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1994 San Marino Grand Prix facts for kids

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The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix (known as the 14° Gran Premio di San Marino by the people putting on the race) was a Formula One motor race held on 1 May 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy. It was the third race of the 1994 Formula One season. Some things that happened at this race proved to be a major turning point in both the 1994 season, and in the development of Formula 1 itself, especially safety.

During the race weekend, Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna died in different accidents. Other incidents saw driver Rubens Barrichello hurt and a few mechanics and spectators injured. BBC Television commentator Murray Walker described it as "the blackest day for Grand Prix racing that I can remember".

Michael Schumacher won the race. In the press conference after the race, Schumacher said that he "couldn't feel satisfied, couldn't feel happy" with his win following the events that had happened during the race weekend. Nicola Larini scored the first points of his career when he finished in second position. Mika Häkkinen finished third.

The race led to a bigger focus on safety in Formula One as well as the reforming of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association after 12 years of not running, and the changing of many track layouts and car designs. Since the race, many regulation changes have been made to slow Formula One cars down, and newer tracks, such as Bahrain International Circuit, have large run-off areas to slow cars before they collide with a wall. Senna was given a state funeral in his home country of Brazil, where around 500,000 people lined the streets to watch the coffin pass.

Related pages

  • Death of Ayrton Senna

Images for kids

  • Rubens Barrichello (GP San Marino 1994) - 01

    Rubens Barrichello crashed heavily at Variante Bassa during the first qualifying session on Friday.

  • Ratzenberger

    Roland Ratzenberger was fatally injured in qualifying after crashing due to a front-wing failure.

  • Roland Ratzenberger accident

    The aftermath of Roland Ratzenberger's fatal crash.

  • Racing accident at 1994 Imola start (J.J. Lehto and Pedro Lamy)

    Pedro Lamy ramming his Lotus 107C in the back of JJ Lehto's Benetton B194.

  • Pedro Lamy at 1994 San Marino Gran Prix

    Pedro Lamy leaving his wrecked Lotus 107C after hitting JJ Lehto's stalled Benetton B194, causing an early safety car.

  • Podium of 1994 San Marino Grand Prix

    Nicola Larini, Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen (left to right) on the podium.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gran Premio de San Marino de 1994 para niños

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