F1 News: Former Champion on Ayrton Senna's Tragic Death - 'Could Still Happen Today'
Jacques Villeneuve reflects on the continuous risks in F1, suggesting that accidents like the one that claimed Ayrton Senna's life could still occur today, despite advances in safety technology.
Nearly three decades after the tragic death of Ayrton Senna at the San Marino Grand Prix, former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve reflects on the risks that still linger in the sport. In a recent interview with Casino Online In, he emphasized that despite advances in safety, similar tragic events could occur today.
As the motorsport world marks 30 years since the untimely death of Ayrton Senna, one of Formula 1's most legendary figures, Jacques Villeneuve offers a sobering reminder of the dangers that still exist in the sport. The tragic accident that claimed Senna's life during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola remains one of the most poignant moments in racing history, underlining the inherent risks of high-speed competition.
Villeneuve, who himself became a world champion two years after Senna's death, pointed out the unsettling reality that the kind of accident that killed Senna could potentially happen even in today's technologically advanced era.
"A piece of the wheel penetrated his helmet. That could still happen today. He was just unlucky. Look at Massa in Hungary (in 2009). He just got lucky that the spring from the car in front didn’t pierce his brain.
"The safety of cars now allows average drivers to be competitive. They don’t need to really feel where the limit or the edge is. They get trained on the simulator, they get on the track and just repeat it without really knowing how close to the danger zone they could be. They don’t have to respect it. You used to have to go through a corner multiple times to get the feel. That kind of thing has gone now.
"Yes it has, but it has gained other things. The sport has never been as good as it is now. You can’t reminisce and think the past was amazing. It wasn’t amazing. It is just our memory of it that is amazing.
"There’s good in modern F1 as well."
The shadow of Senna's death looms large over Formula 1, serving as a constant reminder of the sport's dangerous nature and the ever-present need for improvement in safety standards.