Discussion
I find it hard to believe that it will be 25 years since the horrendous Imola weekend where we lost both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna.
I think it would be great to hear from fellow F1 fans what their thoughts were during that weekend and also their favourite clips or stories about Ayrton Senna or Roland Ratzenberger. Perhaps if you were lucky enough to have personal pictures of either driver or just want to post a favourite clip.
Back in 1994, I was working in our family business. I would always make sure I took my lunch hour during F1 qualifying. Anyway, I had just sat down to watch the Eurosport coverage and had missed about 10 minutes of the session. There was talk about Rubens Barrichello accident during the coverage and they were talking about how safe a modern F1 car was compared to the older aluminium cars.
I think they were following Senna or Hill and then the footage changed to Ratzenberger. I really don't think it sunk in how serious it was until I saw the doctors giving him heart massage. I was 17 at the time but it all seemed so surreal as it was happening live on the TV. No screens so you basically saw everything. You could tell it was serious but due to him being transported by ambulance to the medical centre I thought there might be some hope before returning to work. I was in shock when his death was announced.
Sunday was a strange day. I was excited about the race but after the two accidents and the death of Roland, it just felt all a bit flat. I was watching the footage by myself and the race started. When JJ Lehto stalled his Benetton on the grid and Pedro Lamy then crash unsighted into him we all know the pace car came out.
I remember wondering why a Vauxhall/Opal GSI Cavalier was the pace car. I remember seeing Senna going alongside the pace car trying to get it to speed up.
Then the pace car came in and Senna and Schumacher blasted off ahead. Senna's car did spark a lot the first lap around Tamburello which I thought was cool. The next lap and we all know what happened. I will never forget Murray Walker's words. AND SENNA. I continued to watch and saw Senna's head moving and thought he is injured but just knocked out.
I then switched over to Eurosport and their footage was still on the accident. I remember John Watson saying that he thought something had gone wrong with the car. I just sat and watched still thinking he was going to be fine even after he was extracted and lying on the ground. When the helicopter arrived and he was moved you could see the blood on the track which was shocking.
I remember seeing the helicopter flying away and it was just so surreal. I watched the rest of the race but it was just a blur. When the wheel came off the car in the pits and injured a few mechanics you just knew this race was cursed. Went out in my car and met a few of my friends as we use to drive about the town we lived in and messed about but we just sat in the cars and spoke about the crash. Later on, it came across the radio that Senna was dead.
That was it for me. Just had time to myself. I had taped the race but it was a long time before I watched it.
It was the BBC tribute to Senna that got me.
I think it would be great to hear from fellow F1 fans what their thoughts were during that weekend and also their favourite clips or stories about Ayrton Senna or Roland Ratzenberger. Perhaps if you were lucky enough to have personal pictures of either driver or just want to post a favourite clip.
Back in 1994, I was working in our family business. I would always make sure I took my lunch hour during F1 qualifying. Anyway, I had just sat down to watch the Eurosport coverage and had missed about 10 minutes of the session. There was talk about Rubens Barrichello accident during the coverage and they were talking about how safe a modern F1 car was compared to the older aluminium cars.
I think they were following Senna or Hill and then the footage changed to Ratzenberger. I really don't think it sunk in how serious it was until I saw the doctors giving him heart massage. I was 17 at the time but it all seemed so surreal as it was happening live on the TV. No screens so you basically saw everything. You could tell it was serious but due to him being transported by ambulance to the medical centre I thought there might be some hope before returning to work. I was in shock when his death was announced.
Sunday was a strange day. I was excited about the race but after the two accidents and the death of Roland, it just felt all a bit flat. I was watching the footage by myself and the race started. When JJ Lehto stalled his Benetton on the grid and Pedro Lamy then crash unsighted into him we all know the pace car came out.
I remember wondering why a Vauxhall/Opal GSI Cavalier was the pace car. I remember seeing Senna going alongside the pace car trying to get it to speed up.
Then the pace car came in and Senna and Schumacher blasted off ahead. Senna's car did spark a lot the first lap around Tamburello which I thought was cool. The next lap and we all know what happened. I will never forget Murray Walker's words. AND SENNA. I continued to watch and saw Senna's head moving and thought he is injured but just knocked out.
I then switched over to Eurosport and their footage was still on the accident. I remember John Watson saying that he thought something had gone wrong with the car. I just sat and watched still thinking he was going to be fine even after he was extracted and lying on the ground. When the helicopter arrived and he was moved you could see the blood on the track which was shocking.
