The new Netflix series Senna covers the life and career of legendary Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna, who clinched three F1 World Championships.
Senna’s journey began in Formula Ford before he progressed to Formula Three and later raced for Toleman, Lotus, McLaren and Williams in F1.
The Brazilian is celebrated as one of the greatest racers in history, thanks to his aggressive driving style that led to his F1 World Championships, 41 victories, 65 pole positions, 19 fastest laps and 80 podiums.
The six-part series explores his early karting days, his remarkable successes in F1 and the circumstances surrounding his tragic crash on May 1, 1994.
While racing for Williams, Senna crashed on the sixth lap of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, also known as the Imola GP. He was airlifted to hospital following the crash but succumbed to his severe injuries.
That same weekend witnessed two other serious incidents that cast a shadow over the race and prompted significant safety improvements in F1. The first was a severe crash involving Jordan driver Rubens Barrichello, who was knocked unconscious when his car rolled after a high-speed crash during Friday practice.
The second incident was the fatal crash of Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger, which made it all the more shocking that the race weekend continued as planned.
Who was the other driver who died the same weekend as Ayrton Senna?
Driver Roland Ratzenberger died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix (Image: Getty Images)
Tragedy struck when Roland Ratzenberger tragically lost his life on the same weekend as Ayrton Senna during the infamous 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on Saturday, April 30, 1994.
Speaking to Motorsport, fellow racer Eddie Irvine recounted memories of Ratzenberger, praising his determination: “He loved F1. He was addicted to it, and it was amazing how much he wanted it.
“He had a great career in Japan, but he kept pushing for F1, especially with me and then Frentzen jumping across. It must have been tough for him, but it also encouraged him.”
Ratzenberger was in his debut season with Simtek, co-driving with team owner’s son, David Brabham. The pair were involved in the qualifying round at the ill-fated San Marino GP on that fateful April day, aiming to secure their spots for the race to come.
At age 33, Ratzenberger veered off at Acque Minerali chicane but opted to carry on after checking his steering and braking. Ratzenberger never pitted and was unaware two front wing bolts had loosened following a previous impact.
Ratzenberger headed into the Villeneuve corner and two of the four bolts came out of the wing and become lodged underneath the car. This caused him to lose control, drive off the road and hit the concrete barrier at 140 mph.
Despite the help of medical crews and being airlifted to hospital, Ratzenberger died as the result of a basilar skull fracture.
Formula One drivers observe a minute of silence for the death of Senna and Roland Ratzenberger (Image: Getty)
Simtek boss Nick Wirth emotionally recalled the tragic loss to Motorsport, saying: “That day we all lost a friend. Someone who was doing the best he could, and we were doing the best job we could with him.
“He decided to come to a team that could have been a no-hoper team, but he decided to go with us, and saw we were capable of beating our direct opponents, and the future held promise. It was just awful.”
During the sombre events following Ratzenberger’s accident, the qualifying session recommenced, yet numerous teams and drivers, including Senna, opted out in a show of respect. Senna had already secured pole position for Sunday’s race thanks to his quickest time on Friday.
The subsequent passing of Ratzenberger sparked the revival of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. This group advocate for heightened safety improvments in the sport, transforming both car designs and racing circuits.
On the next day, during the San Marino GP, Senna suffered a fatal crash on lap six. An Austrian flag meant to commemorate Ratzenberger was later discovered inside Senna’s car by track officials.