F1 News: Former Driver Recalls 'Shock' of Ayrton Senna's Tragic Crash

The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola remains one of the darkest weekends in Formula 1 history, punctuated by the tragic death of racing legend Ayrton Senna. Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert recently shared his firsthand account of the shock and confusion that enveloped the paddock on that fateful day.

The 1994 Formula One season had barely begun to gather pace when it arrived at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy. What was anticipated to be a thrilling race turned into a profound tragedy, deeply affecting everyone associated with the sport.

The events of that weekend started with an ominous tone when Rubens Barrichello suffered a severe crash during the Friday qualifying session, fortunately surviving with a broken nose and arm. The atmosphere in the paddock grew somber, but worse was yet to come. On Saturday, the Formula One community was shaken by the death of Roland Ratzenberger during qualifying, following a high-speed crash caused by a front wing failure.

Ayrton Senna, already visibly shaken by the incidents, was set on winning the race to honor his fallen colleague. However, just seven laps into the race, the world of motorsport was brought to a standstill. Senna's Williams FW16 veered off the track at the Tamburello corner and struck the wall at a devastating speed. Immediate medical intervention was led by Professor Sid Watkins, but the gravity of Senna's injuries was beyond recovery.

Johnny Herbert, a Formula 1 driver at the time, recalled the sequence of events and the initial disbelief that spread across the paddock. He commented to Instant Casino:

"It was a weekend of mayhem. I had known Roland since our days in Formula Ford. He was a lovely man. It was his first season in F1.

"I remember Senna’s crash. We all stopped on the grid with the red flag waiting for news. I remember on the screen we had on the car the shock of seeing the crash and then seeing his helmet move. I remember thinking, ‘It’s ok, he is alive.’

"But it wasn’t, it was just a nerve twitch. It was such a shock."

He continued:

"We had seen Rubens Barrichello’s accident. With Senna’s accident we were unaware during the race itself what the outcome had been.

"Ayrton knew there was a risk. At the start JJ Lehto, my teammate, had stalled and Pedro Lamy crashed into the back of him. Several spectators were hit by debris.

"Going past after the crash I thought he was ok. We weren’t aware until after the race when we were told he had died.  When I drove past the accident at the Tamburello corner I could see it was Ayrton. I didn’t think it would be of any significance. The way he hit the wall, there were still wheels on the car. It was still together. I didn’t see him slump to one side. I thought it was a normal crash and it would all be fine."

The impact of Senna’s death resonated beyond the Imola racetrack, sparking significant changes in the safety protocols within Formula One.