The Formula 1 community and its drivers came together on the grid on Thursday afternoon at Imola to pay a heartfelt tribute to the sport’s fallen heroes, Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, to mark the 30th anniversary of their passing.
The commemorative event was held at the behest of four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel and was followed by a track run of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
The tribute run was also organized by Vettel who handed out yellow Senna-themed T-shirts to F1’s class of 2023, with each shirt emblazoned with each driver’s race number.
After the run, Vettel walked out to Tamburello to visit the bronze statue of the great Brazilian driver overlooking the track near the very spot where he met his fate on May 1, 1994.
On Sunday, ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Vettel will take to the track to offer fans a few laps onboard Senna’s race winning McLaren Mp4/8.
Here is a gallery of pictures depicting today’s emotional tribute to Senna and Ratzenberger, whose daring spirits continue to live on in the collective memory of F1 fans around the world.
Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.