Interlagos, São Paulo, Brazil, March 25-27, 1994, RD1. Ayrton Senna, Williams FW16-Renault. Portrait. Photo: LAT Photographic/Williams F1. Ref: 1994williams16
On April 30, we released the Last Lap of Roland Ratzenberger’s life, to commemorate thirty years since his death. Today, May 1, we present one of the most detailed accounts of that tragic Sunday, available on StatsF1. Written and compiled in French by reporter ‘Tony’, this thorough narrative of Ayrton Senna’s last Sunday has been translated into English, with minimal modifications, to capture the nuances and complexities of the exceptional report. Although it may be lengthy, it is a captivating, enlightening, and emotional read that is a must for Ayrton fans.
A touching moment occurred during the warm-up session. Ayrton Senna was scheduled to provide live commentary on a lap in his Williams-Renault as part of the “Auto-Moto” program, broadcast on TF1 channel. Aware that his former rival, Alain Prost, was present, Senna sent him a heartfelt message: “Before we start, I want to send a special greeting to my… to our dear friend Alain. I miss you, Alain!” Prost, surprised and moved, would remember those few words for the rest of his life.
There was a palpable tension in the air before the start of the race. While everyone undoubtedly thought of Roland Ratzenberger, they were also mindful of the accident involving Rubens Barrichello. It seemed like bad luck was clinging to the Imola circuit. Senna, sitting in his cockpit, remained helmetless for an unusually long time, going against his usual practice of immediately putting on his helmet.
Just like his other 24 drivers (Ratzenberger’s place remained vacant), Senna tried to focus on the impending challenge, which promised to be grueling. Michael Schumacher did not hide his desire to achieve a third consecutive victory and further solidify his dominance in the championship. Senna was well aware of this. During warm-up, he set impressive lap times, aiming to put pressure on the German.
In the pits, Williams and Benetton technicians and engineers were preparing for a highly strategic race, expecting their star drivers to make at least two pit stops. Schumacher started with less fuel than Senna, ensuring he would be the first to pit.
At Simtek, Nick Wirth allowed David Brabham to decide whether he wanted to participate in the race or not. After much deliberation, the Australian driver chose to start, so as not to further demoralize his team.
Pre-Race: Alboreto encounters an electrical malfunction in his car during the formation lap. As a result, he will start the race using a replacement vehicle from the spectator area.
Race Start: Senna starts the race properly, leading ahead of Schumacher, Berger, and Hill. Unfortunately, Lehto has a failure in the third row. Frentzen and Katayama, who are positioned next to the Benetton, quickly maneuver to avoid a collision. However, Lamy, hindered by the presence of other cars, collides with the obstacle at high speed.
Lamy tries to turn left, but ends up hitting Lehto from the left rear. The impact is extremely strong, resulting in several debris fragments being projected off the track, including two wheels from the Lotus flying towards the stands. Meanwhile, Lamy performs a scary maneuver in the wrong direction, traveling a distance of almost two hundred meters from the point of impact. The right side of his Lotus is completely damaged, but fortunately he does not suffer any injuries.
First Lap: The main straight is filled with carbon debris. Roland Bruynseraede calls for the deployment of the safety car. Although Lehto and Lamy escape unharmed, fragments of their vehicles manage to break through the safety fences. Unfortunately, three spectators and a police officer suffer minor injuries due to a loose wheel originating from the Lotus. Firefighters promptly assist in the stands, although these incidents are only known after the race ends.
Second Lap: The cars form a line behind the Safety Car. Senna leads the pack, followed by Schumacher, Berger, Hill, Frentzen, Häkkinen, Larini, Wendlinger, Katayama, and Brundle. Comas and Bernard collide, resulting in Martégal losing a few positions during this incident.
Third Lap: Track marshals clean the asphalt at the timing line, evacuating the two destroyed vehicles and cleaning up the oil leak caused by Lehto’s ruptured fuel tank. Meanwhile, passionate fans cheer enthusiastically for Berger.
Fifth Lap: The safety car lights are turned off, indicating that the race will resume on the next lap. Schumacher positions himself close to Senna, ready to surprise him with a sudden acceleration.
Sixth Lap: The Safety Car gradually disappears and the green flags are waved. Senna maintains his lead, with Schumacher following closely, refusing to stay behind. On the other hand, Berger falls behind, having been affected by an earlier incident involving Bernard. Comas, who felt vibrations in his Larrousse due to the contact, decides to return to the pits for an inspection.
Seventh Lap: Pressured by Schumacher, Senna approaches the daunting Tamburello curve at a speed of 300 km/h. Suddenly, as he prepares to exit the curve, the Williams car does not respond. Senna reacts quickly, applying the brakes. However, the Williams continues straight, flying over the runoff area and colliding with the concrete wall at a severe angle. It bounces for several meters, creating a shower of debris, before finally coming to a stop in the gravel trap.
