Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver who won the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship in 1988, 1990 and 1991. Senna is one of three Formula One drivers from Brazil to win the World Championship and won 41 Grands Prix and 65 pole positions, with the latter being the record until 2006.
Ayrton Senna: When did die| Where did die| Documentary| Death cause
When did die:
1 May 1994
Racing at the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy, Senna suffered fatal injuries in a horrific crash. Senna’s car was going 191 mph when it left the track and hit a concrete wall at 145 mph. He sustained fatal skull fractures, brain injuries, and a ruptured temporal artery in the accident.
Where did die:
| Senna’s fatal crash just after the moment of impact at the Tamburello corner of the Imola circuit | |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 May 1994 |
| Location | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy |
On 1 May 1994, Brazilian Formula One driver Ayrton Senna was killed after his car crashed into a concrete barrier while he was leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Italy. The previous day, Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger had died when his car crashed during qualification for the race.
Documentary:
On the Friday before the race, Senna’s protégé, Rubens Barrichello, driving for the Jordan team, clipped a curb and crashed heavily at 225 km/h (140 mph) at the Variante Bassa chicane. Senna got out of his Williams car and went to the scene of the collision.
Barrichello’s tongue blocked his airway and emergency work done by FIA doctor Sid Watkins saved his life. Barrichello regained consciousness and found Senna looking over him.
Death cause:
Formula One race meeting in 12 years (and not repeated until the fatal crash of Jules Bianchi at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit).
This became a turning point in the safety of Formula One, prompting the implementation of new safety measures in both Formula One and the circuit, as well as the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association to be reestablished. The Supreme Court of Cassation of Italy ruled that mechanical failure was the cause of the crash, although this has been disputed.
