Although it has almost been three decades since Ayrton Senna tragically passed away following his horrific accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, the legacy that he has left in the sport will last an eternity.
During his legendary career, the Brazilian won 41 races, finished on the podium on 80 occasions and lifted three world championships (1988, 1990, 1991).
While most F1 fans know Senna’s on-track abilities, little is known about his character and mindset. Not only was the Brazilian a fierce competitor, but he was also one who always lived life to the fullest. And one of his famous quotes is evidence of the same.
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‘Would ruin my life if I had to live partially’: Ayrton Senna
While speaking as a new signing for Williams during testing at the Estoril circuit in January 1994, Ayrton Senna made one of the most epic quotes.
His quote became all the more famous after he tragically passed away just four months later in the same fashion he had hoped to if he ever died in a car accident.
“If I ever happen to have an accident that eventually costs me my life, I hope it is in one go. I would not like to be in a wheelchair. I would not like to be in a hospital suffering from whatever injury it is. If I am going to live, I want to live fully. Very intensely, because I am an intense person. It would ruin my life if I had to live partially,” said the legendary Senna (as quoted by Tom Rubython in The Life of Senna).
While Senna may have never imagined that his words would one day come true, they did demonstrate a lot about his character. The Brazilian showcased that he was a driver who was fearless and one that would push to the limit despite being aware of the tragic consequences that could take place.
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Senna died after a horrific crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix
On May 1, 1994, Ayrton Senna sadly passed away after he suffered a high-speed crash at the San Marino Grand Prix. On lap 7, while leading the race, the Brazilian’s car ran off the racing line and collided at the Tamburello corner.
Data recovered from the crash showed that Senna was driving at a whopping speed of 309 km/h when he entered the corner. Following the collision, Senna suffered multiple fatal injuries to his skull that ultimately cost him his life. Since Senna’s tragic death, F1 has made significant changes to improve safety in the sport.
While safety has improved significantly since the Brazilian passed away, the recent deaths of Jules Bianchi and Anthoine Hubert once again highlighted the dangers that still exist in the sport.
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