I remember seeing the helicopter flying away and it was just so surreal. I watched the rest of the race but it was just a blur. When the wheel came off the car in the pits and injured a few mechanics you just knew this race was cursed. Went out in my car and met a few of my friends as we use to drive about the town we lived in and messed about but we just sat in the cars and spoke about the crash. Later on, it came across the radio that Senna was dead.
That was it for me. Just had time to myself. I had taped the race but it was a long time before I watched it.
It was the BBC tribute to Senna that got me.
I was a 10 year old, car crazy kid at the time and I distinctly remember where I was at the time the news broke. It was a sunny weekend and my parents had taken us to Llandudno for the day. My sister and I were playing on the putting course at West Shore and my Dad shouted from the car that Senna had died when he heard it on the radio. I'll never forget hearing that news.
I was talking to a work colleague this week about the fact it is coming up to 25 years. I was only 20, where does the time go?
I was fortunate enough to be at Donington Park in 1993 to witness probably the greatest lap ever. I wasnt a Senna fan by any means, but that day for me proved he was on different planet to any other driver.
I'll be having a drink to both Ratzenberger and Senna on the 1st May.
I was fortunate enough to be at Donington Park in 1993 to witness probably the greatest lap ever. I wasnt a Senna fan by any means, but that day for me proved he was on different planet to any other driver.
I'll be having a drink to both Ratzenberger and Senna on the 1st May.
The accident to Barrichello and the death of Ratzenberger got to me a bit. From my first GP, the British at Brands in 1966, I'd watched every GP that had been broadcast live on TV up until then, apart from those I actually attended.
I told my wife that I didn't want to see the race and we'd go out as a family. I took a friend of my lad's whose father had just left. It was a lovely day at Arundel.
On the drive back home, we came across a fatal RTA that had only just happened. I rendered first aid, but the chap later died. I had a lot of blood on my shirt and on my hands that I washed off at a garage.
When I got home I wanted something to take my mind off the accident, so I put the race on. I found that the recording had not worked, the tape getting twisted. I went next door to ask the chap if he'd recorded it and could I borrow it. For some reason he didn't tell me what had happened when he gave me the tape. I played it but on the warmup lap it stopped recording. There was a children's programme on.
I refused to have any news in the house so I waited until the highlights. As soon as it started, I knew on of the front runners had died. As son as I found out who, I switched off. I didn't watch another GP for three or four races. I first saw the accident about five years ago. I read a hell of a lot on it. I recently read Newey's account, but there was nothing new in it.
F1 hasn't really been the same for me since that weekend. It's still fun, and I enjoy it tremendously, but I'm not really a nerd any more.
I've read that before the accidents there were a number of representations to the FIA regarding safety of the sport and that there were suggestions for improvements in pending trays at HQ, but, it seems, it could wait. There were other incidents during the weekend, with mechanics and marshals injured.
It's not as if the two deaths, and the near death of RB, were unavoidable. Blame has been leveled at Williams and Head, but I felt at the time, and still do, that the real blame lies at the FIA's door.
I told my wife that I didn't want to see the race and we'd go out as a family. I took a friend of my lad's whose father had just left. It was a lovely day at Arundel.
On the drive back home, we came across a fatal RTA that had only just happened. I rendered first aid, but the chap later died. I had a lot of blood on my shirt and on my hands that I washed off at a garage.
When I got home I wanted something to take my mind off the accident, so I put the race on. I found that the recording had not worked, the tape getting twisted. I went next door to ask the chap if he'd recorded it and could I borrow it. For some reason he didn't tell me what had happened when he gave me the tape. I played it but on the warmup lap it stopped recording. There was a children's programme on.
I refused to have any news in the house so I waited until the highlights. As soon as it started, I knew on of the front runners had died. As son as I found out who, I switched off. I didn't watch another GP for three or four races. I first saw the accident about five years ago. I read a hell of a lot on it. I recently read Newey's account, but there was nothing new in it.
F1 hasn't really been the same for me since that weekend. It's still fun, and I enjoy it tremendously, but I'm not really a nerd any more.
I've read that before the accidents there were a number of representations to the FIA regarding safety of the sport and that there were suggestions for improvements in pending trays at HQ, but, it seems, it could wait. There were other incidents during the weekend, with mechanics and marshals injured.