The entire right side of the car is severely damaged, but the survival cell remains intact. All eyes are on Senna, waiting for any sign of movement or gesture. The yellow helmet moves momentarily for a fraction of a second. And then, it’s over. It’s 2:17 PM.
The Grand Prix is, of course, interrupted by the red flag. The cars line up on the grid. It takes a solid minute for the medical team to reach Tamburello. And the horrific dance witnessed on Friday by Barrichello and on Saturday by Ratzenberger begins once again. Professor Watkins, leaning over the lifeless and bloody face of his friend, is horrified by what he sees.
An suspension arm, like a sword, pierced Senna’s skull. The situation is serious, but the unfortunate still has a beating heart. He receives medical attention on the ground. The rescue helicopter lands on the track, between Tamburello and Tosa, ready to take off.
Spectators, viewers, and journalists go through distressing moments. In the pits, most team managers choose silence and do not inform their drivers about the seriousness of the situation.
Approximately fifteen minutes after the impact, while the medical team works around Senna, Érik Comas leaves his garage, his car having been repaired. He reaches the end of the pit lane where, inexplicably, the signal turns green!
Comas enters the track, accelerates, passes Tamburello… and comes across the medical helicopter and marshals ahead, in the middle of the track. He immediately brakes, turns off the engine, and inquires about the situation.
That’s when he sees Senna, the man who saved his life two years earlier in Spa, lying in a pool of blood. There is nothing he can do for him. Comas, terrified and the only driver aware of the grim reality, can only watch the scene.
In the wreckage of the Williams FW16, a marshal discovers a small Austrian flag. The irony of fate: Senna intended to pay tribute to Ratzenberger during a possible victory lap.
At 2:35 pm, Senna, completely unconscious and on a stretcher, is transported by helicopter to Maggiore Hospital in Bologna. His younger brother, Leonardo, accompanies him on a private jet chartered by Bernie Ecclestone. Meanwhile, the cars return to the starting grid with their drivers.
The FIA race director, Roland Bruynseraede, announces that the race will resume from the 7th lap and be shortened by three laps. The classification will be determined by adding the times.
The new starting grid is as follows: Schumacher, Berger, Hill, Frentzen, Häkkinen, Larini, Wendlinger, Katayama, Brundle, Morbidelli, Blundell, Fittipaldi, Herbert, Panis, de Cesaris, Beretta, Brabham, Gachot, Bernard, and Alboreto. Still shaken by what he witnessed a few minutes earlier, Comas decides not to continue.
There is a widespread confusion surrounding the current grid lineup, with everyone acknowledging the seriousness of the situation but unaware of the exact nature of the injuries suffered by the Brazilian driver. Some team managers are trying to provide vague assurances to keep the focus on the race. At Williams-Renault, there is a clear sense of dismay.
Frank Williams, Patrick Head, Adrian Newey, Bernard Dudot, Christian Contzen, David Brown, and Ian Harrison, the sporting director, gather for a strategic meeting. The cause of Senna’s accident is still unknown, although it is likely to be attributed to a mechanical failure. The main concern now is whether it is safe to allow Damon Hill to continue racing. Hill, visibly anxious, finds himself hesitating.
Ann Bradshaw, the team’s press officer, openly acknowledges the seriousness of her teammate’s health condition. Hill hesitates even more, but Dickie Stanford, the chief engineer, firmly guides him towards his cockpit, giving him a stern look. At Williams, regardless of the circumstances, the race must go on…
The report then goes on to cover the race, which ends on the 58th and final lap. Michael Schumacher emerges victorious in this dark San Marino GP, with Larini securing second place and achieving his first career podium. Häkkinen takes third place, giving McLaren-Peugeot their first positive result.
Wendlinger finishes in fourth place, ahead of Katayama. Hill manages to secure a single point. Frentzen, Brundle, Blundell, Herbert, Panis, and Bernard also successfully complete the event.
Schumacher, Häkkinen and especially Larini cheerfully greet the fans as they walk around the track to show their gratitude. They are unaware of the tragic events that have unfolded. On the podium, they all respond with a smile to the applause of the crowd, delighted with the return to form of the Ferraris.
It was only a few moments later that the top three drivers, along with their fellow drivers, were informed about Senna’s critical condition. We also found out that two mechanics affected by Alboreto’s wheel, Maurizio Barberi (Ferrari) and Neil Baldry (Lotus), suffered injuries, including a broken leg and mild head trauma, respectively.
Press, radio and television rushed to Bologna, outside the Maggiore hospital, in search of the latest updates on Senna’s condition, although the press release issued in the afternoon left little doubt about the fatal outcome.
