Results from the 1994 Formula One San Marino Grand Prix held at Imola on May 1, 1994

Classification

Notes

• Fastest Lap: Damon Hill 1m 24.335s
• This was an extremely depressing race weekend. It is widely acknowledged amongst Formula One fans, officials and historians to be the blackest weekend in the entire history of the sport. Murray Walker, commentating on the race live on BBC Television, called it "one of the unhappiest Grands Prix I have ever had the misfortune to commentate on".
  • During a Friday practice session, Rubens Barrichello crashed very heavily just before the turn to the start/finish straight. His accident, like all of the others which happened this fateful weekend, was deeply disturbing in nature. His Jordan hit a curb and was launched high into the air. It headed straight for the barrier, but because of its height the car cleared the tyre-wall and smashed into the steel catch-netting above the tyre-wall; as a result the impact was much more violent than if he had hit the tyre-wall itself. He soon recovered, but missed the rest of the race weekend.
  • During Saturday Qualifying, rookie Roland Ratzenberger was killed instantly when he suffered a front wing failure and crashed head-on into a concrete retaining wall at nearly full speed.
    • Ratzenberger became the first Formula One driver to die on a race weekend since Riccardo Paletti (who was also a rookie) at the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix. The last Formula One driver who died before Roland Ratzenberger was the Italian Elio De Angelis killed during a test session at the Paul Ricard circuit in 1986.
• However, tragedy was to continue at the race.
  • At the start of the race on Sunday, Jyrki Järvilehto (also know as J.J. Lehto) stalled on the starting grid and was hit from behind at nearly full speed by Pedro Lamy. The two were uninjured, but debris from the crash went over the safety fencing and injured several spectators and a police officer in the stands. A now-controversial decision was made to send the Safety car out.
  • At the start of the seventh lap, the car of racing legend Ayrton Senna went straight off at the Tamburello Corner. Portions of the suspension flew back into the cockpit and caused Senna very severe head injuries. The race was red-flagged and Senna was airlifted to Maggiore Hospital where he died several hours later.
  • The race was re-started nearly an hour later, with more painful moments to come.
  • About ten laps from the end, the Minardi of Michele Alboreto lost a wheel while leaving the pit lane. The wheel hit three Ferrari mechanics, a Lotus mechanic and a Benetton mechanic, leaving them with minor injuries.
• First point(s): Nicola Larini
• First podium: Nicola Larini
• Last race: Roland Ratzenberger, Ayrton Senna (Fatal Accidents)
• Last point(s): Karl Wendlinger

1994 in Formula One | San Marino Grand Prix

Gran Premio de San Marino de 1994 | San Marinon GP 1994 | San Marinos Grand Prix 1994