Tomorrow, it will be twenty years since the terrible accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix that ended the life of Ayrton Senna, considered to be one of the greatest F1 drivers in the sport’s history. Be it the wet weather performances or the qualifying speed over a lap, Senna was one of the most dominant and successful drivers of Formula One. 3 championships, 41 wins and 65 pole positions don’t come easy and the career of Senna was an adventurous one. His rivalry with Alain Prost and the fight for championships between them are legendary themselves. At his 20th anniversary, the F1 world remembers the Brazilian legend who will inspire more to enjoy the sport.
Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One group CEO - “Ayrton was reasonably complicated. I always thought that he had a bit of a conflict going on inside with all sorts of things. Obviously his results speak for themselves - the world knows that. As a friend, he was super - somebody I could trust. He was very close to my family. He was a nice guy.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - “When I was a kid I had all the books, all the videos, he was the driver I looked up to. He inspired me to be a driver and on the day of his passing, it was very difficult for me to show my emotions so I went off to a quiet place and it was very difficult for several days..your hero’s gone.”
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - “Senna’s death was an incredibly sad moment for the world of Formula One. I remember the day, even though I was still at school back then. And even though I don't remember much about him as a person because of my young age, I always thought that he was a great driver and a reference for many who followed on later - including me.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Force India - “Ayrton was an idol to me - and I am sure to many others who tried to emulate him. The aura he had and what he was representing - his commitment and dedication to the sport - that was very unique. He brought that commitment and dedication to a new level. He was one of the greatest drivers of all time.”
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull - “My dad was a big Senna fan. Born in 1987 I personally don’t remember the first couple of years Ayrton was racing, but the first memory I have of him was when he won his first home GP in Brazil in 1991. He was completely destroyed after the chequered flag - he had lost gears during the race and in the end he had to be lifted up to the podium. Later I was watching F1 races nearly every Sunday, and it was difficult for me as a kid to understand that a racing driver had an accident and died. His death was a big loss to the sport. Unfortunately I never got to know Ayrton. He had lots of races where he was outstanding. He had an incredible talent in the car and seemed to be a very humble and special guy. It seemed that he took this personal side into the car, which probably made him stronger and this is why people remember him so well.”
Picture Courtesy: consumercheckpoint.co.uk
Source : CarDekho
