Today marks 30 years since the tragic death of Ayrton Senna. The legendary Brazilian driver died at the age of 34 after a crash during a Formula 1 race in San Marino on May 1, 1994.
In the 1994 season, Senna failed to finish the first two starts of the season and was extremely ambitious to win at San Marino. At the Imola circuit during the seventh lap, Senna’s car left the track at a speed of 307 km/h and hit a concrete wall at 233 km/h.
Paramedics provide first aid to Senna at the side of the track, but his condition is very serious due to heavy blood loss. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead soon after.
Senna’s death was considered a national tragedy in Brazil. More than half a million people take to the streets of Sao Paulo for his funeral.
The investigation by the Italian prosecutor’s office concluded that the crash was caused by a problem with the steering wheel, which locked up and prevented Senna from taking the turn. In 2007, the Supreme Court of the country declared the engineer Patrick Head guilty, but he was not convicted due to the statute of limitations.
Senna is considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula 1. For many, even the greatest. He became champion in 1988, 1990 and 1991, recording 41 victories, 80 podiums and 65 pole positions. He holds the record for the most pole positions in Formula 1 until 2006.
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