Roland Ratzenberger

Roland Ratzenberger

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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Hard to believe it was 27 years ago since Imola 1994.

Today marks the 27th anniversary of Roland Ratzenberger's death.

R.I.P Roland


adamlstr

407 posts

210 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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The brief few seconds of footage after the barrier impact still haunt me.


RIP Roland.

Muzzer79

9,805 posts

186 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Good shout OP

Roland is all too often forgotten due to the events of the following day.

From all accounts - a good man, definitely taken too soon.


Dan_1981

17,351 posts

198 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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One of my earliest memories of F1.

95 fiesta si

1,600 posts

151 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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I remember finding out the news via ceefax, that’s how long ago it was.

Yes RIP RR.

Gameface

16,565 posts

76 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Barrichello died briefly that weekend also apparently.

Awful weekend.

95 fiesta si

1,600 posts

151 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Gameface said:
Barrichello died briefly that weekend also apparently.

Awful weekend.
dont know about that, but he did have a bad crash on the Friday. I remember it all well. Rubens on the Friday, Roland on the Saturday, Ayrton on the Sunday. The darkest weekend in modern day F1 History

Gameface

16,565 posts

76 months

Friday 30th April 2021
quotequote all
95 fiesta si said:
dont know about that, but he did have a bad crash on the Friday.
From the man himself

https://youtu.be/08xCZdj6VfY

95 fiesta si

1,600 posts

151 months

Friday 30th April 2021
quotequote all
Gameface said:
From the man himself

https://youtu.be/08xCZdj6VfY
yep, i stand corrected, its funny i just watched that video on youtube before i see you posted the link


-crookedtail-

1,558 posts

189 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Such a bizarre weekend with so many incidents, a horrible time for F1!

I still find it strange that they were talking on Eurosport about the strength of the modern cars at the time of Roland’s accident, but it was clear he was in bad shape immediately. Shame he didn’t get a chance to really prove himself, was a nice guy by all accounts.

Important he isn’t forgotten. RIP Roland

KR158

786 posts

158 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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95 fiesta si said:
I remember finding out the news via ceefax, that’s how long ago it was.

Yes RIP RR.
Me too, I remember so much detail of that weekend, such an incredibly Sunny, Hot & beautiful Spring day. Mowing the Lawn, came in for a Drink, pulled up Ceefax & was just stunned by what I read. I'd been following Simtek since I fIrst saw a Picture in the long defunct "F1 News" Magazine, such a pretty Car from a plucky little Team. Roland seemed like a good Guy, achieved his dream to race in F1. That's how I choose to remember him. smile



Dan_1981

17,351 posts

198 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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It was a hot sunny day, one of the things I remember from that weekend.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Tom Rubython’s book “Fatal Weekend” is worth a read, it’s fairly cheap on Amazon now. Covers a lot of Senna’s life both off ad on track but has some good chapters on Ratzenberger, Simtek and that weekend.

belleair302

6,835 posts

206 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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The weekend should have been cancelled on the Friday in my opinion.

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Friday 30th April 2021
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Sadly only known for one thing. As a driver, how good was he??

coppice

8,561 posts

143 months

Saturday 1st May 2021
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Muzzer79 said:
Good shout OP

Roland is all too often forgotten due to the events of the following day.

From all accounts - a good man, definitely taken too soon.
Indeed - but I'd argue that the ONLY reason he isn't forgotten is precisely because of what happened the next day . Many people , triggered by the Senna death , have the decency to remind us about RR . But very few take the trouble to remember Paletti , Koinigg or De Angelis - let alone the hordes of drivers from an early era . Siffert and Rodriguez, for example , were bloody legends in period , but are names which probably don't resonate with many .

lj04

371 posts

190 months

Saturday 1st May 2021
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I was spectating at Rivazza that weekend l remember the cheer from the tifosi upon hearing of Sennas crash meaning that Ferrari moved up. But then the silence as we watched the air ambulance take him away

Derek Smith

45,512 posts

247 months

Saturday 1st May 2021
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If a race was broadcast live, I either saw it on TV or I was there. I was a nerd.

After Ratzenberger's death I didn't feel like watching the race, so told my very surprised wife we were going out for a picnic on Sunday. Took my son and his friend to Arundel Park and the bird sanctury. It was a lovely day. On the way home, there was a fatal RTA, right in front of us. I was three cars back from the collision, but the car with the deceased went slowly past us.

I rendered first aid - he was breathing but just - and called the police control room for the air ambulance. I was covered in blood and had to strip to the waist before I could go back to my car.

Later that evening, still a bit shocked, I turned on the TV for the highlights and knew at once that one of the top drivers had died. The first live race that I had not seen. I've not seen the accident, nor the race since.

It put me off F1 for a while. Missed a few that season.

Wasn't a marshall seriously injured as well?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Saturday 1st May 2021
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
If a race was broadcast live, I either saw it on TV or I was there. I was a nerd.

After Ratzenberger's death I didn't feel like watching the race, so told my very surprised wife we were going out for a picnic on Sunday. Took my son and his friend to Arundel Park and the bird sanctury. It was a lovely day. On the way home, there was a fatal RTA, right in front of us. I was three cars back from the collision, but the car with the deceased went slowly past us.

I rendered first aid - he was breathing but just - and called the police control room for the air ambulance. I was covered in blood and had to strip to the waist before I could go back to my car.

Later that evening, still a bit shocked, I turned on the TV for the highlights and knew at once that one of the top drivers had died. The first live race that I had not seen. I've not seen the accident, nor the race since.

It put me off F1 for a while. Missed a few that season.

Wasn't a marshall seriously injured as well?
Imagine trying to get away from death and having to then deal with that horrendous situation. No wonder you were shocked frown

If I remember Alboreto came in for a pitstop and one of his tyres was not secured and it came off when he was leaving the pits. This as you will know was when cars went out of the pits on full throttle.

Three mechanics were injured. Two at Ferrari and one at Lotus. All were treated in the hospital.

The start line accident with Lehto's car stalling and being hit by Lamy caused tyres to go over the safety fence and hit spectators

No one was killed but perhaps more to do with luck.


Digger

14,588 posts

190 months

Saturday 1st May 2021
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I also was watching the race Live.

What an utterly horrific weekend!