"Rain Master." On this day, exactly 30 years ago, Formula 1 pilot Ayrton Senna perished

Exactly 30 years ago, on May 1, 1994, a true tragedy struck the world of Formula 1. During the race, pilot Ayrton Senna collided with a wall and sustained injuries incompatible with life.

Passion for Racing

Ayrton da Silva was born into a wealthy landowning family in São Paulo. His father nurtured his son's racing talent and put him behind the wheel of a kart at the age of four. At 13, Ayrton competed in his first karting race, winning the South American Karting Championship in 1977. He then participated in the World Championship, finishing second in seven races but failing to win the championship.

Entry into Formula 1 and Early Victories

The Toleman team was relatively small compared to other prominent teams of the time, such as Williams, McLaren, and Brabham. Nonetheless, they constructed a remarkable car, where Senna first showcased his Formula 1 racing talent, earning his first points in the Formula 1 World Championship on April 7, 1984, at the Kyalami circuit during the South African Grand Prix.

His first Formula 1 victory occurred on April 21, 1985, at the Portuguese Grand Prix, where Senna again started from pole position and won the race at the Estoril circuit in heavy rain.

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Rain Master

Racing in wet conditions is believed to level the playing field in Formula 1, as speeds decrease significantly, and the advantages of more powerful engines and better aerodynamics are nullified. However, Ayrton Senna repeatedly demonstrated an edge over other drivers in such conditions. Sports journalists and fans dubbed Senna the "Rain Man" for his numerous instances of outstanding performances in rainy races.

One of Senna's most memorable wet races was the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park. Driving for McLaren, Senna qualified fourth, ahead of Alain Prost in a Williams, Damon Hill, and Michael Schumacher in a Benetton. At that time, it was believed that the Williams FW15C, driven by Prost and Hill, significantly outperformed Senna's McLaren MP4/8. Senna and McLaren seemed to have little chance of winning.

However, the race started under heavy rain. Immediately after the start, Hill pushed Schumacher wide, who then pushed Senna, leaving him with nowhere to go. At that moment, Wendlinger, starting fifth, passed both Senna and Schumacher from the inside, securing fifth place.

Nevertheless, Senna positioned himself on the inside of the track to initially pass Schumacher, then unexpectedly moved to the outside, where there was no one, in a quick left turn. Clearly, grip on the outside was much better than on the inside, and Senna was the only driver who could anticipate it: by the end of the first lap, he was already in first place.

Many experts said it was the best first lap of a race they had ever seen. As a result, at the end of the race, only Hill was on the same lap as the winner, trailing Senna by 80 seconds.

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Tragedy

In 1994, Senna moved from McLaren to Williams Renault, the strongest team at the time. He took pole position at the Brazilian and Pacific Grands Prix, opening the season, but failed to finish the races. On May 1, 1994, Ayrton participated in his third race with the new team - the San Marino Grand Prix. He again secured pole position, but the race ended tragically.

On the seventh lap, Senna's car went off the track at Tamburello corner and crashed into a concrete wall at high speed. Telemetry data showed that at the moment of the accident, the car was traveling at about 310 km/h. Senna managed to brake and slow down the car, but at the moment of the crash, its speed was still around 218 km/h.

When it became clear that Senna was trapped in the car, the race was stopped, and emergency medical teams arrived at the scene. Ayrton was extracted from the wreckage with minimal signs of life and airlifted to the hospital, connected to a ventilator. Tests showed that Senna's brain was dead, and he was unlikely to emerge from a coma. Therefore, doctors decided to disconnect the life support system.

1994 San Marino Grand Prix

The Formula 1 World Championship race on May 1, 1994, at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit in Imola, Italy. The events of the race became a crucial turning point, especially in terms of safety, both in the 1994 season and in the further development of Formula 1.

During the race, two pilots died: Roland Ratzenberger and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna. Additionally, Rubens Barrichello, mechanics, and spectators suffered serious injuries. The race was restarted, and Michael Schumacher claimed victory. At the post-race press conference, he stated that he was not happy with the win and did not consider himself lucky. After the race, BBC commentator Murray Walker summed up the day's racing events:

"This is the darkest day for Grand Prix racing in my memory."

The accident led to enhanced safety measures in motorsports and reforms within the Formula 1 Drivers' Association (GPDA). Post-race rules in Formula 1 were aimed at limiting car speeds, and on new tracks, such as the Sahkir circuit, cars were required to brake before hitting a wall. Safety zones were expanded to allow cars to slow down before hitting the wall.

Later, the Italian prosecutors charged six individuals with Senna's death. Appeals and appeals lasted for 11 years, but all defendants were acquitted.

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Senna's death was a tragedy for many fans worldwide, especially in Brazil. The Brazilian government declared a three-day national mourning. On the day of Ayrton Senna's funeral in São Paulo, about 500,000 people accompanied the funeral procession. He was buried at the Morumbi cemetery near São Paulo.