ROLAND RATZENBERGER
12 years long, since Gilles Villeneuves deathly accident in 1982, no Formula 1 driver died in a car, but on this weekend two men died on the sport they liked to do most. Ayrton Senna, 3 times world Champion and:
Roland Ratzenberger, 34 years old- the race in Imola was the third race for him in the kings class of motorsports. Roland was an austrian racer, and on him were many hopes. On the qualification on Saturday he drove with 308 km/h with his Simtek- Ford into a wall. The paramedics tried to help him, and they also got him into the hospital of Bologna, but there was no help.
Roland Ratzenberger died in his third race of Formula 1, living his biggest dream, with 34 years.
I want you to read a few lines which Gerhard Berger, an austrian ex- Formula 1 driver, wrote in his book ‘Zielgerade’ (engl: ‘finish lane’) about Roland Ratzenberger and his accident. This book was written in german, and as far as i know, is there also no english part of it, so i translated it myself. I hope you understand, that i couldn’t do this word by word, but i think i got the meaning:
>>Imola, April 30th 1994, Qualification, Saturday afternoon.
I sat in the car in the box, ready to drive out, had the tell in front of me and had to watch the heart massage for Roland Ratzenberger. Alone on the movings of the paramedics i could see, what was up. I was out of myself, I got out of the car, went into the motorhome, shivered. It was the first time, that I saw one of us dying in a racing car. In my whole time in formula 1, there had never been a accident with death. I saw just two possibilities: going home immidiately, and forgeting the whole sport, or going into the car again and telling anything to myself. For example: if you also die like Roland, then on the thing you like to do most on this world. Such things got into my mind, and i had to decide fast. I went outside, got into my car and drove a fast lap, like for self- protecting.
The telemetry said afterwards, that the Simtek of Roland Ratzenberger crashed with 308 km/h into the wall. After the first help they flight Roland into the Maggiore- hospital to Bologna, but there was no help anymore.
The accident happened in the Villeneuve- corner, less than 500 metres from my accident place five years ago. Many things were similar at these two accidents. Front wing broke, unwheelingable car.
Anywhere deep in our hearts we all had hoped, that the golden series of a Formula 1 without any accidents with death would go on for ever. And the Roland. He had visited me before we got to Imola on my boat in Monaco. I liked his natural open way, this silent happiness from inside. Roland was on his way, to become a real enrichment for the formula 1 scene.<<
I want you to think a bit about Roland Ratzenberger.
It is important to live our dreams.
He died, living his biggest.