It's not as if the two deaths, and the near death of RB, were unavoidable. Blame has been leveled at Williams and Head, but I felt at the time, and still do, that the real blame lies at the FIA's door.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
I continued to watch and saw Senna's head moving and thought he is injured but just knocked out.
I then switched over to Eurosport and their footage was still on the accident. I remember John Watson saying that he thought something had gone wrong with the car. I just sat and watched still thinking he was going to be fine even after he was extracted and lying on the ground. When the helicopter arrived and he was moved you could see the blood on the track which was shocking.
I remember seeing the helicopter flying away and it was just so surreal.
Dad and I watched every GP on the euro feed, as difficult as it is to imagine these days we thought MW a joke and wouldn't watch the BBC because of it.I then switched over to Eurosport and their footage was still on the accident. I remember John Watson saying that he thought something had gone wrong with the car. I just sat and watched still thinking he was going to be fine even after he was extracted and lying on the ground. When the helicopter arrived and he was moved you could see the blood on the track which was shocking.
I remember seeing the helicopter flying away and it was just so surreal.
I saw Senna move and thought he was OK too but Dad said no. He knew straight off he was gone but all doubt was removed when we saw the blood.
We didn't watch the rest, we travelled to my sister's at uni and went out for a meal. I couldn't eat, by the time we were on our way back he was gone.
The daftest thing was going to the cinema to see the Senna film. I burst into tears during the opening credits, the first time my wife had ever seen me cry. Can't explain it.
I was only 16 at the time and had followed him since '85, even offered him a water when he broke down in front of us at Silverstone.. 25 years ago seems like an awfully long time.
Derek Smith said:
The accident to Barrichello and the death of Ratzenberger got to me a bit. From my first GP, the British at Brands in 1966, I'd watched every GP that had been broadcast live on TV up until then, apart from those I actually attended.
I told my wife that I didn't want to see the race and we'd go out as a family. I took a friend of my lad's whose father had just left. It was a lovely day at Arundel.
On the drive back home, we came across a fatal RTA that had only just happened. I rendered first aid, but the chap later died. I had a lot of blood on my shirt and on my hands that I washed off at a garage.
When I got home I wanted something to take my mind off the accident, so I put the race on. I found that the recording had not worked, the tape getting twisted. I went next door to ask the chap if he'd recorded it and could I borrow it. For some reason he didn't tell me what had happened when he gave me the tape. I played it but on the warmup lap it stopped recording. There was a children's programme on.
I refused to have any news in the house so I waited until the highlights. As soon as it started, I knew on of the front runners had died. As son as I found out who, I switched off. I didn't watch another GP for three or four races. I first saw the accident about five years ago. I read a hell of a lot on it. I recently read Newey's account, but there was nothing new in it.
F1 hasn't really been the same for me since that weekend. It's still fun, and I enjoy it tremendously, but I'm not really a nerd any more.
I've read that before the accidents there were a number of representations to the FIA regarding safety of the sport and that there were suggestions for improvements in pending trays at HQ, but, it seems, it could wait. There were other incidents during the weekend, with mechanics and marshals injured.
It's not as if the two deaths, and the near death of RB, were unavoidable. Blame has been leveled at Williams and Head, but I felt at the time, and still do, that the real blame lies at the FIA's door.
That is horrendous Derek. To have such a great day and then to be confronted with a fatal RTA is unbelievable especially when you were so hands on.I told my wife that I didn't want to see the race and we'd go out as a family. I took a friend of my lad's whose father had just left. It was a lovely day at Arundel.
On the drive back home, we came across a fatal RTA that had only just happened. I rendered first aid, but the chap later died. I had a lot of blood on my shirt and on my hands that I washed off at a garage.
When I got home I wanted something to take my mind off the accident, so I put the race on. I found that the recording had not worked, the tape getting twisted. I went next door to ask the chap if he'd recorded it and could I borrow it. For some reason he didn't tell me what had happened when he gave me the tape. I played it but on the warmup lap it stopped recording. There was a children's programme on.
I refused to have any news in the house so I waited until the highlights. As soon as it started, I knew on of the front runners had died. As son as I found out who, I switched off. I didn't watch another GP for three or four races. I first saw the accident about five years ago. I read a hell of a lot on it. I recently read Newey's account, but there was nothing new in it.
F1 hasn't really been the same for me since that weekend. It's still fun, and I enjoy it tremendously, but I'm not really a nerd any more.