In fact, the surgeons quickly recognized the serious condition of the Brazilian champion. The suspension arm that pierced his helmet caused irreversible brain damage. A skilled neurosurgeon from the Bellaria hospital was called in by colleagues from the Maggiore for a last-minute operation, which turned out to be futile.
As time passed, Senna’s pulse weakened. At 6pm, Dr. Maria Teresa Flandri, head of medicine, announced that Senna’s electroencephalogram showed no activity. He was then declared clinically dead. Father Zuffa administered the last rites to him. The Maggiore hospital, surrounded by journalists, fans and onlookers, was taken over by the carabinieri to maintain order.
At 6:40pm, the devastating news finally arrived: Ayrton Senna had passed away. He was 34 years old, one year older than Ratzenberger.
The investigation into the cause of this fatal accident would give rise to a wealth of literature. It is believed to be a mechanical failure, as indicated by Michael Schumacher’s eyewitness account: “The Williams was suffering a significant rear end sag. On the previous lap, I felt it was very unstable at that point, where there is a bump in the track.
“Ayrton almost lost control. The last image I have of him is when he sagged again, a shower of sparks emanating from the floorboards behind him, and then he disappeared from my view,” Schumacher added.
The most plausible hypothesis is the steering column failure, which, as we remember, Senna had changed before the race. A hasty weld may have caused this fatal failure. Other contributing factors may include a drop in tire pressure due to a puncture early on (likely caused by debris from the Lehto-Lamy collision) or the several laps spent behind the safety car.
Formula 1 is in a state of total devastation in its discreet existence as a billionaire sport. This sequence of calamities has left its participants bewildered, disoriented, and shattered. Not since the 1960 Belgian GP, where Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey tragically lost their lives, have we witnessed the loss of two drivers in a single weekend.
The cruel irony of fate brought together the inexperienced and low-ranking Roland Ratzenberger, and the superstar, the idol, the possibly greatest driver of all time, “Magic” Senna. This tragic symbol serves as a reminder to all drivers that they are involved in a dangerous sport, where the greatest and the humblest can become victims.
Also serves as a warning to leaders, especially Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone, who were very concerned with adjusting regulations to economic demands. Their pursuit of questionable innovations, such as refueling with gasoline, caused them to lose sight of crucial safety requirements.
However, what really shocked journalists and viewers worldwide was the indecency displayed by decision-makers and commissioners, who, after Senna’s accident, allowed a ridiculous continuation of the Grand Prix.
On the night of this tragic May 1st, 1994, reactions ranged from despair to anger. Alain Prost, devastated by the loss of his friend, expressed his bitterness on TF1: “We have just witnessed an absolutely unbelievable weekend. Three extremely serious accidents, apparently caused by mechanical failures. We knew that incidents of this nature would eventually occur, it was almost inevitable.
“We can always argue that F1 is a dangerous sport and that there are always risks when traveling at 300 km/h on a circuit like Imola. But there is no inevitability. Safety concerns have long been neglected. Now, business takes priority over sport. The powers that were once separate from sport and the economy have merged…
“As we witnessed today, the only thing that matters is to restart the race, to continue it, without stopping even when injured people are lying in the stands… Personally, I find this scandalous. The drivers themselves should have spoken out after Senna’s accident. We need to prioritize sport over commercial interests,” Prost declared.
Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda also called on the drivers to unite and exert pressure on the FIA, advocating for a renewed focus on safety.
Pierluigi Martini, on the other hand, highlights the challenging nature of driving the current single-seaters this season: “Today, F1 cars are incredibly stiff to maximize ground effect. We are practically glued to the track.
“This means we feel every bump on the road, which becomes a myriad of dangers. With Senna, we conducted inspections at the most dangerous points in Imola. There was a desire for improvements, but simply not enough time…”
Mika Häkkinen stated: “The Tamburello section had uneven surfaces compared to before, even in the fast chicanes. It is absolutely necessary to slow down!”
“We had discussions about these dangers with Senna,” recalls Michael Schumacher. “We will call a meeting on Friday in Monaco. It is becoming urgent that we present proposals.”
Will the drivers finally understand their obligations? How will Max Mosley, the president of the FIA, who is visibly absent during this weekend in Imola, react to their concerns?
However, for now, it is a time of mourning. Ayrton Senna, that exceptional champion, with the ability to achieve the most amazing feats, that complex person, driven by hidden motivations, passionate, demanding, longing for triumph and perfection, inspired by fervent faith, that ordinary human being adored by millions of fans worldwide, idol of the Brazilian people, will forever leave a lasting impact on the annals of this sport.
His departure in full glory, facing the challenges of the one who coveted his throne, this tragic exit elevates him to mythical status and absolves his mistakes. Senna, the Magnificent, departed as he lived: leading a Grand Prix, ahead of all others.
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