Senna dies on this day 1994
Discussion
What are your memories of this day 29 years ago? I watched the race live and had a very bad feeling as soon as the accident happened. Then my best friend and I drove around all afternoon and evening trying to talk about something else, scared of what we were going to hear next. Eventually, Ceefax updated:
We just sat at the dining room table in silence.
We just sat at the dining room table in silence.
Edited by paulguitar on Monday 1st May 09:41
29 years…..
A Terrible weekend. Barrichello was lucky to survive a crash on Friday, then the tragic death of Ratzenberger on Saturday and Senna on Sunday. I too watched it live and it was clear it was a very serious incident. My father had followed Ayrton since FF2000 and was particularly upset.
The only positive is some major steps forward in driver safety followed.
A Terrible weekend. Barrichello was lucky to survive a crash on Friday, then the tragic death of Ratzenberger on Saturday and Senna on Sunday. I too watched it live and it was clear it was a very serious incident. My father had followed Ayrton since FF2000 and was particularly upset.
The only positive is some major steps forward in driver safety followed.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 1st May 09:42
My Dad was staying with us for the weekend so we had been out during the afternoon.
Had recorded the race and started to play after we came home.
Then watched live. I was devastated.
Senna, although no angel, just seemed like a man who would achieve so much in his life.
A sad weekend all round.
RIP Ayrton
Had recorded the race and started to play after we came home.
Then watched live. I was devastated.
Senna, although no angel, just seemed like a man who would achieve so much in his life.
A sad weekend all round.
RIP Ayrton
I would have been 16 at the time. So please appreciate this in the right context.
TBH, while I knew it was big and it was a great loss I didn't really process emotions properly or appreciate the enormity of it at the the time so shan't tell any lies. Senna was one of the guys who'd been between "our manse" and more victories. Much of what was being said of him wasn't that far from what's being said of a certain driver today. So it's always remained kind of weird for me I guess.
When we lost sic58 I was an adult, and that left a hole. and is probably how I should and would have responded.
R.I.P.
TBH, while I knew it was big and it was a great loss I didn't really process emotions properly or appreciate the enormity of it at the the time so shan't tell any lies. Senna was one of the guys who'd been between "our manse" and more victories. Much of what was being said of him wasn't that far from what's being said of a certain driver today. So it's always remained kind of weird for me I guess.
When we lost sic58 I was an adult, and that left a hole. and is probably how I should and would have responded.
R.I.P.
Teddy Lop said:
I would have been 16 at the time. So please appreciate this in the right context.
TBH, while I knew it was big and it was a great loss I didn't really process emotions properly or appreciate the enormity of it at the the time so shan't tell any lies. Senna was one of the guys who'd been between "our manse" and more victories. Much of what was being said of him wasn't that far from what's being said of a certain driver today. So it's always remained kind of weird for me I guess.
When we lost sic58 I was an adult, and that left a hole. and is probably how I should and would have responded.
R.I.P.
Similar to me, I was only 13.TBH, while I knew it was big and it was a great loss I didn't really process emotions properly or appreciate the enormity of it at the the time so shan't tell any lies. Senna was one of the guys who'd been between "our manse" and more victories. Much of what was being said of him wasn't that far from what's being said of a certain driver today. So it's always remained kind of weird for me I guess.
When we lost sic58 I was an adult, and that left a hole. and is probably how I should and would have responded.
R.I.P.
Never liked Senna until 1993 that I appreciated his genius and ability in the slightly lesser McLaren. When he joined Williams for 1994 I wanted him to succeed!
Didnt't watch the race live as I was as Sunday school. Simon Taylor was the 5Live commentator and was confused as was the rest of the world on that dreaded Sunday afternoon. I distinctly remember listening to the early evening news for an update when Senna's death was announced. It hit me like a punch in the stomach and left me stunned but no tear was shed. Senna achieved all there was to achieve in F1. Another thing I remember is I was aggrieved at the BBC highlights not showing the race.
Senna's death made the front page of the local paper and I picked up the May Day Bank Holiday Monday edition of the Northants Evening Telegraph just as it was posted through our front door. I'll never forget that.
All of a sudden my schoolmates all wanted to talk about Senna and became interested in F1. I was usually teased about following a sport that was akin to watching paint dry which was the 90s cliche.
