On this day 20 years ago the Formula 1 world lost its brightest star: Ayrton Senna.
I was born just over six months after the tragic 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend and Formula 1 only started to grab my attention in the early 2000s, so I never got to see him race. I really wish I had.
Michael Schumacher’s dominant 2004 season was the first that I watched in full and I quickly started to support Jenson Button, who was the only driver to really take the fight to the two Ferraris.
As my interest and involvement in the sport evolved, I started to learn just what an incredible driver and person Senna was. Obviously, without the chance to see him compete, I was only introduced to the three-time world champion through books, video clips, documentaries and films.
I have always been a big fan of reading and I could often be found with a Formula 1-related book or magazine in my hand. As the seasons passed, I began to discover what made Senna so legendary and why he was adored by so many. He was a national treasure in Brazil.
However, I only really knew about his results and driving. I didn’t actually know that much about him as a person. That was until the release of the film Senna. It was brilliant. It gave viewers an incredible insight into not only his driving but also what he was like away from the track.
He was a sensitive and introverted person who was caring towards fellow drivers when he wasn’t racing them wheel-to-wheel. But when he put on that famous yellow crash helmet, he was a ruthless and incredibly intense driver who pushed himself and the car to – and sometimes over – the limit; it was a complete contrast to what he seemed to be like outside of the car.
I learned even more about Senna after reading the excellent book ‘The Life of Senna’ by Tom Rubython, which was recommended to me last year by my friend (and Richland F1 boss) Luke Smith. It was a long read but a brilliant one nonetheless and went through his life in incredible detail.
I got to know more about his personal life as well as the lighter side to Senna, which was brought out by his friendship with Gerhard Berger. I soon got to know about their pranks and practical jokes. It also revealed his charity work and ambitions to help the world as well as going through the lengthy trial that took place after his death. I really wish I had read the book sooner.
I remember stumbling across a video of his 1988 Monaco pole position lap a few years ago, after reading about it in a book, and being in awe of his driving. I couldn’t look away, it was incredible.
I was similarly mesmerised when watching the opening lap of the 1993 European Grand Prix at the Donington Park circuit for the first time. He was just in a league of his own in the slippery, wet conditions and made it look so easy.
In 2012, I attended the Autosport International Show in Birmingham and they had a special display dedicated to Senna. It was fantastic to get such a close-up look at the cars that he once drove, including the dominant MP4/4 and the Ford-powered MP4/8, which was the final McLaren he ever drove.
That tragic Imola weekend not only saw the death of arguably F1’s greatest driver but also the loss of Roland Ratzenberger, a 33-year-old rookie who had only just joined the grid with the lowly Simtek team and didn’t get to show was he was truly capable of. He was sadly killed during qualifying for the race on Saturday after a front wing failure.
Yesterday, on the 20th anniversary of the Austrian’s untimely passing, I posted a piece looking at his career which you can see here. The loss of Ratzenberger and Senna shook the sport and changed it for the better, helping to shape what we see today. Safety standards were drastically improved with tracks being modified, barriers upgraded and car speeds reduced.
Of course, F1 will never be 100% safe, but I find it difficult to imagine what fans and members of the paddock must have felt over that terrible San Marino Grand Prix weekend. I just can’t envisage a driver losing his life at the wheel of a Formula 1 car because, of course, I have grown up in an era of the sport that is far less dangerous than it was back then.
I have watched several big crashes on TV. Robert Kubica’s horrible accident at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, Mark Webber’s 2010 European Grand Prix flip and the multi-car pile-up at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix immediately spring to mind.
In all those cases, I was worried a driver may have been injured, but I never thought about any of them losing their lives. Unfortunately, it took those two deaths for the sport to improve safety but the considerable modifications have saved many lives since.
The impact that Senna had on me is probably similar to other Formula 1 fans around my age. Despite never watching him race, I believe he is one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsport and have become fascinated by his story and career.
He was taken from the Formula 1 world far, far too soon and would most definitely have added to his three world titles, 41 race wins and 65 pole positions. Senna may be gone, but he will never be forgotten and his legacy lives on.
Did you get to see Senna race? What are your favourite memories? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Other Senna and Ratzenberger pieces I would recommend:
Roland Ratzenberger (1960-1994): http://bit.ly/PQAcVF
Car Throttle piece on Senna: http://www.carthrottle.com/ayrton-senna-20-years-after-f1-lost-a-legend/
F1’s most dominant car: http://richlandf1.com/?p=21982
Senna – The undisputed King of qualifying: http://richlandf1.com/?p=21968
Senna – A legacy that transcends generations: http://richlandf1.com/?p=21959
 |
| © Getty Images |
Michael Schumacher’s dominant 2004 season was the first that I watched in full and I quickly started to support Jenson Button, who was the only driver to really take the fight to the two Ferraris.
