Can't believe that today marks 20 years since he died. I remember watching it on TV as clearly as if it were yesterday - even at that age (I was 10), Senna was by far and away my favourite driver, he almost seemed invincible somehow.
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Ayrton Senna
- Thread starter Frutos
- Start date
JJ McClure
Go Jags
Was always a Mansell fan so whilst I never particularly liked Senna, you always knew he was the bench mark in terms of who was the best.
RandyWanger
Je suis rôti de boeuf
People always forget Ratzenberger.
dougdeep
New member
I'll never forget the pool of blood on the ground when they lifted him. Nobody could survive after losing all that.
surrey jim
Not in Surrey
Just about to post the same. Its surreal to think two drivers could die in the same weekend. I beleive Senna was the last F1 driver killed during a race. Back during the 1970's and 80's it would not be uncommon for a driver to be killed during a season. Shows how far the sport has become to be safe (if predictable).
A sad weekend. It was actually the only grand prix I missed that season.
If you haven't seen the Senna movie, it is well worth a watch. There are also some lovely blogs doing the rounds about Roland Ratzenburger - his teammate at Simtek, Brabham, wrote a lovely blog.
It terms of finding grip in awkward conditions, Senna had no equal. Other drivers have demonstrated good form in the wet (Button and Schumacher, to name two recent drivers), but none of them had the mastery of wet conditions that Senna did.
If you haven't seen the Senna movie, it is well worth a watch. There are also some lovely blogs doing the rounds about Roland Ratzenburger - his teammate at Simtek, Brabham, wrote a lovely blog.
It terms of finding grip in awkward conditions, Senna had no equal. Other drivers have demonstrated good form in the wet (Button and Schumacher, to name two recent drivers), but none of them had the mastery of wet conditions that Senna did.
Northstander
Well-known member
- Oct 13, 2003
- 14,028
I remember the day vividly and thinking after Ratzenburger, something about this weekend wasn't right and should have been stopped. Think Senna wanted to go ahead as that's what Ratzenburger would have wanted..I may be wrong there!
Shocking when Senna went off who in my mind, was the most focused, aggressive, charismatic and gifted driver I have seen in F1 and likely to never seen again!
A true genius behind the wheel, the first win at Estoril in the Lotus he lapped every car in what was a wet track....simply at another level versus the other drivers on that day!
You can big up Schumacher, Mansell, Prost....there will never be another Senna!!
Shocking when Senna went off who in my mind, was the most focused, aggressive, charismatic and gifted driver I have seen in F1 and likely to never seen again!
A true genius behind the wheel, the first win at Estoril in the Lotus he lapped every car in what was a wet track....simply at another level versus the other drivers on that day!
You can big up Schumacher, Mansell, Prost....there will never be another Senna!!
Shameless plug alert. Just finished this piece on Senna. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn_AdLiB9Rc
Don't usually plug stuff, but, you know, when the opportunity arises and that.
Don't usually plug stuff, but, you know, when the opportunity arises and that.
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
Waxing chumps like candles since ‘75
- Oct 4, 2003
- 11,087
Rubens Barrichello was also badly injured on the Friday and his life was saved by Sid Watkins. Several spectators and team mechanics were also injured. One of the worst weekends ever in F1 history. Watkins tried to get Senna to pull out of the race as he was so upset at Ratzenburger's death but Senna insisted on racing.
Northstander
Well-known member
- Oct 13, 2003
- 14,028
I remember now, everything was going wrong...I now recall thinking why is this going on as the race continued for 50 laps...worst F1 race I have had the mis fortune to watch on TV. I seem to remember this being questioned by the commentators in that they were commentating on a race that should not have happening
Shropshire Seagull
Well-known member
Not so, the race was red-flagged, They landed the heli-med on the track and when Senna's car was returned to the Williams garage you can see all the other cars lined up stationary on the grid.
One of those events where you will always remember where you were - I was playing cricket at Twineham listening on the radio.
ExmouthExile
Well-known member
- Feb 11, 2005
- 1,800
Was it blood or oil? I watched 'Senna' on ITV4 last night and they said that he didn't have a scratch or even a bruise on his entire body, and that if the car part that hit his helmet had hit an inch higher or lower, then he would have walked away from that accident unharmed. Just shows you how fragile life is.
Box of Frogs
Zamoras Left Boot
Agree that 'Senna' is a very good film, surprisingly so as these kind of films seem to come across as too Hollywood. This one however, has that touch of realism and is sad and shocking because of it.
ElectricNaz
Well-known member
I remember seeing this on Eurosport I think. I also remember one of the 'lower teams' cars leaving the pitlane while the helicopter was still on the track, the commentators were saying it was the most ridiculous thing they'd ever seen as he arrived at almsot full speed to the crash scene and could have killed even more people. I think theres a clip somewhere online.
Senna was, and is my one main sporting hero. I remember exactly where I was that day, what the weather was like, what everyone else in my family were doing while I was watching, and then checking on teletext repeatedly for more info. The only ever celeb/sports star death to this day to ever make me cry.
Some of the interviews and documentaries this week on Sky F1 are well worth a watch on Demand.
Northstander
Well-known member
- Oct 13, 2003
- 14,028
This.....to the point in the movie watching Senna, I can't watch the crash scenes....shouldn't have happened...but arguably needed to happen for F1 to wake up and get appropriate safety measures for the drivers!
SK1NT
Well-known member
Was the first ever F1 race I watched.
MarioOrlandi
New member
- Jun 4, 2013
- 580
This :"(
AIT76
The wisdom of a fool
- Jul 29, 2004
- 446
That was Eric Comas.
Comas had had a massive crash at Spa a few seasons earlier. Senna stopped his car and ran to his aid, killing the engine and kneeling by the car holding his head upright until the medics arrived - effectively saving his life. Comas was asked later what was going through his mind blasting out of the pits like that - to which he said he felt compelled to see if he could help in any way.
Guy Fawkes
The voice of treason
- Sep 29, 2007
- 8,205
If memory serves me correctly (and i may well be wrong here) but the race restarted after he was airlifted away to hospital but i can't remember if the news of Sennas death was made public before, during or after the restart /finish of the race (got a feeling it was before?)
Mo Gosfield
Well-known member
- Aug 11, 2010
- 6,284
I believe I read that Italian law at the time stated that should a fatality occur during a race meeting, then a full investigation had to be conducted immediately. Ratzenberger died on Saturday and this would have resulted in suspension of the final practise round and no Grand Prix on the Sunday.( and therefore, no death of Senna )
There have always been suspicions that both Ratzenberger and Senna were both deliberately pronounced dead away from the circuit, even though all evidence suggests that they both died instantaneously.
There have always been suspicions that both Ratzenberger and Senna were both deliberately pronounced dead away from the circuit, even though all evidence suggests that they both died instantaneously.