Formula 1 has marked the 30th anniversary of the tragic death of racing driver Ayrton Senna with a series of emotional tributes.
A weekend of commemorative events took place at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy, at the Imola track where Senna lost his life in a horrific accident in 1994.
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Both Senna and fellow F1 driver Roland Ratzenberger died in separate incidents on two consecutive days during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix during one of F1’s darkest weekends.
The fatalities sent shockwaves through the industry and led to a huge overhaul of safety in motorsport.
San Marino Grand Prix
The San Marino Grand Prix was a championship race on the F1 circuit between 1981 and 2006. Held annually at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari racetrack, it was referred to as Imola, home of the venue near the Apennine mountains.
The fateful race weekend 30 years ago began as it normally would, with the event launching the European leg of the Grand Prix. With practice sessions commencing on Friday 29th April, the weekend was beset with problems, as Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello hit a kerb at 140mph at the Variante Bassa corner.
His Jordan car was launched into the air and smashed into a tyre barrier, rolling multiple times and landing upside-down. Barrichello was knocked unconscious and only swift action by FIA medic Sid Watkins saved his life.
He was lifted by helicopter to Maggiore Hospital in Bologna for tests. Fellow Brazilian driver Senna went to the hospital with him, returning to Imola only after Barichello regained consciousness, escaping with a sprained wrist and broken nose.
Senna’s teammate, British driver Damon Hill, said afterwards the other drivers had “brushed themselves off” and continued with the session, convinced F1 cars were “tough as tanks”.
Senna was fastest during the session, with Hill coming seventh, after suffering a spin himself.
Ayrton Senna crash
Eventually, race organisers went ahead with the Grand Prix, as the drivers said they wanted to carry on, mainly in tribute to their fallen colleague.
Watkins never forgot Senna’s reaction to news of Ratzenberger’s death, writing that “Ayrton broke down and cried on my shoulder”.
The medic tried to persuade the three-times World Champion to pull out of Sunday’s race. He was recognised as the greatest F1 driver of his generation and Watkins said, “What else do you need to do? Give it up and let’s go fishing.” However, Senna insisted he was going to take part, telling the doctor he intended winning and dedicating it to Ratzenberger.
The Saturday qualifiers had been stopped, but Senna was in pole position as a result of his times in Friday’s sessions. The race began at 2pm on Sunday 1st May in sunny weather.
However, Portuguese driver Pedro Lamy’s Lotus car shunted into the back of Finland’s Jyrki Juhani Järvilehto, who had stalled his Benetton on the grid. Flying debris from the cars shot over the spectators’ safety fence, causing non-serious injuries to nine people.
The race was beset with minor accidents and during lap five, the safety car came out while debris was cleared off the track. When the race restarted, Senna was leading from German legend Michael Shumacher, who was in second place.
Travelling at a speed of 190mph at the Tamburello corner, the unthinkable happened: Senna’s car couldn’t take the bend and continued in a straight line, due to the exceptionally highspeed reducing his efforts to brake. He struck an unprotected concrete barrier in a horrific crash that reduced his car to wreckage.
Ayrton Senna death
Watkins was on the scene immediately to treat Senna and he was then airlifted to Maggiore Hospital, with initial reports not realising the severity of his injuries.
The race restarted and Schumacher was the eventual winner, but the shocking news that Senna, 34, had been pronounced dead at the hospital left everyone at the track numb. The cause of death was head injuries believed to have resulted from the impact with the car’s suspension and a wheel.
Senna’s state funeral on 5th May 1994 in São Paulo, Brazil, was attended by 500,000 people who lined the streets to watch his final journey.
30th anniversary tribute
At the F1 Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday 19th May, tributes were paid to both racers on an emotional weekend.
Retired German racing driver Sebastian Vettel drove Senna’s 1993 McLaren round the circuit after collaborating with the driver’s family to organise the event. During his last lap, the four-times F1 world champion held up Brazilian and Austrian national flags, describing it as a “special and very meaningful weekend.”
Safety improvements
Motor racing’s governing body the FIA responded to the tragedies by making multiple safety improvements to the cars and tracks. These included making the most dangerous circuits safer and removing 15 car performance modifications from the accepted list.
Tyre barriers were made mandatory and the speed limit in the pit lane was reduced. Strict standards for helmets were introduced, as were stronger survival cells, higher cockpit sides on cars and compulsory 75mm side headrests.
The raft of safety procedures includes regular updates to continually minimise the risks to drivers.
Senna and Ratzenberger have left a lasting legacy in the world of Formula 1, and they will be remembered for their bravery in an era when drivers risked their lives in motor racing every week.
