The forgotten victim of Imola. The Austrian’s death was overshadowed by the tragedy of the legend

The three days of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix will forever go down in Formula 1 history as one of the darkest periods in the world of fast bikes.

Competitors preparing for qualifying on Saturday 30 April were still reeling from Rubens Barrichello’s horrific crash during practice on Friday.

The Jordan car of the then not even 22-year-old Brazilian hit the curb in the Variante Bassa corner and jumped into the air, after which it landed on the barriers. Fortunately, Barrichello only suffered a broken nose and an injury to his hand.

However, the qualification brought an even bigger shock.

Ratzenberger had a fatal accident when the front spoiler of his Simtek single-seater failed and the car crashed into a concrete barrier at full speed. Death came instantly, the entire paddock was covered in ice water.

“It was terrible to watch on the screen how the doctors were trying to save Roland, who showed us his new Porsche at the airport two days before,” recalled journalist Andy Hallbery, who personally participated in the races in Imola.

The atmosphere in the depot could be cut. The death of the Austrian deeply affected everyone.

Already because he was a likeable rookie full of good humor and the desire to race. Simtek teammate David Brabham recalled Ratzenberger as the ideal racer for sponsors.

“He was fit, he looked great and he was always smiling. He was quick in the car and could understand what the car wanted from him. He was a real asset to our small team,” said the son of three-time world champion Jack Brabham.

Ratzenberger started racing over his parents’ protests. Like his more famous compatriot Niki Lauda, ​​he himself got sponsors for a place in Formula 3000 and subsequently in F1.

But he rode in it only in one race. The debut in Brazil was a disappointment as he did not qualify. In the following GP of the Pacific at the Japanese Aida circuit, he took 11th place. Imola was only his third start.

Despite the tragedy, the show had to go on and the races could not be stopped. Therefore, the next day, Sunday, May 1, the riders lined up for the start of the Grand Prix. However, the atmosphere was still gloomy.

Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest Formula 1 stars of all time, also expressed deep regret over the death of his rival.

“When Ayrton heard the news of Ratzenberger’s death, he broke down mentally and started crying on my shoulder,” said Formula 1 chief medical officer Sid Watkins at the time.

The Brazilian driver even considered not competing in Imola. He then took the Austrian flag to his Williams, which he wanted to honor Ratzenberger’s memory at the finish line.

Ironically, it was at the San Marino Grand Prix that Senna himself died, having suffered a fatal injury in the crash of his car.

This weekend, in which Formula 1 lost two drivers, marked the sport forever and led to fundamental changes in safety rules and the design of racing cars.

The sacrifice of two riders ultimately led to a radical increase in pilot safety.