1994 San Marino Grand Prix
In the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, the dangers of the Imola circuit and of Formula One in general, became tragically apparent. During Friday practice Rubens Barrichello was launched over a curb and into the top of a tyre barrier at the Variante Bassa, knocking the Brazilian unconscious though quick medical intervention saved his life. During Saturday qualifying Austrian Roland Ratzenberger crashed head-on into a wall at over 310 km/h at the Villeneuve corner, dying instantly from a basilar skull fracture. The tragedy continued the next day, when the three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna lost control of his car and crashed into the concrete wall at the Tamburello corner on Lap 7. Though he was not seriously injured by the impact with the wall itself, flying debris (including the right front tyre from his Williams) from the crash caused fatal injuries. In two unrelated incidents, several spectators and mechanics were also injured during the event.
The circuit continued to host Grands Prix, but revisions were immediately made in an attempt to make the circuit safer. The flat-out Tamburello corner was reduced to a 4th gear left-right sweeper, and a gravel trap was added to the limited space on the outside of the corner. Villeneuve corner, previously an innocuous 6th gear right-hander into Tosa, was made a complementary 4th gear sweeper, also with a gravel trap on the outside of the corner. In an attempt to retain some of the quickness and character of the old circuit, the arduous chicane at Acqua Minerale was eliminated, and the Variante Bassa was straighten up into a single chicane. Many say that the new circuit configuration is not as good as it used to be as a result of the new chicanes at Tamburello and Villeneuve.
Another modification made to the Imola track is that of the famous Variante Alta which is situated at the top of the hill leading down to Rivazza and has the hardest braking point on the lap. The Variante Alta, formerly a high-kerbed chicane, was hit quite hard by the drivers which caused damage to the cars and occasionally was the site of quite a few accidents. Before the 2006 Grand Prix, the kerbs were lowered considerably and the turn itself was tightened to reduce speeds and hopefully reduce the number of accidents at the chicane.
Some are also critical of the circuit's deteriorating facilities and there had long been discussions about removing the San Marino Grand Prix from the Formula One calendar. In 2007, the discussion was realised as the San Marino Grand Prix was removed from the Formula One calendar and has since not returned.
Read more about this topic: Autodromo Enzo E Dino Ferrari
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