Formula 1: thirty years after his death, Ayrton Senna remains present in all memories
30 years ago, the cursed Grand Prix. In Imola (Italy) on 1er May 1994, the Brazilian pilot Ayrton Senna, three-time world champion, died, the day after the accident which had already cost the life of the Austrian Roland Ratzenberg. Adored, Ayrton Senna remains the idol of a good number of current drivers, and a tribute will be paid to him on Wednesday 1er May, on the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit, in the presence of Formula 1 boss, Stefano Domenicali, and the Italian and Brazilian Ministers of Foreign Affairs. An exhibition is also dedicated to it at the National Automobile Museum in Turin (Italy).
“He was the driver who inspired me as a child. He is still a hero today and always will be.” The tribute to Ayrton Senna was signed, in 2019, by Lewis Hamilton, seven-time world champion, and it sums up quite well the feeling that animates the paddock. “To be tied with Ayrton is something incredible,” rejoiced Max Verstappen at the time of his 41st success in F1, during the Canadian Grand Prix in 2023.
Triple world champion (1988, 1990 and 1991), 41 victories, 65 pole positions, the Brazilian’s record still commands admiration, even if drivers have since broken the records established by the Brazilian. Formula 1 will only stop at Imola on May 18 for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, but the memory of the Brazilian driver continues to be honored during each event on the Italian circuit, such as during the second round of the world endurance championship, on April 21.
Within the circuit, the statue representing him is surrounded by numerous Brazilian flags, but also from countries around the world. “Legends are never forgotten”wrote Pierre Gasly on Twitter when unveiling his helmet in Brazilian colors and the likeness of the driver during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in 2020.
The French driver was not born at the time of the fatal accident at Ayrton Senna, but he counts the three-time world champion among his models, just like Charles Leclerc. “Ayrton is the one and only idol that I have had my entire career. And this, even if unfortunately I never had the chance to see him in real life, because I am too young. He has always been a huge inspiration for me”assured the Monegasque of the Ferrari team at RTBF during the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix.
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