The Imola Circuit in Italy is hosting a day of remembrance for Ayrton Senna on Wednesday, the 25th anniversary of the day the multiple World Champion lost his life at the venue.
The three time Champion died during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, held at the Imola Circuit, when his Williams speared off the road at Tamburello and into a concrete wall. Leading the race ahead of Michael Schumacher when he crashed, his fatal accident was broadcast live on television.
As a result of the nature of his death, Senna’s legend increased. Already viewed as the greatest driver of his generation and as one of the greatest of the entirety of motorsport, his death sealed his status as almost mythical.
25 years on from his death, the circuit at which he lost his life has been modernised and sanitised. The corner at which Senna was killed is no longer a flat out beast, but rather a nondescript fast chicane. The next corner, at which Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger was killed during qualifying the day prior to Senna’s accident, has also had its profile changed for safety reasons, while the final section of corners have all been straightened out to become a long pitstraight.
To mark the anniversary, Imola will host a day of commemorative services . Running from 8am to 6pm, there will be demonstrations of F1 cars on track, as well as guided tours and simulators.
The car in which Ayrton made his testing debut, the 1983 Williams, will be on display. Two of Ayrton’s Lotus’ cars, a McLaren MP4-5 and MP4-7 will be there also, as well as the Williams FW14 & FW16.
Other cars such as the Minardi M192, M194, PS01 as well as the Ferrari F93A, Toro Rosso STR3 will be in the pitlane. These are being kept on at the circuit following a separate event last weekend to celebrate ‘Minardi Day’, an occasion organised by the old team. That event was attended by the father of the late Roland Ratzenberger, who watched on as contemporaries of his son drove around the track in classic F1 cars. Celebrating Roland’s life, his Van Diemen RF83 from Formula Ford will be on display in the pitlane.
A huge photographic exhibition will be held, while a large press conference made up of former F1 drivers and personnel will take place at 10am. In attendance will be Emanuele Pirro, Howden Ganley, Patrick Tambay, Hans Herrmann, Derek Daly, David Piper, Teddy Pilette, Jo Vonlanthen, Mike Wilds, Jo Ramirez and Mario Theissen.
The full program is listed below.
