The tragic 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend is mythical to many racing fans. For the 30th anniversary of this black weekend, Yannik looks back at the drivers that lost their lives that weekend, starting with Roland Ratzenberger.
A late April weekend in northern Italy. The small town of Imola is filled with life, but not to the point that woild walking the old streets surrounded by picturesque architecture a chore. There is a small market in one of the town's piazzas, and everything has a relaxed vibe despite there being more people in town than usual.
On its own, it is unlikely that Imola would be a tourist destination. Nearby Bologna, just a 20-minute train ride away, is bigger, has the more impressive buildings and more hotels for tourists to stay at. Heading further south through the town, as many wearing various racing related merchandise do on this Saturday morning, lays the Internazionale Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, however. It is the reason why racing fans know the town.
In fact, even the underpass at the train station has race car graffiti on its walls. Walking to the track from there, it does not exactly hit you in the face that this sub-70.000 inhabitant community is invariably tied to motorsport, at least not at first. Visiting on the weekend of April 20 and 21, 2024, however, racing is everywhere. Or, to be more exact, the name Senna is.
Yellow flags with the iconic blue and green stripes of three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna are on every other lamp post. The Brazilian lost his life at the Autodromo here 30 years ago. His death was not the only one at that 1994 weekend, although it did overshadowed the other one.
The day before the race, Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger crashed at the Villeneuve kink right before Tosa in qualifying. The Austrian was hoping to make the grid for what would have been his second Formula One Grand Prix. He was 33 years old.
Ratzenberger did not make the grid in Interlagos, but did qualify the car at Okayama for the Pacific Grand Prix. In his only GP start, he finished in 11th.
Even though Roland had only made it to F1 by 1994, that does not mean that he did not have an interesting career beforehand. In fact, the Salzburg native had five Le Mans starts in Group C machinery to his name already. After three DNFs in Porsche 962Cs and a Toyota 90C-V, returning to the Japanese manufacturer paid off in 1992 and 1993.
Competing in the C2 class, Ratzenberger finished second in 1992 alongside Eje Elgh and Eddie Irvine. In 1993, partnered by Mauro Martini and Naoki Nagasaka, Roland even took the class win at La Sarthe, finishing fifth overall.
Roland's 1988 BTCC BMW livery is available in our download section. Image credit: @Gavkiwi
Other key stations in his career included British Formula 3000 in 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 (1990-1993), BTCC (1989), WTCC and ETCC (1987), and the All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship (1989-1992). A winner of the 1986 Formula Ford Festival, Ratzenberger certainly was not slow. However, as is so often the case in racing, lack of funding prevented him from moving up the ladder further.
Ratzenberger fielded his Van Diemen Formula Ford 1600 for the Silverstone shootout, while Roland Rat raced a modified Ford Anglia. The segment can still be found online, and we have embedded it for you below - including rodent-based shenanigans.
It should not come as a surprise that Ratzenberger got along well with the start-up Simtek team immediately to start the 1994 season. In a 2014 column, team mate Brabham remembered Roland fondly:
At the time, Imola marked the start to the European season after a few flyaway races. Coupled with the enthusiastic Italian fans, the San Marino Grand Prix was always an event the F1 circus looked forward to. Benetton and Michael Schumacher rode into town as the overall leaders, having won both races thus far. Williams, whom Senna had joined for 1994, were still struggling, having suffered a double DNF at Aida.
The first wake-up call already happened on Friday when Rubens Barrichello rolled his Jordan in a violent accident at Variante Bassa. He escaped with relatively minor injuries, but was out for the rest of the weekend. The paddock breathed a sigh of relief, but was still convinced that the cars were safe. Rubens had only suffered a broken nose and a light injury to his arm, after all.
However, Saturday, April 30, 1994, would mark the end of a 12-year streak without driver deaths at a Grand Prix weekend.
Ratzenberger's passing shocked the world of racing immensely, particularly for those at the track. And while the events of the following day led to Roland being almost forgotten, he is just as synonymous with the town of Imola as Senna.
Across the street, Senna's helmet model sits on half an Austrian flag, with green, blue and yellow flowers forming the other half of the Brazilian flag. A nice symbol of how both their fates are tied to each other and the town.
Both have been immortalized at the track, too. Of course, most fans know about the Senna statue. You cannot miss it when wandering around the track. If you are heading up towards Tosa from the main entrance, you will pass the memorial on the inside of Tamburello. But more on that another time.
