Re: senna (no audi content)

[Dave Eaton <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

i think most motorsports fans remember what they were doing when they heard the
news about senna.   i was watching the race, so it was very real to me.  i
remember having a quiet drink with my motorsports buddies thay day too shocked
to say much...

however, i also object strongly to the manslaughter accusations.  it's total
bollocks of course, and extremely depressing.  senna was killed when a piece of
the front suspension pieced his visor and went into his head above his eye. 
his time had come, as it had for so many others.  i can remember the death of
my first motor-racing hero (bruce mclaren).  of course it's unjust, why are the
good ones taken?  why clark, why villeneuve?

still i remember the thoughts shared when denny hulme died (heart attack) while
racing.  one of his old buddies (brabham i think) said "what better way to go,
it was his life".

btw mickeys car was not using the 'launch' software, any more than couthards or
irvines are this year, and senna was travelling at about 135 *kmh* when he left
the track.  it was a very survivable accident if it weren't for the piece of
front suspension....

-dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q

>Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 00:45:04 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Kwattro@aol.com
>
>
>Read the article.  It is absolutly incredible the events that led up to his
>death.  New to me were that the pace car was to slow, and the cars were
>allowed to slug around the track for 4 laps, droping tire temperatures on
>allready skittish cars (they were primarily completely new without drivers
>aids computers) to a level that had not been seen in years.  The Williams had
>been lowered.  The steering shaft had been sawed in two, and then welded
>together.  However, it showed metal fatigue prior to the accident at the weld
>spot.  Senna was unusally emotional, and felt pressured into racing in a race
>he had to win to stay in the championship race.  Schumachers car was fouind
>to be illegal with a program which allowed the car to control launched in
>order to maximize speed.  There was debris in the road prior to the accident,
>directly in Senna's path.  There was also a dip in the road, which Senna had
>complained about to officials weeks before. It had not been properly fixed.
> There was no run-off space, and there was a drop of 1/2 inch between the
>dangerously placed grass strip and the run-off zone (all 11 yards of it.)
> Senna was traveling at roughly 185mph when his steering went limp.  It is
>estimated that in the 1.4 seconds before he hit the grass strip, he was able
>to slow to 135 mph.  However, the car then took to the air.  It is estimated
>that if it had not the car would have slowed an additional 30 mph.  at 1.8
>seconds after losing control, Ayrton Senna hit the concrete barrier at 130
>mph, destroying the entire right side of his car, and sending suspension
>debris flying into his head, which crushed his brain instantly.  He had no
>hope of surviving.  As a result, the Italian race comittee that is overseeing
>the case is charging no less than 6 people with a befitting charge.
> Manslaughter.  Manslaughter of perhaps the greatest formula one driver ever
>to grace the sport.  Thank you all who read to this point.  
>
>Carter Johnson
>Kwattro@aol.com