As my interest and involvement in the sport evolved, I started to learn just what an incredible driver and person Senna was. Obviously, without the chance to see him compete, I was only introduced to the three-time world champion through books, video clips, documentaries and films.
 |
| © Getty Images |
I have always been a big fan of reading and I could often be found with a Formula 1-related book or magazine in my hand. As the seasons passed, I began to discover what made Senna so legendary and why he was adored by so many. He was a national treasure in Brazil.
However, I only really knew about his results and driving. I didn’t actually know that much about him as a person. That was until the release of the film Senna. It was brilliant. It gave viewers an incredible insight into not only his driving but also what he was like away from the track.
He was a sensitive and introverted person who was caring towards fellow drivers when he wasn’t racing them wheel-to-wheel. But when he put on that famous yellow crash helmet, he was a ruthless and incredibly intense driver who pushed himself and the car to – and sometimes over – the limit; it was a complete contrast to what he seemed to be like outside of the car.
I learned even more about Senna after reading the excellent book ‘The Life of Senna’ by Tom Rubython, which was recommended to me last year by my friend (and Richland F1 boss) Luke Smith. It was a long read but a brilliant one nonetheless and went through his life in incredible detail.
I got to know more about his personal life as well as the lighter side to Senna, which was brought out by his friendship with Gerhard Berger. I soon got to know about their pranks and practical jokes. It also revealed his charity work and ambitions to help the world as well as going through the lengthy trial that took place after his death. I really wish I had read the book sooner.
I remember stumbling across a video of his 1988 Monaco pole position lap a few years ago, after reading about it in a book, and being in awe of his driving. I couldn’t look away, it was incredible.
I was similarly mesmerised when watching the opening lap of the 1993 European Grand Prix at the Donington Park circuit for the first time. He was just in a league of his own in the slippery, wet conditions and made it look so easy.
In 2012, I attended the Autosport International Show in Birmingham and they had a special display dedicated to Senna. It was fantastic to get such a close-up look at the cars that he once drove, including the dominant MP4/4 and the Ford-powered MP4/8, which was the final McLaren he ever drove.
That tragic Imola weekend not only saw the death of arguably F1’s greatest driver but also the loss of Roland Ratzenberger, a 33-year-old rookie who had only just joined the grid with the lowly Simtek team and didn’t get to show was he was truly capable of. He was sadly killed during qualifying for the race on Saturday after a front wing failure.
Yesterday, on the 20th anniversary of the Austrian’s untimely passing, I posted a piece looking at his career which you can see here. The loss of Ratzenberger and Senna shook the sport and changed it for the better, helping to shape what we see today. Safety standards were drastically improved with tracks being modified, barriers upgraded and car speeds reduced.
Of course, F1 will never be 100% safe, but I find it difficult to imagine what fans and members of the paddock must have felt over that terrible San Marino Grand Prix weekend. I just can’t envisage a driver losing his life at the wheel of a Formula 1 car because, of course, I have grown up in an era of the sport that is far less dangerous than it was back then.
I have watched several big crashes on TV. Robert Kubica’s horrible accident at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, Mark Webber’s 2010 European Grand Prix flip and the multi-car pile-up at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix immediately spring to mind.
In all those cases, I was worried a driver may have been injured, but I never thought about any of them losing their lives. Unfortunately, it took those two deaths for the sport to improve safety but the considerable modifications have saved many lives since.
 |
| © Williams Martini Racing |
The impact that Senna had on me is probably similar to other Formula 1 fans around my age. Despite never watching him race, I believe he is one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsport and have become fascinated by his story and career.
He was taken from the Formula 1 world far, far too soon and would most definitely have added to his three world titles, 41 race wins and 65 pole positions. Senna may be gone, but he will never be forgotten and his legacy lives on.
Did you get to see Senna race? What are your favourite memories? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Other Senna and Ratzenberger pieces I would recommend:
Roland Ratzenberger (1960-1994): http://bit.ly/PQAcVF
Car Throttle piece on Senna: http://www.carthrottle.com/ayrton-senna-20-years-after-f1-lost-a-legend/
F1’s most dominant car: http://richlandf1.com/?p=21982
Senna – The undisputed King of qualifying: http://richlandf1.com/?p=21968
Senna – A legacy that transcends generations: http://richlandf1.com/?p=21959
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