After walking past the Villeneuve chicane, which features a memorial for Gilles Villeneuve who passed away at Zolder in 1982 but was immensely popular with the tifosi, and walking through an underpass, you will arrive at Tosa. No Ratzenberger memorial in the traditional sense awaits, but one of the grandstands is named in the Austrian's honor.
A plaque, a piece of artwork and a photo remembering Roland are fixed to the base, and a few small tributes are have been put up at a fence alongside it. It is good to know that despite the Senna's death the day after his own, Ratzenberger is not forgotten. Personally, I always make it a point to talk about Roland as well whenever the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix comes up in conversation.
It is a weird contrast on that WEC qualifying day. The weather is nice and warm, the sun is out, and plenty of fans cannot wait to see the top-level prototypes take to the track and up the hill at Tosa. The atmosphere is positive. Not many seem to give any attention to the plaque and Austrian flag at the grandstand.
But having been there, taking a minute to read the few greetings from fans on the fence and the plaque itself felt like a bit of a small, personal tribute at that moment. And in a way, this article is, too, even though I have never seen Roland race myself. His story and the events of the 1994 weekend are part of what makes Imola almost mythical to me.
Looking into his life and career over the years, coupled with the circumstances F1 was in at the time, made it clear what a loss Ratzenberger's must have been at the time. He had been the first driver to have a fatal crash at a GP weekend since Riccardo Paletti at the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix. A 12-year period without losing a driver was unheard of until then.
To remember Roland ahead of the 30th anniversary of his death, a documentary miniseries has been created and uploaded to YouTube by Levay Film Production. It highlights Ratzenberger's career, has friends, family and companions from throughout his life talk about Roland. The miniseries has four parts.
As we wandered back to the train station on Saturday evening after the WEC qualifying was done and dusted, I kept catching myself wondering about what the atmosphere in this Italian town must have been like almost 30 years ago - with everyone being unaware of the events that would unfold not even 24 hours later.
Rest in peace, Roland Ratzenberger.
A late April weekend in northern Italy. The small town of Imola is filled with life, but not to the point that woild walking the old streets surrounded by picturesque architecture a chore. There is a small market in one of the town's piazzas, and everything has a relaxed vibe despite there being more people in town than usual.
On its own, it is unlikely that Imola would be a tourist destination. Nearby Bologna, just a 20-minute train ride away, is bigger, has the more impressive buildings and more hotels for tourists to stay at. Heading further south through the town, as many wearing various racing related merchandise do on this Saturday morning, lays the Internazionale Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, however. It is the reason why racing fans know the town.
In fact, even the underpass at the train station has race car graffiti on its walls. Walking to the track from there, it does not exactly hit you in the face that this sub-70.000 inhabitant community is invariably tied to motorsport, at least not at first. Visiting on the weekend of April 20 and 21, 2024, however, racing is everywhere. Or, to be more exact, the name Senna is.
Yellow flags with the iconic blue and green stripes of three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna are on every other lamp post. The Brazilian lost his life at the Autodromo here 30 years ago. His death was not the only one at that 1994 weekend, although it did overshadowed the other one.
The day before the race, Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger crashed at the Villeneuve kink right before Tosa in qualifying. The Austrian was hoping to make the grid for what would have been his second Formula One Grand Prix. He was 33 years old.
Living His Dream
Being a newcomer to F1, Ratzenberger had signed with Simtek for the first six races of the season. As Simtek was an all-new team as well, he and team mate David Brabham would mostly battle fellow debutants Pacific for one of the final two grid spots that year. To Roland, that did not matter much - he had achieved his dream of being an F1 driver.Ratzenberger did not make the grid in Interlagos, but did qualify the car at Okayama for the Pacific Grand Prix. In his only GP start, he finished in 11th.
Even though Roland had only made it to F1 by 1994, that does not mean that he did not have an interesting career beforehand. In fact, the Salzburg native had five Le Mans starts in Group C machinery to his name already. After three DNFs in Porsche 962Cs and a Toyota 90C-V, returning to the Japanese manufacturer paid off in 1992 and 1993.
Competing in the C2 class, Ratzenberger finished second in 1992 alongside Eje Elgh and Eddie Irvine. In 1993, partnered by Mauro Martini and Naoki Nagasaka, Roland even took the class win at La Sarthe, finishing fifth overall.
Roland's 1988 BTCC BMW livery is available in our download section. Image credit: @Gavkiwi
Other key stations in his career included British Formula 3000 in 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 (1990-1993), BTCC (1989), WTCC and ETCC (1987), and the All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship (1989-1992). A winner of the 1986 Formula Ford Festival, Ratzenberger certainly was not slow. However, as is so often the case in racing, lack of funding prevented him from moving up the ladder further.
