Credits: IMAGO / WEREK

Ayrton Senna never had a cordial relationship with the FIA, something that became evident when the governing body of F1 called him out just a day before the Brazilian’s tragic fatal crash at the Imola circuit. It enraged the three-time World Champion, who publicly questioned their audacity.

At the 1994 San Marino GP, tensions were high. Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger met with an accident on Saturday that unfortunately took his life. Senna asked the Course Car to take him to the site of the crash following the session, which the FIA saw as a breach of regulations. Additionally, he didn’t appear for the post-session interviews which is a big no in the FIA’s rulebook.

Instead of fining Senna, the FIA decided to publicly call him out. In Tom Rubython’s book, ‘The Life of Senna‘, the then-Williams driver was reported to be miffed with FIA’s John Corsmit (a steward at the 1994 San Marino GP). Senna was quoted saying,

“How dare they tell me what I could do. I am driving the car and they tell me about safety.”  

For Senna, signs were ominous throughout the San Marino GP weekend in 1994. He was concerned with safety for a long time and it started with Rubens Barrichello’s crash during Friday practice. The following day, Ratzenberger’s crash and death made him even more fearful of his and his counterparts’ safety. So much so, that Senna considered not racing on Sunday altogether.

Ayrton Senna was not going to race in the 1994 San Marino GP

Ratzenberger’s crash crushed Senna’s spirits completely before the race. Rubython’s book reports that Senna contemplated not racing as revealed by his girlfriend at the time- Adriane Galisteu. Breaking down into tears, Senna told Galisteu,

“I have a really bad feeling about this race, I would rather not drive.”

Predicting the future is difficult but Senna not driving on Sunday would have spared his life. Senna was in the lead of the race when Michael Schumacher’s Benetton was in hot pursuit of the Brazilian’s Williams. On lap 7, his car gave out at Tamburello and Senna veered off to the right and crashed into the concrete barriers.

Like Ratzenberger, he too lost his life in Imola that afternoon, causing outrage and shocking the paddock to its core. In the wake of Senna’s death, the FIA, along with Professor Sid Watkins (Senna’s close friend and FIA’s medical officer at the time) made drastic changes to driver safety in the sport.

The authorities started taking safety much more seriously and today, there is no compromise on that front whatsoever.