On Saturday, April 30, 1994, at 1:15 pm, the second Qualifying 2 session for the San Marino Grand Prix was underway. It had been 15 minutes since the start, and most drivers were on the track trying to improve their times from the previous day. One of them was Roland Ratzenberger, driving his modest Simtek car.
Ratzenberger was in a battle with Paul Belmondo for the 26th and final qualifying spot. Things were looking promising for Ratzenberger, as he had already made significant progress compared to his time from the previous day, of 1:27.657, with a new time of 1:27.371.
During his third lap, Ratzenberger hit a curb at Acque Minerale, possibly damaging his car. However, he did not return to the pits and continued to start a new lap. When Ratzenberger approached Variante Villeneuve at a speed of 308 km/h, the left flap of his front wing came loose. This caused the Simtek to lose control and collide with the outer wall like a projectile.
After the devastating impact, the car slid along the wall before coming to a stop just before Tosa. The entire left side of the car was torn off. Ratzenberger, whose head moved with every jolt, showed no signs of movement.
The red flag was immediately waved, and emergency services arrived on the scene in less than thirty seconds. The first person on the scene was Sid Watkins, who quickly realized the seriousness of the situation. Ratzenberger was in cardiac arrest. The medical helicopter was immediately dispatched and landed as close as possible to the site.
Television cameras were moved away from the scene, and fear could be seen on the faces of people in the stands. Ayrton Senna, devastated by the incident, requested a vehicle to go to Tosa and understand what had happened. However, he was abruptly pushed away by officials.
Meanwhile, the medical team worked tirelessly, performing a cardiac massage on Ratzenberger on the asphalt. Dr. Watkins and his colleagues soon realized that there was nothing they could do. The impact had been so violent that Ratzenberger died instantly.
According to Italian law, any fatal accident must be interrupted for a thorough investigation by the authorities. However, canceling the San Marino Grand Prix was out of the question.
Roland Ratzenberger’s body was transported by helicopter to the hospital in Bologna, where his death was officially confirmed at 2:15 pm. The Austrian pilot was 34 years old.
This tragic event caused a ripple effect in the close-knit world of Formula 1. Ratzenberger became the first driver to lose his life in an F1 car since Elio de Angelis in 1986, and in a Grand Prix race since Riccardo Paletti in 1982. Many of the young drivers were facing their first encounter with a fatal accident.
Some individuals believed that it had become almost impossible to lose one’s life in the sport, as single-seater cars seemed incredibly safe. However, the reality was that on that Saturday night, a man was missing. Ratzenberger, a handsome and athletic man who was often called a “heartthrob” by the opposite sex, was one of those drivers who typically had a rapid rise in the discipline, despite starting from a lower position.
However, he was an experienced competitor who could have completed the entire 1994 season with Simtek. He had been in discussions with Japanese sponsors in Imola, who were willing to finance the remainder of his campaign. His few friends from the racing community, such as Johnny Herbert, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, JJ Lehto (who had traveled to the circuit with him), and of course, Gerhard Berger, his mentor and close friend, were devastated by the news.
What exactly happened? Ratzenberger’s car lost a part of its front wing, causing his Simtek vehicle to collide with the wall at a speed of 300 km/h. Not even someone as strong as Ratzenberger could survive an impact at such high speed. But how did this part come loose?
On the previous lap, Ratzenberger had passed a curb, and earlier that morning, he had a slight contact with his teammate David Brabham. Did the Simtek mechanics neglect to inspect that part? Or did Ratzenberger himself fail to address this detail?
Some critics may point to the alleged lack of professionalism at Simtek: a young team with limited resources that may not be able to provide adequate safety equipment for their drivers. Nick Wirth, the team representative, chooses to respond to these accusations with a carefree silence.
Official qualifying resumed after Ratzenberger’s accident. Senna, who was deeply saddened by the news of the Austrian driver’s death, bowed his head in tears in front of his friend Sid Watkins… (StatsF1 Archive Report)
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