Question about Senna's crash at Imola 1994

[LaraCroft2016]

Hi, I just read Damon Hill's book and he says "it was a Senna's mistake like it happened with Berger and Piquet" do you agree? the official version says "it was a broken steering column that caused the accident" what do you think?

[MonteCristo]

From the last second or so of onboard it looks like the car just went straight. I'd say something broke.

[kals]

When I have time I'll link a discussion we had a few years back. From memory most of us don't believe the steering broke as Senna appeared to correct a momentary slide through Tamburello. The slide being caused by the car bottoming out due to tyre pressures, hence Damon's comment about Senna making a mistake. Senna takes a very tight line through the corner and strikes a noticeable bump on the circuit, whereas Schumacher is taking a wider line.

[LaraCroft2016]

So, something broke or it was Senna's fault?

[Everso Biggyballies]

There is a multi page thread regarding every aspect of Senna's fatal crash, opinions, beliefs, rumours, possibilities, maybes etc. already HERE on the forum..

[Antonov]

I think during the safety car period, tyre pressures dropped resulting in the car riding lower and bottoming out.
The damage to the steering column was probably done on the very first flying lap after the safety car when riding over a bump. When he came round again and hit the same bump, the steering broke and yeah, you know the result.

Anyway, lots of theories out there. Even those saying it was suicide because Senna was unhappy with his family not accepting his girlfriend.

[DoubleFart]

Suicide is almost as bonkers as the sniper lunatic on YouTube.

My query is the off board where it looks as though the front left starts steering right as if it's no longer connected.

[Antonov]

masonic seven is most plausibel imo

[kals]

There is a multi page thread regarding every aspect of Senna's fatal crash, opinions, beliefs, rumours, possibilities, maybes etc. already HERE on the forum..

Another discussion here - viewtopic.php?f=80&t=12569

[Everso Biggyballies]

Interesting recent video interview with Adrian Newey, the Williams designer of Senna's car in which he "feels responsible" in a way over Senna's death..

'I feel responsible' - Newey emotional on Senna death

[JBT]

I've always believed the cause of Senna going off the circuit was down to diffuser stall, caused by the ride height being to low on his car from low tyre pressures after running behind the safety car. I had never really believed the broken steering column theory up until this point - I accepted that the column had been modified and had broken during the crash, but had not actually broken while on circuit. However a few days ago I saw a video on Youtube which made me rethink this - its posted by 'saggit76' which I think is 330tr who posts on here sometimes, and is a regular on gpx.it. He has put together some very interesting (and in my opinion, very accurate) computer simulations in the past on Villeneuve and Bandini's shunts. His video below I believe contains the raw onboard camera footage that is available with the overlaid data that was put together by an Italian company for the court trial, but 330tr has added an overlay of the steering wheel at the end of the video to better highlight the movement of the steering wheel just before the camera feed ends. Judge for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3xbZBd9SrA

[Michael Ferner]

Why did that make you rethink?

[JBT]

Mainly because I had never seen the video highlighting the steering wheel movement before Michael - it sticks out like a sore thumb in my eyes when I see it now, particularly the steering wheel vs. the front left wheel movement.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Mainly because I had never seen the video highlighting the steering wheel movement before Michael - it sticks out like a sore thumb in my eyes when I see it now, particularly the steering wheel vs. the front left wheel movement.

I recall that movement of the wheel was explained plausibly in the National Geographic channel TV documentary on the crash. Having said that I dont recall the exact reason / explanation they gave. It was something along the lines of the stresses and strains transmitted through the wheel at speed were more than enough to account for the movement of the wheel. I seem to recall this was highlighted on another car in a static position showing the wheel does not follow a regular arc as a result of the strains involved at speed.

I am sure it was discussed in one of the other threads mentioned here.

There is a multi page thread regarding every aspect of Senna's fatal crash, opinions, beliefs, rumours, possibilities, maybes etc. already HERE on the forum..

Another discussion here - viewtopic.php?f=80&t=12569

[Antonov]

I thought we settled on the Masonic 7 theory?