I've read that before the accidents there were a number of representations to the FIA regarding safety of the sport and that there were suggestions for improvements in pending trays at HQ, but, it seems, it could wait. There were other incidents during the weekend, with mechanics and marshals injured.
It's not as if the two deaths, and the near death of RB, were unavoidable. Blame has been leveled at Williams and Head, but I felt at the time, and still do, that the real blame lies at the FIA's door.
I can't imagine having to go through that and then try and distract yourself with watching F1 only to find out what had gone on at Imola.
So sorry you had to go through such an experience.
Back then I tended to watch F1 at home but as this race was on a Bank Holiday, I was in my local with loads of friends.
Of course after that weekend we learned that in the wake of Ratzenburger's death, Senna was (understandably) really shaken and had seriously considered not racing on the Sunday.
Anyway, my abiding memory was the helicopter footage looking straight down upon the crashed Williams with Sid Watkins in attendance and the pub becoming subdued as folk realised how serious it was.
I always admired Senna but never really took to him as a person- all the God crap etc. and he certainly had a very high opinion of himself- however, I wept when the news came through that he hadn't survived that impact...
Of course after that weekend we learned that in the wake of Ratzenburger's death, Senna was (understandably) really shaken and had seriously considered not racing on the Sunday.
Anyway, my abiding memory was the helicopter footage looking straight down upon the crashed Williams with Sid Watkins in attendance and the pub becoming subdued as folk realised how serious it was.
I always admired Senna but never really took to him as a person- all the God crap etc. and he certainly had a very high opinion of himself- however, I wept when the news came through that he hadn't survived that impact...
Eric Mc said:
Having followed motorsport since the early 1960s, I was saddened by what happened - but not floored.
Indeed, regarding Senna, I had felt for a while that his own faith in his capabilities was rather excessive.
Me too - having endured the deaths of Clark , Spence,Schlesser and Scarfiotti deaths in my first 6months of obsessing about motor sport I got used to it early on . Good job , as many more followed . Indeed, regarding Senna, I had felt for a while that his own faith in his capabilities was rather excessive.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
So sorry you had to go through such an experience.
Thank you.I've only been to a few fatal RTAs, but a lot more sudden deaths, but when you work on them it gets a bit personal. The chap had a depressed fracture of the skull which, according to the PM, killed him almost at once yet he had a pulse, although it was slow.
14 and massively into F1.
Watched the practice session live and was shocked seeing RR accident.
RB accident also seemed to be an omen.
Went to bed Saturday night and spoke to friend Sunday morning about the race. Said I’d had a bad dream something else big was coming. I just had this gut feeling and it was going to be one of the frontline drivers.
Watching race was shocking to take in. Knew it was very bad instantly. Eurosport stayed on the scene footage much more.
I was moved, but not distraught. I wasn’t really a fan as such of either driver so didn’t take it personally. Just sad it had happened. I’ve always been able to absorb or suppress bad news / events quite well.
I’m glad the cars and circuits have moved on since. That is a nice legacy for both drivers to have.
Watched the practice session live and was shocked seeing RR accident.
RB accident also seemed to be an omen.
Went to bed Saturday night and spoke to friend Sunday morning about the race. Said I’d had a bad dream something else big was coming. I just had this gut feeling and it was going to be one of the frontline drivers.
Watching race was shocking to take in. Knew it was very bad instantly. Eurosport stayed on the scene footage much more.
I was moved, but not distraught. I wasn’t really a fan as such of either driver so didn’t take it personally. Just sad it had happened. I’ve always been able to absorb or suppress bad news / events quite well.
I’m glad the cars and circuits have moved on since. That is a nice legacy for both drivers to have.
I actually think it was the end of the gladiatorial era of F1 and its gradual submersion in corporate "correctness" - which I in fact, regret mightilly and started its demise - although it wasn't that obvious for the first few years after that weekend.
If anybody wants to know what Senna's legacy to F1 is - it marked the beginning of the end of F1 as a true spectacle.
I know all that might sound a bit controversial - but there is no doubt that the whole atmosphere around F1 began to change from that point on.
If anybody wants to know what Senna's legacy to F1 is - it marked the beginning of the end of F1 as a true spectacle.
I know all that might sound a bit controversial - but there is no doubt that the whole atmosphere around F1 began to change from that point on.
I was madly into F1 at that time- aged 18 and just starting my A-levels.
I was away at boarding school but came home for that weekend to revise. My only respite from that was the SM Grand Prix.
