Thirty years ago the beginning of the black weekend in Imola: the silent death of Roland Ratzenberger – MOW

Ua silent death that struck Roland Ratzenberger, covered by the disconcerting noise of what happened the next day, Sunday 1st May, when perhaps a twist of cruel fate put an end to the life of Ayrton Senna, the legend of Formula 1. Two stories that intertwine, the rookie who had just arrived in F1 and the three-time world champion with that look full of wisdom that in track was exciting, two stories that shocked the world of motorsport, creating a before and an after. But Ratzenberger’s death is still an often forgotten death, although the two lives are intertwined once again from the beginning, because to race in F1 you need talent and the two drivers knew what it was.

Austrian, marked features surrounded by a joyful smile, this was Roland Ratzenberger, a driver who toured the world thanks to his passion before arriving in F1, from his debut at the Brands Hatch Formula Ford Festival where he stood out enough to get a seat in the British F3, before moving on to the iconic 24h of Le Mans which ran four times. From France to Japan where between 1990 and 1991 he won some races, before arriving in the premier class, F1, in the ’94 season. Nicknamed “Rolando mountain mouse” when he came to Italy to be a test driver, he became an instructor in order to get to F1, he left school to become a mechanic and thanks to his sacrifices he managed to make his dream come true.

THEIn fact, with the Smitek team, which until the previous year built sewing machines, made its debut in F1 and by chance, right in the land of Ayrton, in the Interlagos Grand Prix, but failed to qualify for the race. Subsequently he ran the Japanese GP, finishing eleventh, his third race in the premier class of motorsport was the San Marino GP, where at the curve named after Villeneuve, he lost control of the car and crashed, an accident that immediately proved to be very serious.

A brake problem that he had already previously noticed and which his father recalled in a phone call he made with his mother the day before the accident: “I remembered his last phone call to his mother: it’s a dangerous track, if you make a mistake, you risk too much, I have a poor car, unsuitable brakes.”

The parents were on holiday in Mexico but in the hospital, when there was nothing left to do, Ayrton Senna arrived and, after being fined by the FIA, for having said after the replay of the accident “Can not be done”, she reached him and then left crying as the doctor confessed. Roland’s is a story like many others, which is intertwined with Gran’sof champions who also disappeared too soon, just as Mr. Ratzenberger said: “Ayrton and Roland knew each other, Senna’s physiotherapist, also Austrian, had introduced them. But my son was respectful, he understood that there was a gap, or rather an abyss, between him who had been in F1 for 53 days and Ayrton for 10 years.”.

Un plot because perhaps Ayrton saw a young man in Roland, someone who with great sacrifices got to where he wanted to be, only to then leave too soon. In fact, the Latins spoke of “immatura mors” a death before time, that time that marks the rhythms of life and F1, which leads a driver to be remembered for his exploits as with Ayrton or leads to asking many questions about himself and buts to which no answer can be given. But his death, so immature, changed the world of racing, and it is a death that should not be forgotten because we just need to say thank you to Roland. For showing us that with perseverance you can get where you want and for showing us how extremely cruel this sport can be and that the drivers, Normal kids with fears and inspirations, they are ready for anything for their passion.