that a tragic weekend of 3 major crashes was required before those levels were achieved.
As the safety is continually monitored by the FIA, I still question the current generation low nose that Kobayashi managed to scoop up Massa with in Melbourne. Time will tell whether the direction changes of safety will continually evolve for the better while maintaining an open wheel, open cockpit championship.
Where did those years go!
Stunned by Rubinho's crash and then Roland's loss, come race day I clearly remember watching it all happen live and being utterly shocked by the announcement a couple hours later, a very very sad day.
F1 was never quite the same after that, for me anyway.
We were at Donnington for the world superbike race, and popped into the museum cafe for 10 minutes between races.
The replays were on TV at the entrance.
No sound - but you could tell it was going to be bad news.
I was lucky enough to see two of Senna's classic races.
1991 at Spain, wheel to wheel with Mansell down the straight (Mansell won).
1993 at a damp miserable Donnington, Prost & Hill were in the Williams (Senna won in the wet)
In 93, I can remember the cars pitching about at Hollywood corner during practice when they changed gear on full power.
Only Senna, Prost, and Schumacher could get round without losing the balance of the car.
You could tell those 3 drivers were better than the rest, just from that one corner.
I remember this vividly. It was a very pleasant spring day, I was at uni, and very shocking that one of the very best could be gone. Time flies.
I was at work and we had the radio on - totally shocked when the news broke.
I read today that they found a rolled up Austrian flag in his car to honour Roland such was the depth of the man. A true legend.
It was a friend's wedding on the Saturday.
We'd missed the Barrichello incident driving up to Southport, but when my mate arrived for his wedding about the first thing he said to anyone was, to me, "Have you heard about Ratzenberger?".
We followed sportscar racing in those days (the great Group C cars) and Ratzenberger often drove them, so he was a driver we felt we knew and it cast a shadow over the day.
Driving home the following day, we turned the radio off when the news came on to try and avoid hearing the F1 result, but the first item was "F1 Champion Ayrton Senna has died...". We didn't believe our ears, but when we got home, it was, sadly, all too true.
Hard to believe it was 20 years ago, I guess that's home time goes... :(
M.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Wrong thread, I think...Originally Posted by rgee
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I couldn't agree more... It brought tears to my eyes then and I haven't watched it back since...
A
I was watching the race with my Father, his enthusiasm for the sport rubbed off on me and we watched many races together along with my brother who I was speaking to earlier today. We both remember that weekend quite clearly and share the same saddening memories, and we both agreed to organise a rewatch of Senna along with a couple of Motorsport loving friends before the race next weekend.
I remember watching the race on TV and could not belive what I saw.
Exactly the same for me.
Menno
As GraniteQuarry posted earlier on another thread, ITV4 are showing the Senna movie at 10:30
Ayrton Senna Death : David Coulthard - I owe him my career
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/27190030
An refreshingly honest appraisal by Coulthard.
My parents' generation always talk of remembering where they were and what they were doing when the heard that Kennedy had been assassinated. I was too young, but I understand the sentiment as I vividly remember what I was doing when Senna died.
I was (and still am) an avid follower of F1 but on that day, I had some DIY work that I had to get done. I was knocking nails into wood in the garage when my eldest daughter (12 at the time) came running in and told me Senna was dead. I was in mid swing with the hammer, missed the nail and hit my thumb instead. Immense pain, physically and emotionally. The DIY job didn't get finished for a few days.
A tragic loss, but as a result F1 is much safer today than it was back then. Hard to believe it's been 20 years.
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