I missed Ruben's accident; but caught Roland's. Catastrophic. It was dreadful and utterly catastrophic- but I also felt it was bad luck; a one-off as it had been many years since the last fatality. I guess that was the bravado of an 18 year old on the cusp of life and all it has to offer.
On the Sunday that changed. The opening crash was awful and incredibly lucky on the injury tally. But hey, that was 3- everything comes in 3s.
The safety car came in, the race restarted and then bang- F1 changed forever.
My Dad and I looked at each other. We clearly both knew / 'felt' that it was bad- but neither of us would say so.
I drove back to school that evening- 30 miles away. I took my back roads cross country route that I normally treated like my own tarmac rally stage (in my 10 year old Fiesta 0.957L) that evening. However, I drove very steadily I remember the exact moment that Ayrton's death was confirmed on the radio. I was approaching a small humpback bridge that I used to get air on. Instead, I remember pulling over and sitting there in silence for 10 minutes or so. It was a beautiful evening. My schoolmates were obviously all talking about what had happened. However, I was simply rather quiet.
Mansell had been my default F1 'hero' as I was a patriotic Brit and God he was a fighter. But Senna was something else; his sublime driving, his evident grace outside of the car beguilingly offset by Dick Dastardly moments in it. But away from the sport, he came across as a very humble man who genuinely cared about his country.
I will never forget watching Donington 93- undoubtedly the greatest ever demonstration of elevated skill behind the wheel. Even now, one of my biggest regrets was seeing all the empty seats in the Grandstands (it was a poorly publicised one-off European GP IIRC). Donington is only 1 hour from me- we could have got tickets and gone to it!
I still follow F1- but my passion is completely different. Now it is 70% about the car and probably 30% the driver. 25 years ago; it was more like 60% the driver against absolute beasts of cars. As many others have said, it is now all so corporate. Having said that, I still genuinely enjoy the spectacle and we do still see some incredible overtakes. Baku normally puts on a good race and I am genuinely looking forward to this afternoon, especially with CLc starting in 10th...
I was thinking about going out for a cycle ride later today. I might now go over that bridge again and have a moment. I now suspect that after watching C4 highlights this evening, I might well dust off my 'Senna' DVD and raise a glass.
Salut Ayrton, Roland (and now sadly Jules)!
I was away at boarding school but came home for that weekend to revise. My only respite from that was the SM Grand Prix.
I missed Ruben's accident; but caught Roland's. Catastrophic. It was dreadful and utterly catastrophic- but I also felt it was bad luck; a one-off as it had been many years since the last fatality. I guess that was the bravado of an 18 year old on the cusp of life and all it has to offer.
On the Sunday that changed. The opening crash was awful and incredibly lucky on the injury tally. But hey, that was 3- everything comes in 3s.
The safety car came in, the race restarted and then bang- F1 changed forever.
My Dad and I looked at each other. We clearly both knew / 'felt' that it was bad- but neither of us would say so.
I drove back to school that evening- 30 miles away. I took my back roads cross country route that I normally treated like my own tarmac rally stage (in my 10 year old Fiesta 0.957L) that evening. However, I drove very steadily I remember the exact moment that Ayrton's death was confirmed on the radio. I was approaching a small humpback bridge that I used to get air on. Instead, I remember pulling over and sitting there in silence for 10 minutes or so. It was a beautiful evening. My schoolmates were obviously all talking about what had happened. However, I was simply rather quiet.
Mansell had been my default F1 'hero' as I was a patriotic Brit and God he was a fighter. But Senna was something else; his sublime driving, his evident grace outside of the car beguilingly offset by Dick Dastardly moments in it. But away from the sport, he came across as a very humble man who genuinely cared about his country.
I will never forget watching Donington 93- undoubtedly the greatest ever demonstration of elevated skill behind the wheel. Even now, one of my biggest regrets was seeing all the empty seats in the Grandstands (it was a poorly publicised one-off European GP IIRC). Donington is only 1 hour from me- we could have got tickets and gone to it!
I still follow F1- but my passion is completely different. Now it is 70% about the car and probably 30% the driver. 25 years ago; it was more like 60% the driver against absolute beasts of cars. As many others have said, it is now all so corporate. Having said that, I still genuinely enjoy the spectacle and we do still see some incredible overtakes. Baku normally puts on a good race and I am genuinely looking forward to this afternoon, especially with CLc starting in 10th...
I was thinking about going out for a cycle ride later today. I might now go over that bridge again and have a moment. I now suspect that after watching C4 highlights this evening, I might well dust off my 'Senna' DVD and raise a glass.
