Roland Ratzenberger

Roland Ratzenberger was a racing driver from Austria whose career ended with a fatal crash during 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, the same event in which Ayrton Senna lost a life the following day.

It was Ratzenberger's just third F1 Grand Prix event in a career. Earlier that year, he failed to qualify for the Brazilian Grand Prix and made his first Grand Prix start in the Pacific Grand Prix with MTV Simtek Ford team.

Earlier in a career, before entering Formula 1, Ratzenberger spent three seasons in the Japanese Formula 3000 and raced five times at 24 Hours of Le Mans. He reached Le Mans podium two times, including C2 class victory in 1993 in a Toyota 93C-V.

Roland Ratzenberger

'Roland Rat' started his racing career as a Formula Ford driver

Roland Ratzenberger was born in Salzburg, in July 1960. Interestingly, Ratzenberger often claimed that he was born in 1962, trying to prolong his career making him younger than he really was. The early years of Roland’s career were pretty good: he won titles in the Austrian and Central European Formula Ford Championships which allowed him to appear at the 1985 Formula Ford festival at Brands Hatch where he finished 2nd, while in the following year he won the race.

From Formula 3 to touring cars

Roland stayed in the United Kingdom and participated in the British F3 for two seasons, finishing 12th in both. At the same time, Ratzenberger had some good episodes in the WTCC with the Team Schnitzer’s BMW M3. Driving the same car for Demon Tweeks team, Ratzenberger also competed in the final rounds of the 1988 BTCC season.

Roland Ratzenberger driving a BMW in the BTCC

Class win at Le Mans 24 Hours

In 1989, the Austrian finished 3rd overall in the British Formula 3000, but debut at 24 Hours of Le Mans was probably the highlight of the year, despite him failing to finish the race. The following two attempts at Le Mans were again unsuccessful, but in 1992, he was runner-up in the C2 class and was 9th overall, sharing the seat of a Toyota 92C-V with Eje Elgh and Eddie Irvine. He did even better in 1993, clinching a class win while driving alongside Mauro Martini and Naoki Nagasaka.

Roland Ratzenberger, Toyota, 1993 Le Mans 24h

Results in Japan

Driving at the 24 Hours of Le Mans wasn’t Roland’s sole duty during the early 1990s. He appeared at Daytona 24 Hours and then went to Japan to compete in various racing series, most notably in Japanese Formula 3000. During three years, Ratzenberger scored one victory in Japan, before getting an unexpected chance to fulfill his dream to drive in Formula 1.

Roland Ratzenberger was killed in a crash just a day before Ayrton Senna

There was an interesting, but not so funny anecdote during his stay in Japan. During the race at Fuji Speedway in 1992, Anthony Reid had a horrible accident during which his protection helmet was ripped off. Ratzenberger was shocked and angry with the scene he was looking at and with the fact that the race marshals couldn’t do anything. Pairing with a Japanese journalist, Ratzenberger helped write an article in a magazine explaining how low the safety standards are.

1994 - late debut in F1 and fatal crash at Imola

In 1994, he signed a short-term contract with the small Simtek team. The start of his F1 career was poor as he failed to qualify for the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos after mechanical difficulties, while in the following race, the Japanese Grand Prix, he was 11th at TI Circuit in Alda, taking advantage of the fact that he was the only driver on the grid who earlier drove at this track.

The next race in the calendar was San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. On 30th of April, during the qualifying session, he was killed in a heavy crash. Front wing on his car was damaged and due to high downforce, it went under the car. Ratzenberger couldn’t control the car and hit the wall at a speed of 315 km/h.

Roland Ratzenberger's fatal crash at Imola

He was immediately airlifted to a hospital in Bologna, but the poor driver was already dead. That was the first accident with a fatal outcome at a Grand Prix since 1982 and Riccardo Paletti’s death in Canada. Ratzenberger’s death was a big tragedy and shock, but due to circumstances, this tragedy was quickly forgotten after another that had happened on the following day.

Dark weekend for Formula 1: The death of Ayrton Senna

Sadly, Ratzenberger was remembered as a driver who lost his life a day before the death of one of the most popular Formula 1 drivers ever – Ayrton Senna. Since that day, no driver was killed at track accidents during F1 Grand Prix weekends. Roland Ratzenberger’s death, just as Senna’s, forced safety changes and many fatal outcomes were prevented.

Finally, the black weekend at Imola could have been even worse. On Friday, during the free practice, Rubens Barrichello had a bad accident in which his car landed upside down. The unconscious Brazilian swallowed his tongue but Professor Sid Watkins reacted quickly and saved Rubens’ life.

Photo: au.eurosport.com, motorsportretro.com, downforce-radio.co.uk, f1enestadopuro.com.