20 years ago

[Sixpackpert]

20 years ago today Roland Ratzenberger lost his life during qualifying at Imola during a terrible weekend for Formula 1.

I remember it like it was yesterday and can't believe it has been 20 years.

RIP.

[Chebble]

An absolute tragedy in both the fact that he died and the fact that it is so often overlooked by the death of Senna (which was equally as terrible).

In F1 today, it's all too easy to forget just how dangerous it really can be. Let's hope we never see anyone else suffer the same fate.

Edited by Chebble on Wednesday 30th April 09:32

[Blib]

Sky F1 are showing a tribute programme to Ratzenburger this evening. It's good that he's not forgotten.

[Dan_1981]

20 Years.

Crikey.

[Lost soul]

Dan_1981 said:

20 Years.

Crikey.

Where did that go

[onyx39]

Sixpackpert said:

I remember it like it was yesterday and can't believe it has been 20 years.

RIP.

Echo this.

RIP Guys... I always wondered what sort of career Ratzenberger would have had.

[Megaflow]

Sixpackpert said:

20 years ago today Roland Ratzenberger lost his life during qualifying at Imola during a terrible weekend for Formula 1.

I remember it like it was yesterday and can't believe it has been 20 years.

RIP.

Blib said:

Sky F1 are showing a tribute programme to Ratzenburger this evening. It's good that he's not forgotten.

Indeed and lot people get hung up on Senna's death and forget about poor Roland.

RIP.

[johneturbo]

Does seem like yesterday not 20 yrs ago, i remember watching it on eurosport

Didn't he also do some BTCC in the volvo estate car

RIP to them both.

[FourWheelDrift]

Roland Ratzenberger, remembered by David Brabham

http://www.crash.net/f1/feature/203818/1/roland-ra...

[Ozone]

Wow, my office is in one of the buildings that Simtek used, perhaps I will have a quite moment before I lock up tonight.

[m444ttb]

I always thought it sad that Roland's death was overshadowed by Senna's. However David Brabham made a good point I read somewhere in the last few days. It's his opinion that RR is remembered more because he died on the same weekend as Senna.

[MitchT]

It's an interesting point that David Brabham made, however, I disagree. Roland wouldn't have been forgotten. Had Senna not died the next day Ratzenberger would have been remembered as the last driver to die in F1. It's possible, though, that his death would have been initially forgotten and come into greater focus as more years passed and the absence of any further fatality became considered increasingly noteworthy.

[Stack]

Here is a clip from one of the first races I remember seeing ,Roland in the Btcc

http://youtu.be/vJMHJRKDt5o

[GreatCornholio]

I was watching the qualifying live on EuroSports and remember it vividly

The thing I remember most was that following the accident they just kept broadcasting and it seemed to take an age for the medical car to reach him. While this was going on the commentator (John Watson I think) was pleading with the producer to go to adverts.

RIP Roland, gone but never forgotten

[Eric Mc]

Although Senna's death is the main aspect of that dreadful weekend that people remember, the whole three days was a nightmare of awful events -

Barichello's practice accident
Ratzenberger's accident
The start line crash that seriously injured spectators
The errant wheel in the pits
Senna's accident

I can't recall a GP weekend in the "modern" era that had such a litany of disasters.
It was like being hit on the head repeatedly with a mallet.

[rufusruffcutt]

I still remember this image from the May 3rd 1994 issue of Autocar, the issue with the Mclaren F1 road test in. Fantastic photograph.

[tobinen]

Eric Mc said:

Although Senna's death is the main aspect of that dreadful weekend that people remember, the whole three days was a nightmare of awful events -

Barichello's practice accident
Ratzenberger's accident
The start line crash that seriously injured spectators
The errant wheel in the pits
Senna's accident

I can't recall a GP weekend in the "modern" era that had such a litany of disasters.
It was like being hit on the head repeatedly with a mallet.

Exactly this. I can remember it quite clearly, especially the wheel in the pits yet it rarely has a mention. The whole weekend was some sort of nightmare.

[Blib]

Article said:

Corinthians paid a wonderful mark of respect to late Formula One legend Ayrton Senna – by donning crash helmets to mark the 20th anniversary of his death.

The Brazilian club, who Senna supported before his fateful crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, emerged from the tunnel at the Arena Amazonia each holding a yellow helmet.

They then lined up before their Paulista clash, and all stood in solidarity with replica’s of the Sao Paulo-born driver’s bright yellow and green helmet on.

[Megaflow]

rufusruffcutt said:

I still remember this image from the May 3rd 1994 issue of Autocar, the issue with the Mclaren F1 road test in. Fantastic photograph.

Thats is a superb photo, and will now be my wallpaper from the remainder of the day in honor.

[CTrickle]

Megaflow said:

rufusruffcutt said:

I still remember this image from the May 3rd 1994 issue of Autocar, the issue with the Mclaren F1 road test in. Fantastic photograph.

Thats is a superb photo, and will now be my wallpaper from the remainder of the day in honor.

Second that!