Even though the Senna Foundation was heavily promoted at the time (e.g. Senninha cartoon character, the Senna logo) it wasn't until I heard Frank Williams say that Senna could have gone on to greater things such becoming a politician did I acknowledge the huge enormity of Senna's loss was.
Next year it's going to be 30 years...
The driver I grieved over the most was the loss Greg Moore. He was my idol at the time. I did work experience at Ilmor in the mid-1990s. He visited the factory weeks before and there were spare autographed picture cards which one of the workers gave me when I said he was my favourite driver. Died too young before he could achieve his potential.
GiantCardboardPlato said:
That gave me the shivers. I remember watching it as if it was yesterday.paulguitar said:
GiantCardboardPlato said:
That gave me the shivers. I remember watching it as if it was yesterday.PhilAsia said:
I remember watching the helicam overhead shot with my best friend. When we saw Senna's head twitch we both thought exactly the same thing...
I was the opposite - when I saw his head move from the chopper camera, I thought that was because he was ok...I can remember that race/moment vividly.
I can still remember the whole weekend like it was only recent; a glorious B/H weekend with lots of great sport; RL Challenge Cup Final, World Snooker, 2000 Guineas and the San Marino GP.....
Sadly, it was horrific - I still have the newspapers from the days that followed......It was the main headline on all the news bulletins, I can even now recall Peter Sissons reading the evening news on the BBC.
Looking back it was one of a series of huge accidents that took place during the early part of the year, whether in races or testing......
Sadly, it was horrific - I still have the newspapers from the days that followed......It was the main headline on all the news bulletins, I can even now recall Peter Sissons reading the evening news on the BBC.
Looking back it was one of a series of huge accidents that took place during the early part of the year, whether in races or testing......
t really about Ratzenberger dying the day before, and all talk was around Senna.I was 6 and used to sit in the dining room watching f1 on my own, I absolutely loved it. I remember watching this race live but not really understanding it all at the time. It’s odd as from a young age I watched every race, but these days I find it very dull and don’t follow it at all.
Teddy Lop said:
I would have been 16 at the time. So please appreciate this in the right context.
TBH, while I knew it was big and it was a great loss I didn't really process emotions properly or appreciate the enormity of it at the the time so shan't tell any lies. Senna was one of the guys who'd been between "our manse" and more victories. Much of what was being said of him wasn't that far from what's being said of a certain driver today. So it's always remained kind of weird for me I guess.
When we lost sic58 I was an adult, and that left a hole. and is probably how I should and would have responded.
R.I.P.
This sums up my feelings at the time too - I was a similar age.TBH, while I knew it was big and it was a great loss I didn't really process emotions properly or appreciate the enormity of it at the the time so shan't tell any lies. Senna was one of the guys who'd been between "our manse" and more victories. Much of what was being said of him wasn't that far from what's being said of a certain driver today. So it's always remained kind of weird for me I guess.
When we lost sic58 I was an adult, and that left a hole. and is probably how I should and would have responded.
R.I.P.
A day that was etched into my mind for ever.
Was 13 and watching the race with my dad, as soon as the shot showing his head twitching was shown I said "He's Dead..." and my dad was adamant he was just unconscious at worst. We were in silence for the rest of the coverage as it all unfolded. Still can hear Murray trying to portray a sense of calm and reassurance as he always did in these situations but it was obvious it was not a normal situation. The whole weekend since Barrichello's crash just felt ominous.
I usually watch the Senna film on May 1st but for some reason haven't felt like it today.
Was 13 and watching the race with my dad, as soon as the shot showing his head twitching was shown I said "He's Dead..." and my dad was adamant he was just unconscious at worst. We were in silence for the rest of the coverage as it all unfolded. Still can hear Murray trying to portray a sense of calm and reassurance as he always did in these situations but it was obvious it was not a normal situation. The whole weekend since Barrichello's crash just felt ominous.
entropy said:
All of a sudden my schoolmates all wanted to talk about Senna and became interested in F1. I was usually teased about following a sport that was akin to watching paint dry which was the 90s cliche.
Same here, walked into school and everyone just looked at me and said nothing until one of the girls asked if I was alright. I was one of only two F1 fans in the whole school and constantly teased and bullied over it (had a major bully problem anyway, it was just fuel for that) but for the next few days it all stopped. I usually watch the Senna film on May 1st but for some reason haven't felt like it today.
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