The arrival of Roland Ratzenberger in F1 was the fulfilment of a childhood ambition. Sadly, he died at Imola in 1994, during only his third GP meeting.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of Roland Ratzenberger’s death. On April 30th, 1994, during only his third Formula 1 weekend, the 33 year old Austrian crashed during qualifying and succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
Roland was a popular figure in racing paddocks throughout the world during his long and varied career. Outgoing and eternally cheerful he loved the sport of motor racing, but underneath the relaxed exterior lay a fiercely determined competitor.
Hailing from the picturesque Austrian city of Salzburg, Roland’s ambition had always been to reach Formula 1. In the end he achieved this in 1994 when he landed a race seat with the new Simtek team.
On the way to Formula 1 Roland had competed in a vast array of classes. In single seaters he had driven in Formula Ford, Formula 3 and Formula 3000. He also drove European and Japanese touring cars, in addition to sports cars. His ability in the latter category was reflected by a fifth place finish at Le Mans.
Simtek were a small but ambitious team who produced a tidy car for their debut season in 1994. Powered by Ford’s venerable V8 it was, however, significantly down on power compared to its rivals. Roland failed to qualify for the season opening race in Brazil but he did make the grid for the next event, the Pacific Grand Prix. It would prove to be his only Grand Prix start but the fact that he competed in a Formula 1 race would be of much comfort to his parents following the accident at Imola.
At Imola it appeared to be a minor error on the lap preceding the accident which became the catalyst for the tragedy. Roland ran off the road and, unknowingly, weakened the Simtek’s front wing. On the next lap, at maximum speed, the wing failed and went under the front wheels, robbing Roland of his steering.
The small Simtek team, only just finding their feet in Formula 1, were devastated by the loss of their driver. For the remainder of the season they carried ‘For Roland’ decals on the airboxes of their cars. Roland had also been scheduled to drive for Toyota at Le Mans. Although the events at Imola meant he did not make it Toyota left his name on the car as a mark of respect.
The late Bruce McLaren perhaps summarised it best when discussing what it is that makes people compete in such a potentially deadly sport, when reacting to the death of his friend Timmy Mayer in a racing accident:
"To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one’s ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone."
Many current fans of Formula 1 will never have experienced a death at the track, or be familiar with the name Roland Ratzenberger. Ultimately, his death was completely overshadowed by the loss of Ayrton Senna the same weekend, but he is still remembered with great affection by those who met him and saw him race.
Sources:
The Nostalgia Forum
F1 Racing Magazine
Autosport
www.bruce-mclaren.com
