This Senna Day began early, a tribute from Imola and fans from all over the world to the great champion who passed away on the Santerno circuit exactly 30 years ago. The first fans gathered in the morning under the tower of the racetrack where a large tarpaulin dedicated to Ayrton was unrolled, and then walked along the track and reached the site of the accident, the Tamburello, which took their lives on May 1st 1994 to the Brazilian driver but also to remember the Austrian Roland Ratzenberger who died just 24 hours earlier at the bend just ahead. Fans arriving from all over the world, many wearing the colors of the Brazilian flag, destined to grow over the course of the day, racing enthusiasts, entire families, many people animated by passion and emotion. The day continues with a busy program of institutional events, with the presence of three foreign ministers, Italian, Brazilian and Austrian. The highlight, however, will be at 2.17pm, the time of Senna’s accident at the Tamburello curve, with a minute’s silence. On the stage, set up in the area near the site of the impact, the Foreign Ministers Antonio Tajani (Italy), Mauro Vieira (Brazil) and Alexander Schallenberg ( Austria), the mayor of Imola Marco Panieri, the CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali and the president of Formula Imola, Gian Carlo Minardi. At the end, the delegation of authorities will move to the Villeneuve curve, the scene of Ratzenberger’s accident on 30 April 1994, where bouquets of flowers will be laid. At 4.30 pm the documentary to pay homage to Roland will be screened in the Media Center of the racetrack, followed at 4.45 pm by a moment dedicated to Ayrton with the presentation of the book by journalist Franco Nugnes entitled “Senna. Le Verità”, with free access while places last. Finally, at 9pm, the show “Fresi tells Senna” will be staged at the Stignani theatre, a monologue on the life of the Brazilian driver told by the well-known actor Stefano Fresi. The text is taken from the book “Perdere Senna” by the director and writer Giorgio J. Squarcia. On stage, Fresi will be accompanied by a five-piece band and a singer.
Anyone who wants can also “get lost” in the city in search of exhibitions and events designed for this anniversary. Don’t miss the exhibition “Magic Ayrton Senna – Imola 1994-2024” by photographers Angelo Orsi and Mirco Lazzari at the San Domenico Museum; the memorabilia of Senna and Ratzenberger at the Checco Costa Museum, the pedestrian path from the mural of the Checco Costa Museum to the Senna memorial; the “ImolAyrton” exhibition by photographer Marco Isola at Palazzo Vacchi; the exhibition “From “to Ayrton Senna” to “Iron pictures” – Stefano Pierotti: memory and the horizon” at the Salannunziata and “Senna between Manga, Comix and Reality” at the former Bacchilega bar. Furthermore, for a few days now it has been possible to admire the “face of Senna” in the Marconi district, in a building in via Cenni, the mural by the Tuscan artist Stefano Pierotti created with the Iron pictures technique.
