Paul Jolly: F1 safety improvements failed to save legendary driver Ayrton Senna

One of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 died thirty years ago at Imola in Northern Italy. Ayrton Senna from Brazil had won the World Championship three times and really had nothing left to prove but he would not give up. 

That fateful weekend in Italy saw another driver death. Roland Ratzenberger was killed on practice day and Rubens Barrichello had an incredible escape from his high-speed crash the same day.

Senna had been deeply troubled by Ratzenberger’s death and seriously considered retiring from the race. It was his close friend Professor Sid Watkins who suggested retirement and fishing. Professor Watkins was first on the scene of Senna’s crash and administered first aid but to no avail. 

Only one F1 driver has since died at a Formula 1 race, that being the 2014 Japanese GP under seriously wet conditions. Double-waved yellow flags notwithstanding, Jules Bianchi slid off under a recovery vehicle attending another crash. The race should have been stopped after the first incident.

Prior to Senna’s death, it had been 12 years since the previous F1 race fatality. But in the 1960s and 1970s, this sport was renowned for carnage with up to four drivers a year dying on the circuit.

The person responsible for this change was Professor Sid Watkins who had been directed by Bernie Ecclestone to introduce measures to stop the rot. Fatalities were an accepted part of the sport. Watkins, a neurosurgeon in London, was a racing enthusiast and gave up his weekends to become the FIA Safety and Medical Delegate.

His first action as an F1 race doctor was to introduce fit and proper medical centres and a medical helicopter at each event. Then he ordered a fast medical car to follow the racing cars for the first lap with him and other responders on board. Many incidents occur on the first lap.

Improvements in car design, personal protection apparel and fire prevention have also drastically changed this sport, along with circuit improvements and barriers. 

Much of this has been led by Sir Jackie Stewart and Sid Watkins, known simply as ‘The Prof’.