(Newswire.net — May 1, 2014) Bournemouth, DORSET — Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of Aryton Senna, three times world champion who crashed and was killed in the 1994 San Marino grand prix in Imola. He was the most famous driver of his age and considered to be a superstar.
What elevated him to his icon status was his utter passion and devotion to winning as his fame for speed as well as his magnetic charisma. Senna was an inspiration to all fans and drivers.
The memorial service at Imola is part of a four day tribute which marks the 20th anniversary of Senna’s death and being a Bank Holiday in Italy there was a large turnout. Flowers were laid by fans from around the world at the bottom of the bronze statue of Senna situated near the corner where he crashed .
In 1994, during the Saturday qualifying round Roland Ratzenberger, an Austrian rookie was killed. During the race, as Senna rounded the high-speed Tamburello corner on lap 7, the car left the race track at around 191 mph and hit the concrete retaining wall where he was killed.
In San Paulo, Senna’s home town, 58 per cent of 35- to 44-year-olds named him as their favourite icon and sports person. “I saw Senna drive and win,” writes José Henrique Mariante. “I saw him win three championships at a time when the country was a complete disaster, Senna was the hero of a lost generation.”
In an editorial by news weekly Veja, which said “Brazil has had three Formula 1 champions, all were national heroes, but only Ayrton Senna was idolised. as he was different. He always wanted to win, to break records. When he died, a swell of emotion took over the country. It left Brazil in shock.”
Nigel Mansell a former world champion was among drivers past and present to pay tributes to Senna who he said was his toughest rival who “would leave no stone unturned to get the utmost out of his car and his team. In the 1980s, I was blessed to drive against so many great drivers but Ayrton certainly stood out most among them.”
“The Japanese and the Brazilians saw him as a god. His passion was undeniable and I sincerely believe he wanted to make the world a better place”, said Damon Hill who in 1994 was Senna’s team mate.
Ron Dennis, chief executive of McLaren when Senna won his world titles in 1988, 1990 and 1991, said “He lived for the sport. When people do that, they sacrifice everything to be the best at it. “He understood what was needed. He had the fitness, the right mental approach, the right skills and the right level of passion.”
Senna, a devout Catholic was often quoted using driving as a means for self-discovery and racing as a metaphor for life: “The harder I push, the more I find within myself. I am always looking for the next step, a different world to go into, areas where I have not been before. It’s lonely driving a Grand Prix car, but very absorbing. I have experienced new sensations, and I want more. That is my excitement, my motivation.”
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayrton_Senna
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/30/ayrton-senna-death-funeral-formula-one
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ayrton-senna-20-year-anniversary-3481464
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_San_Marino_Grand_Prix