The Day Ayrton Senna Died
One Of The Greats
Ayrton Senna was a three-time Formula One world champion and a beloved icon in his home country of Brazil. Then, on May 1, 1994—while leading the San Marino Grand Prix—Senna suffered a fatal accident that ended it all. This is what happened on that day.
McLaren To Williams
Before we get to that fateful day, we should start with a little bit of important history leading up to that race in San Marino. The most important part being Senna leaving the McLaren racing team for Williams at the beginning of the 1994 season. But this move didn't sit well with the driver right from the get go.
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Uncomfortable
Rule changes for the 1994 season meant that cars could no longer have electronic aids. And while that was a factor in Senna not feeling great in the Williams car, it wasn't the only reason. During preseason testing, Senna said this about the new car: "I have a very negative feeling about driving the car and driving it on the limit and so on".
Off To A Bad Start
His negative feelings toward the car played out over the first two races of the season. While he won the pole position for each, he failed to score any points in either of them. Senna headed into the third race of the season, the San Marino Grand Prix, 20 points behindthe championship leader, Michael Schumacher.
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Bad Friday
While Senna had a good practice run on the Friday before the race, his protégé Rubens Barrichello suffered a major crash that almost claimed his life. His airway was blocked after the wreck, and FIA doctor Sid Watkins had to perform emergency work to save his life.
