Days at Imola that are remembered as some of the darkest in the history of Formula 1. During Saturday’s Qualifying session, a tragic incident occurred when 33-year-old Ratzenberger’s Simtek’s front wing broke, causing him to crash into the barrier at a speed of 300 kph. Unfortunately, the driver lost his life instantly.
Immediately after the crash, Ayrton Senna, a three-time F1 World Champion, arrived at the scene and was visibly upset by the unfolding events. He was seen having a conversation with F1 Doctor Sid Watkins, who was a close friend. Given the emotional state of the Brazilian, the doctor suggested that Senna should retire from racing immediately.
However, Senna chose not to follow the doctor’s advice. Tragically, the following day, Doctor Sid was unable to save Senna when he suffered a severe crash at Tamburello during Sunday’s race. Senna, who was leading the race at that time, was found injured in the cockpit of his Williams car. This devastating incident took place on 1 May 1994, marking a somber day in F1 history, three decades ago.
Within a span of 24 hours, the sport witnessed the loss of two lives, depriving F1 of one of its greatest stars at that time. Given their differing levels of fame on an international scale, it was inevitable that Senna’s death would overshadow Roland’s.
Notably, Senna, aged 34, was already a living legend at that time, having won 41 Grand Prix races in his ten seasons in the top tier of racing. On the other hand, Ratzenberger, who was a year younger, was only attempting to qualify for his second F1 race.
Jacques Villeneuve, whose father Gilles Villeneuve, an F1 and Ferrari legend, tragically passed away when Jacques was just ten years old, shared a special bond with Ratzenberger. In an interview with the media team Casino Online, Villeneuve fondly remembered Ratzenberger as an older brother figure: “I have great memories of Roland. He was always there for me. He played a significant role in my time in Japan. We were both racing in the Japanese Formula 3000 for Toyota. He was a lot of fun and not the type to live in Tokyo.”
Villeneuve continued, “He would often drive to Tokyo to party with us and then sleep in his car because he couldn’t drive back! He had an old-school approach to life and believed in enjoying every moment. When I saw him make it to F1, I was thrilled for him. It was truly amazing, especially considering he was in his early 30s, which is relatively late for a driver.” Villeneuve himself began his first season of Indycar in 1994.
Reflecting on that tragic day of April 30, 1994, which marked Roland’s final race, Villeneuve expressed his pain: “I believe it was only Roland’s third Grand Prix. It was an incredibly tough weekend, filled with sorrow in every aspect. What hurts the most is that every year, during this time, people ask me about the anniversary of Senna’s death. I would tell them that I didn’t know Senna personally, but I knew Ratzenberger. Their response would often be dismissive, saying that they only cared about Senna.” These words were shared by the 53-year-old Canadian.
“I would reply: I am concerned about Ratzenberger, he was my companion, he is the one I care about. I still find that very distressing today. Suddenly Senna was seen as a significant loss, but it seems Ratzenberger wasn’t. That is how most media individuals depict it and I find it terrible,” expressed the 53-year-old Canadian, reflecting on the tragic events.
Villeneuve continued: “This demonstrates how absurd it all was. People claim that their deaths were a significant loss for F1. No, they were a significant loss for the families who must mourn. Ratzenberger’s loss was just as significant as Senna’s.
“For me, Ratzenberger was the greater loss because he was a friend. I was watching the weekend on television. It remains vivid in my memory. Two deceased drivers, accidents in the pit lane and at the start. It was simply unfortunate. Things deteriorated over a span of 48 hours.”
I have experienced the loss of different individuals in racing, so I become emotionally detached and unresponsive. This began with my father’s passing. After Roland, I developed a strong bond with Greg Moore and then he tragically passed away [in a 1999 Indycar crash], which made me hesitant to form close relationships with drivers.
“You simply become emotionally detached as a means of self-protection. You do not display your emotions and keep everything bottled up inside,” added Villeneuve, who possesses unique insight into the experience of losing a loved one in the sport you hold dear.
Ironically, Roland crashed and lost his life at what is referred to as Variante Villeneuve, named after Jacques and F1 legend Gilles Villeneuve’s father. It occurred on 20 April 1994 at 13h15 Imola time.