Former Formula One driver Ayrton Senna was honored on Tuesday at the Imola circuit with a minute’s silence at 14:17 local time (13:17 in Lisbon) when he died 30 years ago.
The Brazilian, a three-time world champion (1988, 1990 and 1991), who had 41 wins, 65 pole positions and 80 podiums in Formula 1, died on 1 May 1994 at the age of 34 after colliding with a wall at the Curve Tamburello circuit in San Marino Grand Prix time.
Several figures from top motorsport, as well as government officials from Brazil, Italy and Austria, attended the tribute to Senna, still considered by many to be the best Formula 1 driver of all time.
On the same weekend that Ayrton Senna died, the previous day Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger had also been killed during qualifying, having also collided with a wall on a section of the track known as the Villeneuve curve.
At today’s ceremony, in addition to Senna, the Austrian was also honored, laying flowers at the sites of fatal accidents involving two drivers after a minute of silence.
For the first time in 30 years, Senna’s Williams F16 returned to the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit, to the place it occupied on the day of its last lap, with a model that is the only original copy of the single. The seat was destroyed in an accident.
“Ayrton Senna was convinced that day 30 years ago that he would win. He had an Austrian flag in his car and wanted to dedicate the victory to Roland Ratzenberger, a teammate who had died the day before. This is a demonstration of how sport can and should unite,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said today.
The crash, which occurred at a speed of approximately 220 kilometers per hour, left Senna with serious head injuries and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Bologna, where his death was confirmed, probably shortly after impact and caused by his helmet being damaged. was broken as a result of damage to the front suspension of the car.
The car’s right front wheel also came off and hit the Brazilian star’s head.
The Brazilian’s remains are located in the Morumbi cemetery in Sao Paulo.