It was May 1, 1994 when the world of Formula 1 was shocked by two tragedies that would change its face forever. In the morning, the news of the tragic death of the Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger during the tests for the San Marino GP. Then, during the race, another crash. Ayrton Senna, three-time world champion and racing legend, lost his life in a terrible accident.
In the chaos of a world already shocked by the disappearance of a legend, few could have imagined the lasting impact that that tragic day would have had (sad, but comforting) on the safety of the pilots.
The darkest weekend of Formula 1
The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix will go down in history as one of the most tragic in Formula 1. Ayrton Senna himself, deeply shaken by the death of his colleague, had considered the idea of not racing. In the end he decided to honor his colleague's memory by taking to the track.
Unfortunately, fate awaited him too, at the end of a straight road. How many of us have seen it? I was there, in front of the TV. Seventh lap, Tamburello curve. The feeling that something had suddenly broken. The terrifying crash at more than 200 mph, then the doctors and everyone's silence. Teletext read compulsively while waiting for news, there was no internet. And in the end mourning, and sadness. What could be next? The darkness, the oblivion? When a star explodes, the light remains. It was just the beginning.
The beginning of a revolution
From the tragedy of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, a great salvation was born. That was a total turning point for safety Formula 1. The FIA, the sport's governing body, was faced with a choice: accept these accidents as an unavoidable part of racing or do everything possible to prevent them in the future.
The second option prevailed.
Ayrton Senna inspired the salvation of colleagues who would arrive after him
In the years following the death of Ayrton Senna, Formula 1 introduced a series of technical and regulatory innovations that have radically transformed driver safety.
From real-time telemetry, which allows teams to constantly monitor the status of the cars, to the system HANS (Head and Neck Support), which protects the drivers' head and neck in the event of an impact, every aspect of racing has been rethought with obsessive attention to accident prevention.
Give me a list of the top 5 life-saving innovations in F1 from 1994 to today. Of all the main innovations in F1, the most important ones among the lifesavers date back to 1994. Two are even from that same year.
- Double effect braking system (1994): This innovation significantly reduced the risk of accidents and increased pilot safety. The double-acting braking system allows drivers to brake faster and more precisely, reducing the risk of losing control of the car.
- Roll bar (1994): The roll bar is a vertical protection installed on the single-seater to protect the drivers' heads and necks in the event of a rollover. It has contributed to reducing the number of injuries and deaths in the category.
To these, in addition to the leg protection system (2009) must be added Halo (2017): The system to protect the pilots' heads in the event of accidents. It consists of a bracket that surrounds the driver's head, connected at three points to the body of the single-seater. It is made of Grade 5 titanium and weighs only 9kg, but can hold the weight of around 12.000kg. It would have probably saved Ayrton's life. It will definitely save everyone else's.
Ayrton Senna, around the bend
The legacy of the great Brazilian champion goes beyond technical innovations. His death shook consciences, forcing the racing world to confront its own mortality and put safety first.
Thirty years later, my memory of Ayrton Senna is more vivid than ever. Our memory. When a driver emerges unscathed from an accident that in the past would have been fatal, there is a bit of him. Every time a new technology makes racing a little safer, there's a little bit of him.
We regret what would have been, and how many exciting duels we lost. But we are grateful for a future, a present in which every driver has the opportunity to race to the limit chasing their dreams, knowing that someone's sacrifice made it possible. Thank you, Ayrton. Your memory lives on in every lap, in every victory, in every life saved on tracks around the world.
