Thirty years can fly by in an instant, thinking back to those who, with their exploits, made history on and off the track. At 2.17pm 30 years ago, Sunday 1st May, Ayrton Senna hit the external wall of the Tamburello, losing his life just over two hours later in the Maggiore hospital in Bologna. Among the others who tried to save him on the track was the almost 70-year-old Giovanni Gordini, at the time responsible for 118 «Bologna Rescue» present in Imola and today director of intensive care and the emergency department. A position he will keep until Junebefore retirement.
Doctor Gordini, what do you remember about that May 1st in Imola?
«That Senna left a great void in all those present and in the fans in general. Ayrton was so great that after his death F1 changed the level of safety both on the track and as a single-seater. Beyond the drama, however, that May 1st ’94 was the demonstration of how the rescue “machine” worked perfectly.”
How was it composed?
«On one side there was the F1 doctor (Sid Watkins, ed) and the racetrack team, directed by Domenico Salcito and Giuseppe Piana. From the race management, the 118 coordinator, Mauro Sacchetti, coordinated us workers from the Bologna AUSL (the health authority) on the edge of the track, deciding which emergency vehicles to intervene. After Ayrton’s accident, Rai was on the connection for 15-20 minutes and everyone saw how we acted promptly, but unfortunately both his injuries and those of Ratzenberger on Saturday were too serious to treat.”
It was from Sacchetti that she received the information about Senna’s exit at Tamburello.
«I was in the central grandstand to help rescue the injured (nine, ed) were involved in the debris of the accident between JJ Lehto’s Benetton and Pedro Lamy’s Lotus. Sacchetti told me over the radio: “Senna, Tamburello accident”. I was worried, that was a dangerous corner where in the past both Gerhard Berger (in the 1989 GP with Ferrari) and Alboreto (1991) had crashed. With the service moped, I ran immediately on site entering from the fences on the opposite side of the track”.
What is the first image you remember of Ayrton?
«That of a pilot who was breathing independently, but who was already in a coma. I arrived a few minutes after Watkins and noticed that Ayrton had lost some blood from the wound above his right eyebrow from the shock caused by the suspension, but the most serious damage was at the base of the skull, where the arteries were already damaged after the impact. At that point, external and internal bleeding resulted, in addition to brain injuries.”
How did you proceed?
«Senna was also bleeding from his mouth, so much so that the team that arrived on site had difficulty intubating him and was forced to have a tracheotomy to maintain vital functions. In the meantime, resuscitation efforts continued. Given the gravity of the situation, we decided to bring the helicopter down to the runway to bring it to the Major. A unique case in F1, given that it was customary for the drivers to be transported first to the circuit hospital with the track’s emergency vehicles.
Can you tell us about the helicopter trip?
«On the helicopter, Senna was connected to the mechanical lung ventilator and had two slow heartbeats. We got it started again, but the conditions were still desperate. Due to the so much blood lost from the skull haemorrhages, we gave him some liquids through an IV to avoid dehydration.”
How was the arrival at the hospital?
«We immediately ran inside, to the “Emergency Room” of the Emergency Room, where meanwhile Doctor Maria Teresa Fiandri (at the time Head of the Intensive Care Unit and 118, ed) had gathered the entire medical team. In all there were about ten anesthetists, nurses, radiologists and surgeons. We stabilized Ayrton’s condition, checked the first blood tests and, having done a CT scan, we took him to intensive care on the 11th floor of the hospital. Later the electroencephalogram was done, which unfortunately was flat. So we understood that nothing could be done, so much so that we didn’t attempt any operation. Senna’s brain had shut down, going into “electric silence”. We just waited for his heart to stop beating before Dr. Fiandri broke the news to Rai.”
What do you remember about those moments?
«I was impressed by Berger’s entry into the room. He was visibly shaken and did not say a word, despite the courage he found at seeing his friend deceased. With him, in the ward, were Ayrton’s physical trainer (Josef Leberer, ed), manager Julian Jakobi and Watkins. I also remember the contained emotion of journalists and those present at the news given.”
If Ayrton were still alive today, can you imagine exchanging a few words with him?
«We often remain in constant and close relationships with patients who have survived serious injuries. If it had happened, I would have liked to do it with Ayrton too.”
