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Uzone.id – On May 1, 1994, sadness enveloped Formula 1 (F1) because Ayrton Senna lost his life on the track. The Brazilian racer died three hours after struggling from a horrific incident at the Imola Circuit, Italy, while leading the San Marino Grand Prix (GP) on May 1, 1994.
Driving a Williams FW16 car, Ayrton Senna appeared fast and managed to lead from the start race (race). But on the seventh lap, tragedy struck.
He lost control of the car and hit the wall at the Tamburello corner, which is part of the circuit covering the second to fourth corners. The car driven by Ayrton Senna hit the barrier wall at a speed of 211 km/hour.
The three-time F1 world champion was immediately rushed to Maggiore Hospital. According to the doctor who treated him, Senna suffered damage to the temporal artery in his head.
However, some reports say the legend also experienced brain-dead due to fragments from the right tire penetrating his helmet, causing his skull to be damaged.
Officers on guard near the incident location did not dare touch and remove Ayrton Senna’s body from the car. They chose to wait for the medical team to arrive at the location.
The evacuation process took several minutes, making Ayrton Senna receive treatment a little late.
Neurosurgeon Sid Watkins, head of Formula 1’s track medical team, performed a tracheotomy to create a hole in Senna’s trachea so he could install a breathing tube.
“He didn’t move. “I lifted his eyelids and it was clear he had a serious brain injury,” said Watkins when explaining Ayrton Senna’s condition.
“We picked him up and laid him on the ground. When we did, he sighed. Even though I’m not religious, I felt his spirit leave at that moment,” he added.
After intensive treatment at Maggiore Hospital, Ayrton Senna surrendered and was declared dead at 18:40 local time.
The tragic death of Ayrton Senna brings deep sorrow to F1 and the Brazilian people. The reason is, that the racer is a figure who is very loved and admired.
His departure also marked the first worst crash in 12 years in F1 racing since Riccardo Paletti died at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1982.
The incident that claimed the life of Ayrton Senna was also the peak of the tragedy at the San Marino GP in 1994.
The reason is, that before Senna, two other serious accidents occurred throughout the weekend. The first one that killed Ratzenberger and the one that seriously injured Rubens Barrichello.
Ayrton Senna Predicted His Death?
Not many people know the story behind Ayrton Senna who predicted his death in early 1994, a few months before the terrible accident that took his life.
“I want to live a full, very intense life, I don’t want to live half my life, I don’t want to suffer from illness or injury,” said Ayrton Senna as quoted on the official F1 website.
“If I later have an accident that ultimately takes my life, I hope it happens instantly,” he added.
These words seemed to come true because Senna finally died in an accident on the racing track. He left forever at the age of 34, not because of illness or injury that made him unable to live life to the full.
Senna’s death was considered a national tragedy. The Brazilian government declared three days of national mourning. An estimated three million people flocked to the streets of Senna’s hometown of Sao Paulo to pay their last respects to him.
Senna’s funeral procession held on 4 May 1994 is considered to be the funeral with the largest number of mourners in modern times.
For the next race in Monaco, the FIA decided to leave the first two grid positions empty and painted them in the colors of the Brazilian and Austrian flags, in honor of Senna and Ratzenberger.
Ayrton Senna’s Career Journey in the F1 World
Senna’s career in F1 began in 1984 with the McLaren team. From the start, Senna showed extraordinary talent and managed to achieve his first victory at the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix.
Senna’s journey was marked by various brilliant achievements. He won the F1 world title three times, namely in 1988, 1990 and 1991. Senna is also listed as one of the drivers with the most pole positions, namely 65 times.
Before dominating Formula 1, Ayrton Senna had shown extraordinary talent in the world of karting. He won his first title at the age of 15, namely Pan American Kart Champion in the 100 cc class in 1977.
Senna’s abilities continued to develop rapidly. He was runner-up in the world karting championship for two years in a row (1979-1980), honing his mentality and racing technique.
In 1981, Senna stepped into the world of open-wheeler racing by winning the British Formula Ford 1600. His achievements became even more brilliant in 1982, when he achieved 22 wins and the British and European Formula Ford 2000 championship title using a Van Diemen RF-82.
