Ayrton Senna, 30 Years Since his Passing
Today, 30 years ago, the motorsport world lost one of the greatest drivers in the history of racing, Brazilian Ayrton Senna, who tragically died in a race at the San Marino circuit in Imola, Italy.
Senna, a triple world champion (1988, 1990, and 1991), with 41 victories, 65 poles, and 80 podiums in the premier category, passed away at the age of 34 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, during the tragic San Marino Grand Prix.
During that weekend, his compatriot Rubens Barrichello suffered a brutal accident during Friday's free practice at the "Variante Bassa" chicane, fortunately without major physical consequences. Tragically, on Saturday during qualifying, Austrian Roland Ratzenberger also lost his life - crashing at over 330 kilometers per hour into the wall at the Villeneuve corner - in what was his debut Formula 1 season.
In one of the saddest weekends in F1 history, the legendary Senna crashed, at an estimated speed of 220 kilometers per hour, into the wall after losing control of his Williams at the Tamburello corner.
Suffering severe head injuries, Ayrton was airlifted to a hospital in Bologna, where his death was confirmed, likely occurring shortly after impact due to his helmet being penetrated by the front suspension debris of the car. The detached right front wheel also struck the Brazilian's head.
The tragic episode of Senna's death, whose legacy transcended purely sporting aspects and has been extensively documented, was described by British Bernie Ecclestone, then CEO of F1, as "as if Jesus Christ had been crucified alive."
Fans with gray hair remember exactly where they were at the time of his fatal accident, which plunged the international public opinion into genuine sorrow and shocked the entire Brazilian nation.
Just a couple of months later, the Brazilian football team, after defeating Italy in penalties in the final of the World Cup in the United States, their fourth world title at the time, dedicated their victory to him. They unfurled a banner on the same field at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California, with the slogan "Senna... we accelerate together; the tetra is ours."
The Imola circuit, forever linked with him, will host the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on May 19th, the sixth race of the F1 World Championship. The championship resumes this weekend in Miami (USA), hosting the fifth race of the year.