Salut Ayrton, Roland (and now sadly Jules)!
Edited by Spudmaster on Sunday 28th April 09:37
My Dad was staying with us for the weekend so we had been out for the day.
When we got home we started watching the recorded GP. Once we saw the accident we switched to the news where it was confirmed that Ayrton had died.
We didn’t bother with the rest of the race. I don’t think I ever watched it.
I think Ayrton was an amazing person. He could have done so much for his country.
My wife no longer watched F1 with me. My Dad is no longer with us but it was him that give me my love for motorsport.
When we got home we started watching the recorded GP. Once we saw the accident we switched to the news where it was confirmed that Ayrton had died.
We didn’t bother with the rest of the race. I don’t think I ever watched it.
I think Ayrton was an amazing person. He could have done so much for his country.
My wife no longer watched F1 with me. My Dad is no longer with us but it was him that give me my love for motorsport.
F1 Imola San Marino Sunday 1 May 1994 Raceday full video
This is someone's private video of the day and doesn't show the crash. Just from the main grandstand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvrqyotqX-Y
This is someone's private video of the day and doesn't show the crash. Just from the main grandstand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvrqyotqX-Y
A lot of the above experiences were similar for me so won’t repeat those. But one extra thing I will always remember was watching Senna’s interview on the gridline.
Firstly, as it’s still the only time I can think of when I’ve seen someone who I felt I knew, who was young and healthy, where I had no realisation that this was the last time I’d see him alive.
Also, just how much he seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. To a degree he was often a bit like that in interviews, but this seemed a whole other level - no doubt a combination of the events the day before, the car being really tricky, the young upstart Schumacher getting the jump in the first races of the season and therefore that he (being Senna) had to win no matter what, pushing harder than ever before and, perhaps, having a strong feeling as to what this might mean for him.
At the time I had no knowledge of the infamous exchange between him and Watkins the day before (where Sid suggested to Senna that he just draw a line on his career and Senna feeling he couldn’t) so hearing about that a few years later just made it all feel even more tragic.
Firstly, as it’s still the only time I can think of when I’ve seen someone who I felt I knew, who was young and healthy, where I had no realisation that this was the last time I’d see him alive.
Also, just how much he seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. To a degree he was often a bit like that in interviews, but this seemed a whole other level - no doubt a combination of the events the day before, the car being really tricky, the young upstart Schumacher getting the jump in the first races of the season and therefore that he (being Senna) had to win no matter what, pushing harder than ever before and, perhaps, having a strong feeling as to what this might mean for him.
At the time I had no knowledge of the infamous exchange between him and Watkins the day before (where Sid suggested to Senna that he just draw a line on his career and Senna feeling he couldn’t) so hearing about that a few years later just made it all feel even more tragic.
I started watching F1 in 1976 and I was well aware that drivers could get hurt or even die, but by 1994 it didn't happen any more.
Then Imola happened, first Barrichello, then Ratzenburger and then of course Senna.... you knew from the footage and the way the medical staff were acting that it was serious.... but it didn't happen any more... only it had, just the very day before.
And then he was gone.... and I thought I don't sit there on a Sunday afternoon to watch my heroes die.... I'm done with it.
Fast forward to the next race and there I was... still glued to it and always have been. Funny thing, the human psyche.
It was tragic without any shadow of a doubt, but it ultimately changed F1 for the better. I was at the 2007 Canada GP when Kubica had his massive accident... prior to 1994 he'd have been killed.... same goes for many more subsequent incidents where injuries would have been major or possibly others would have died.
That said Senna was without doubt one of the very best and it is one of he very few external events in life that I will always remember.
Then Imola happened, first Barrichello, then Ratzenburger and then of course Senna.... you knew from the footage and the way the medical staff were acting that it was serious.... but it didn't happen any more... only it had, just the very day before.
And then he was gone.... and I thought I don't sit there on a Sunday afternoon to watch my heroes die.... I'm done with it.
Fast forward to the next race and there I was... still glued to it and always have been. Funny thing, the human psyche.
It was tragic without any shadow of a doubt, but it ultimately changed F1 for the better. I was at the 2007 Canada GP when Kubica had his massive accident... prior to 1994 he'd have been killed.... same goes for many more subsequent incidents where injuries would have been major or possibly others would have died.
That said Senna was without doubt one of the very best and it is one of he very few external events in life that I will always remember.
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