Five F1 drivers that died in pursuit of racing glory
We take a look at the toll F1 has taken on racers over the past five decades.
FRENCH Formula One driver Jules Bianchi died on Friday night from head wounds he suffered in a crash at last October’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Bianchi who would have been 26 next month, had been in a coma fighting for his life under controlled medical conditions in a hospital in Nice, France.
24 other F1 drivers have also lost their lives in pursuit of glory, and died doing what they love most. We take a look at 10 of the most shocking deaths in the last 50 years:
Ayrton Senna – San Marino 1994
Arguably one of the greatest drivers of all time, the legendary Brazilian died when his car failed to negotiate a sharp corner and slammed into a concrete wall. As officials examined the wreckage they found a furled Austrian flag which, had he won, Senna would have raised in honour of Roland Ratzenberger who died in a crash the day before. Senna was 34 years old.
Roland Ratzenberger – San Marino 1994
The 33-year-old Austrian died in a crash during qualifying at the San Marino Grand Prix. His front wing broke, causing him to crash into another car. He died of a skull fracture.
Gilles Villeneuve – Belgium 1982
Father of future world champion Jacques, Gilles’ career came to a tragic end while qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix when he fractured his neck when crashing his Ferrari. The Canadian was 32 years old.
Ronnie Peterson – Monza 1978
A mass collsion on the first bend of the race at Monza claimed the the 32-year-old Swede’s life.
Tom Pryce – Kyalami 1977
The 34-year-old Brit died at Kyalami in the SA Grand Prix. Described as a freak accident, Pryce ran into a track official who was running to the aid of a car that had come to a standstill during the race.
A fire extinguisher the marshal was carrying flew from his hands, hitting Pryce in the face, killing him instantly. The marshal also died in this incident.
South African GP, Kyalami, 5 March 1977. Pic – Pinterest
