tkogunba - Tumblr blog

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Oman by Mario. H. "Mosaïque"

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I want to live in this picture today🤎

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GOAT

Michael Jordan.

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Kristin Bye (Brooklyn, NY & Portland, OR) Poster for Obit: “a documentary giving a first-ever glimpse into the daily rituals, joys and existential angst of the NY Times obit writers as they chronicle life after death on the front lines of history.”

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James Baldwin at home in Neuilly, 1970. Photos by Guy Le Querrec.

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Justice for George Floyd

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Michael Jordan photographed by Walter Looss Jr. while making a phone call before playing in the 1988 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, IL - February 07, 1988

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Today marks the 20th anniversary of one of the most horrifying weekends in modern Formula1.

Twenty years ago yesterday [April 29th] the first practice session got underway for the 1994 Brazilian F1 Grand Prix. The third race weekend of the 1994 F1 Championship started with relative new kid on the block Michael Schumacher [who tragically remains in a terrible condition in hospital at the moment, following a near fatal accident on at the very end of 2013] leading the championship by thirteen points from future teammate Rubens Barrichello.

Friday, April 29th.

The first day of practice would be marked by a terrifying crash by Rubens that very nearly cost him his life. What looked like a possible driver fatality was thankfully avoided, and the F1 community as a whole breathed a huge sigh of relief. Rubens didn’t escape free from injury - he broke his nose and fractured his arm, but given that he swallowed his tongue on impact - and the severity of the crash itself, it was something of a miracle that he wasn’t critically injured.

The following 48 hours would see F1 experience tragedy the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the 1960s, when death was a known factor of F1 driving. It would begin a sequence of radical overhauls that have resulted in - twenty years later, no driver fatalities as a direct result of racing.

Saturday, April 30th.

Qualifying for the race on Sunday began as normal, however twenty minutes into the race Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger, in his first season in Formula 1, lost control of his Simtek at the Curva Gilles Villeneuve - named after the legendary Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve who lost his own life at Imola, and impacted the concrete barrier. The impact, which caused a basal skull fracture, killed the young F1 star immediately.

In the aftermath of the crash, Professor Sid Watkins - one of the most important figures in modern F1, recalled discussing the crash with his close friend, Aryton Senna.

Senna was distraught at the death of Ratzenberger, and gave serious consideration to not only refusing to race the following day, but quitting all-together.

Watkins would try to persuade Senna to follow his gut instinct and retire - already acknowledged as one of the best racers to grace F1, Watkins famously proposed that he and Senna retire, and go fishing.

Senna, compelled by the addiction that all F1 drivers have, opted against it, and agreed to race the next day.

Sunday, May 1st.

With most of the drivers understandably shaken-up, following two severe accidents in the previous two days - one near fatal; the other fatal, the drivers lined up on the start line for the third round of the 1994 F1 championship.

There was immediate chaos as J.J. Lehto stalled his Benetton at the start. Pedro Lamy, starting further back on the grid, impacted the back of Lehtos’ Benetton, causing body work and debris to be hurled over the safety barriers, injuring nine spectators.

The race was immediately put under safety car conditions - something that, astonishingly, wouldn’t have happened before 1993, as the Safety car had only been introduced twelve months prior.

Eventually, after following the safety car at a reduced speed - which crucially [and critically] led to reduced type and break temperatures, the race was restarted, with Aryton Senna leading the race from Michael Schumacher.

Two laps later, Senna would hit a concrete barrier at the Tamburello Corner.

The time was 2:17PM. The most naturally gifted driver ever to grace Formula 1 was killed instantly.

At 2:55PM, after medical doctors fought to revive him, Senna was airlifted to hospital, and the race was restarted.

Upon removing Senna from his car, a folded Austrian flag was discovered - Senna has insisted on carrying one in place of his usual Brazilian flag, as a tribute to Ratzenberger

Before the race - which was won by Michael Schumacher, ended, a further accident would occur, after a mistake during Michele Alboretos’ pit-stop resulted in one of his tyres coming lose, striking four mechanics as it flew through the pit lane.

At 4:20PM Michael Schumacher crossed the line in first place. At the time the drivers, and the F1 community as a whole, were unaware that Senna was dead. His death would be announced at 6:40PM.

The world of F1 had lost perhaps it’s most talented driver.

Brazil had lost arguably it’s most beloved Son. Three days of official mourning was declared. His return to his homeland was treated with the military and diplomatic ceremony barely seen before.

Three million people lined the streets for his funeral.

- - - 

Tomorrow, there will be plenty of articles on the death and ultimately, legacy, of Senna - without question, the finest driver in the history of a sport I personally love. But let’s not forget the death of Aryton Senna wasn’t the only tragedy during that horrific weekend.

Finally, if you want something to watch, I can’t recommend enough, the following videos:

Top Gear: Aryton Senna Tribute [Youtube].

Senna [Full documentary via Youtube]