Clashing With An ITV Mascot On Track
It was not for a lack of charm, either. Ratzenberger was often described as having a bright personality, and a prime example for this would be his "rivalry" with an ITV children's show mascot named almost exactly like the Austrian. Roland Ratzenberger and Roland Rat went head to head in 1985 - on track, naturally.Ratzenberger fielded his Van Diemen Formula Ford 1600 for the Silverstone shootout, while Roland Rat raced a modified Ford Anglia. The segment can still be found online, and we have embedded it for you below - including rodent-based shenanigans.
It should not come as a surprise that Ratzenberger got along well with the start-up Simtek team immediately to start the 1994 season. In a 2014 column, team mate Brabham remembered Roland fondly:
David Brabham remembering Ratzenberger for crash.net in 2014
At the time, Imola marked the start to the European season after a few flyaway races. Coupled with the enthusiastic Italian fans, the San Marino Grand Prix was always an event the F1 circus looked forward to. Benetton and Michael Schumacher rode into town as the overall leaders, having won both races thus far. Williams, whom Senna had joined for 1994, were still struggling, having suffered a double DNF at Aida.
The first wake-up call already happened on Friday when Rubens Barrichello rolled his Jordan in a violent accident at Variante Bassa. He escaped with relatively minor injuries, but was out for the rest of the weekend. The paddock breathed a sigh of relief, but was still convinced that the cars were safe. Rubens had only suffered a broken nose and a light injury to his arm, after all.
However, Saturday, April 30, 1994, would mark the end of a 12-year streak without driver deaths at a Grand Prix weekend.
Ratzenberger's passing shocked the world of racing immensely, particularly for those at the track. And while the events of the following day led to Roland being almost forgotten, he is just as synonymous with the town of Imola as Senna.
30 Years Later - Imola Remembers Roland & Ayrton
In a nice tribute gesture, two flower beds dedicated to each driver have been set up alongside Viale Andrea Costa, close to the train station. Walking down the street towards the track, you will notice them sitting right across from each other. A model of Ratzenberger's helmet sits atop half a Brazilian flag, the other half of the instalment being occupied by red and white flowers for the Austrian flag.Across the street, Senna's helmet model sits on half an Austrian flag, with green, blue and yellow flowers forming the other half of the Brazilian flag. A nice symbol of how both their fates are tied to each other and the town.
Both have been immortalized at the track, too. Of course, most fans know about the Senna statue. You cannot miss it when wandering around the track. If you are heading up towards Tosa from the main entrance, you will pass the memorial on the inside of Tamburello. But more on that another time.
After walking past the Villeneuve chicane, which features a memorial for Gilles Villeneuve who passed away at Zolder in 1982 but was immensely popular with the tifosi, and walking through an underpass, you will arrive at Tosa. No Ratzenberger memorial in the traditional sense awaits, but one of the grandstands is named in the Austrian's honor.
A plaque, a piece of artwork and a photo remembering Roland are fixed to the base, and a few small tributes are have been put up at a fence alongside it. It is good to know that despite the Senna's death the day after his own, Ratzenberger is not forgotten. Personally, I always make it a point to talk about Roland as well whenever the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix comes up in conversation.
It is a weird contrast on that WEC qualifying day. The weather is nice and warm, the sun is out, and plenty of fans cannot wait to see the top-level prototypes take to the track and up the hill at Tosa. The atmosphere is positive. Not many seem to give any attention to the plaque and Austrian flag at the grandstand.
But having been there, taking a minute to read the few greetings from fans on the fence and the plaque itself felt like a bit of a small, personal tribute at that moment. And in a way, this article is, too, even though I have never seen Roland race myself. His story and the events of the 1994 weekend are part of what makes Imola almost mythical to me.
Looking into his life and career over the years, coupled with the circumstances F1 was in at the time, made it clear what a loss Ratzenberger's must have been at the time. He had been the first driver to have a fatal crash at a GP weekend since Riccardo Paletti at the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix. A 12-year period without losing a driver was unheard of until then.
To remember Roland ahead of the 30th anniversary of his death, a documentary miniseries has been created and uploaded to YouTube by Levay Film Production. It highlights Ratzenberger's career, has friends, family and companions from throughout his life talk about Roland. The miniseries has four parts.
As we wandered back to the train station on Saturday evening after the WEC qualifying was done and dusted, I kept catching myself wondering about what the atmosphere in this Italian town must have been like almost 30 years ago - with everyone being unaware of the events that would unfold not even 24 hours later.
Rest in peace, Roland Ratzenberger.
