In Memoriam - Formula 1 driver Roland Ratzenberger

For more than 11 years, no one had lost their life racing in the pinnacle of motorsport. It was an encouraging development, until a dark weekend at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.

On the Friday, then 33-year-old Roland Ratzenberger stepped into his Simtek to kick off the third round of his F1 career.

Simtek was not a high flyer in Formula 1, and neither was the Austrian, having reached F1 relatively late. At the opening round of the season, at Interlagos, he had even failed to qualify, with 28 cars competing for just 26 places on the grid.

Nonetheless, Ratzenberger was a popular figure in the paddock. After all, at his slightly older age he was making his boyhood dream come true, a heartwarming narrative alongside a championship battle dominated by the titanic struggle between Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna.

That same day, Ratzenberger watched on as Rubens Barrichello crashed mercilessly hard in the final twisty sector of the Imola circuit.

It was a miracle the Brazilian escaped with the few injuries he had. A day later, during qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix, fate was tragically not as kind to Ratzenberger.

In the Villeneuve corner, he lost control of his Simtek when its nose broke off, hitting the wall at full speed, completely destroying the car.

The position of the helmet, with his head having rolled to the side, instantly suggested something was seriously wrong. Television footage showed F1 doctors trying to resuscitate him, but to no avail. 

Ratzenberger succumbed to his injuries, which left Formula 1 in a deep state of mourning. However, the decision was made for the weekend to go on.

Barely 24 hours later, the drivers stepped into their cars for the grand prix, Senna quietly accompanied by an Austrian flag in his cockpit, no doubt to wave after the chequered flag. It was a tribute the Brazilian did not get to make.