The city of Imola, in Italy, will hold a vast program starting on March 21, including exhibitions, sporting events and shows, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the deaths of former Brazilian pilots Ayrton Senna and Austrian Roland Ratzenberger, who died during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend.
The initiative, called “Senna 30 years”, will begin on March 21st, Senna's birthday, with the opening of a photographic exhibition divided into 94 never-before-seen photos of the former Brazilian driver taken by Angelo Orsi and Mirco Lazzari.
“Ayrton’s life and Roland Ratzenberger’s life did not fall into oblivion, Formula 1 reacted. We must remember Ayrton for what he left behind. He was an important reference and still is after 30 years”, highlighted Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, speaking remotely at the presentation of the calendar.
The celebrations will culminate on May 1st, the anniversary of Senna's death, with several moments of remembrance at the Imola race track. On the date, at 14:17 pm (time of the accident) there will be a ceremony at the Tamburello curve.
The event is expected to be attended by Italy's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, who sent two messages read during the announcement.
Bianca Senna, Ayrton's niece and president of the Institute that bears his name, also participated in this Monday's ceremony via videoconference. In addition to her, the mayor of Ímola, Marco Panieri, the governor of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, the Secretary of Sport of San Marino, Teodoro Lonfernini, and Gian Carlo Minardi, president of the Ímola Circuit and great friend of the champion, were also present. Brazilian.
“30 years ago I was on the pit wall. I had my two drivers on the track and the messages that arrived were sad for a friend. I want to remember my friend, the man Ayrton”, stated Minardi.
The series of events will be held by the Italian municipality, in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ayrton Senna Institute.
The Ímola track was part of Formula 1 between 1980 and 2006, under the name of San Marino GP, and is well remembered for having hosted one of the most tragic weekends in the history of the category: in 1994, the place was the stage of the fatal accidents involving drivers Senna and Ratzenberger. (HANDLE)
