Fans and drivers gather at Imola for 20th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s death

Fans and Formula One drivers past and present marked the 20th anniversary of the death of Ayrton Senna yesterday at the Italian circuit where the triple champion crashed 20 years ago.

Hundreds paid their respects with a minute’s silence at the Tamburello corner at 2.17pm, the moment the Brazilian’s Williams ploughed into the wall while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Austrian rookie Roland Ratzenberger had died the previous day when he crashed during qualifying and the two remain the last driver fatalities during a grand prix weekend.

Worst start
Senna had made his worst start to a season with two retirements in the opening two races. The third race, which proved to be his last, was at Imola. Leading at the time, the Brazilian crashed on lap seven, smashing into a wall at the Tamburello Curve and sustaining fatal head injuries.

The circuit near Bologna was opened to the public with tribute events scheduled, including a memorial football match and the naming of a square, over the next four days.

A mass, attended by Ratzenberger’s parents, was held on Wednesday night.

Senna’s niece Paula, representing the family, said yesterday: “It seems like Ayrton is living inside people’s hearts, so it’s beautiful.”

Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, as well as Senna's former McLaren team-mate Gerhard Berger, were among those at the track.

“I think Senna set the standard for all drivers and he was definitely the best of his generation,” said double world champion Alonso.

Senna’s favourite Sao Paulo soccer team Corinthians donned replicas of his distinctive yellow, green and black helmet before the start of a Cup match against Nacional in Manaus on Wednesday.

Senna will be remembered as a great competitor and a "good human being" according to Ron Dennis, his former boss at McLaren.

Senna was a Williams driver at the time of the fatal crash but won his three world titles with McLaren, and Dennis this week paid a fresh tribute to the Brazilian.

Asked why Senna was remembered so fondly two decades on from his death, he told McLaren’s official website: “I think it’s because he was so good for the whole time he was on the planet.

“I also think he’s remembered because he was just so unbelievably competitive. He was great, but he had good, human values. He had a few lapses in his life, but he was incredibly principled. And he was a good human being.

“I can see no positives from the fact he had an accident and lost his life, but it means that you didn’t see his decline. There are lots of drivers that stay in the sport too long and tarnish their greatness.”