Ayrton Senna: 30 years since F1 lost its uncompromising, complex genius

Ayrton Senna before the San Marino GP at Imola in 1991. ‘His skill set was very rare. He had that ability to do it in qualifying, to do it in a race, in the wet or dry.’ Photograph: Chris Cole/Allsport

Thirty years have passed since Ayrton Senna’s untimely death at the San Marino Grand Prix on 1 May 1994, but the fascination with the mercurial Brazilian driver remains almost as mesmerising as ever it was on the track. His death, at 34, was bitter in prematurely ending a compelling career and a tragedy that deprived Formula One of one of its most captivating characters. His legacy remains, felt keenly across the sport and beyond.

Senna was driving for Williams at Imola. He had already won three titles and was recognised as the pre-eminent talent of a generation with no shortage of great drivers before what proved to be one of the most calamitous weekends in F1 history. During the first qualifying session on the Friday, his fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello suffered a huge accident that left him unconscious. Then in qualifying on Saturday the Austrian Roland Ratzenberger was killed when he crashed at Villeneuve.