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[LiamCatterson]

Unfortunately, this didn't happen for us all and Senna did fall at Imola. Such a shame to be honest as we all are sad to have lost a legend such early on. But what with the historic legacy that Senna had built before hand, if Senna did not die at Imola, what would've happened for him? The future? What do you believe would've occurred if Senna had been lucky to have survived, had he still crashed or better yet, not crashed at all?

My belief is Senna would've been 1994 Champion. Senna was more experienced than Hill and I believe that might've played a part in the Championship. I've heard that he was ready to join Ferrari in 96 and stay there til 2000. Obviously, we don't know if this would be 100% true and we'll unfortunately never know. But I believe Senna could've been a 5, maybe pushing it to 6 time World Champion. I have a strong feeling he would've been champ in 1994. Maybe in 1996 if he had stayed on at Williams then and maybe one of his final years if he had stayed til 2000...

What about you? 20 Years on from the most tragic loss in F1, what do you believe could've happened to the most legendary guy in F1 history had he been alive today?

[What's Burning?]

He could have fallen, hit his head while skiing off piste and gone into a life threatening coma. Life happens, and as much a loss to the sport I really dislike this sort of speculation because it's too fantastical, and emotionally difficult to discuss. Maybe after four or five beers it would feel a more suitable topic.

[Jabberwocky]

I do not think he would of been the legend that he has become. He would of become as most people regard Prost.

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[madbrad]

I love Senna to no end, but it's just romanticism that brings one to the conclusion that he would have won the title. He might have, yes, but objectivity reduces that probability.
Like any "what if" scenario, there are many factors that would've affected the outcome of the season, each having their own "what ifs", multiplying the possible endings on a logarithmic scale.
Here are a few factors:
The Williams was designed around active suspension, traction control, and ABS, all of which were banned prior to the season opener. The car was by many accounts undriveable, and Senna's on the edge style had trouble adapting. They knew it would take at least a few races to sort the car out. They were also testing a new power steering system, which was prone to failure and was actually the assumed cause(by Patrick head and the crew) of sienna's tangential exit in the first few seconds after.
Hill loved understeering his way around the track all day. He set up his suspension, gearing, brake bias, front and rear downforce etc. to that end. By pure serendipity, it seems to all who cared to look that the fundamental construction of the car(accidentally, because of the removal of active suspension et al) suited his style more than Senna's. He didn't seem to have quite the same grip issues as Senna.
I think the Williams was not as good a car as the Benetton. maybe a slightly better chassis, but Senna may have been correct in his suspicion that it had traction control, which was illegal. It's a question that will never go away. It was easy for a rich team to hide it from the methods of detecting it that were available then. He was not the only one who said it had that choked engine sound when going down the pitlane and accelerating out of corners. If he was right, it would have made the Benetton by far the best car, overcoming any chassis shortcomings. If it had TC and a slightly inferior chassis, that would explain why Schumacher but not his less skilled teammates could exploit it.
The Williams was good enough that Hill did an admirable job of keeping the title fight tight after taking up the cause in the 4th race. He was beating Schumacher in the last race. It looked like the Benetton was not such a great car that day. Schumacher had an uncharacteristic off, and only an accident could stop Hill from taking the title. Had Senna been alive, Hill might very well have beaten him to the title. At least there was some chance. Like I said, many, many "what ifs".
But Senna would have likely stayed with Williams for another year or two. No doubt he would have gathered one or two or three titles in the seasons of 94, 95, 96 or even beyond. Hill might have been let go earlier than he was, who knows? I suspect Senna would stay as long as it was the best car, and Williams would never have let him go until he wanted to go. Then there's the JV factor. Imagine a Senna-Villeneuve pairing! I think unless Senna insisted on a milquetoast teammate, he would have had hard fights from within the Williams garage. Overall over that period I think he would have outraced Schumacher, Hill and Villeneuve, but not getting the title every time. Certainly Schumacher was removed from the equation when he went to Ferrari, and Senna might have retired before the red cars were fast again.

[NHcheese]

I hate these kinda questions

[zurich_allan]

I do not think he would of been the legend that he has become. He would of become as most people regard Prost.

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I find this quite a strange thing to hear actually. I've heard a few younger fans say similar type things about how Senna is only viewed in the way he is because he died, and I have to correct them and say that they're wrong. Senna was already being viewed as special / 'mercurial' if you like etc. before he died, that was common knowledge / feeling at the time.

So less of a 'myth'? Perhaps. But not to a great extent. He would always have been viewed as a legendary figure by the majority, dead or retired.

[Jabberwocky]

I think it is more to do with the fact that had he lived we would of seen him past his heights, much like we saw with Schumacher, imagine what people would of been saying in 20 years if Schumacher had died in 2004 or 2005

Don't get me wrong Senna was/is one of my heros and he was skilled

[zurich_allan]

I think it is more to do with the fact that had he lived we would of seen him past his heights, much like we saw with Schumacher, imagine what people would of been saying in 20 years if Schumacher had died in 2004 or 2005

Don't get me wrong Senna was/is one of my heros and he was skilled

Ah, I see. Yeah, there would have been that danger. The thing about Senna dying as he did is that we forever think of him as a young man who never got past his peak as a racing driver. It's a kind of horrible positive to his legacy I suppose.

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[myownalias]

To turn this thread on it's head; if Senna had lived; would we have the super high safety standards of today? That tragic weekend at Imola in 1994 spawned a whole raft of safety changes that have *probably* saved countless lives since, not just in F1, some of F1's safety innovations were carried over to other motorsports.

[Jabberwocky]

Maybe Rolands death would of triggered them on his own

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[myownalias]

Maybe Rolands death would of triggered them on his own

I don't think so; how many deaths had we seen before that fateful weekend? and despite Jackie Stewart's best efforts, very little changed in terms of safety. It was the big name of Senna that triggered the changes; coupled with added tragedy Ratzenberger's death and Barrichello's massive accident!

[Jabberwocky]

But other deaths of WDC drivers did not have the similar effect

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[myownalias]

But other deaths of WDC drivers did not have the similar effect

I believe that Senna was different from all the other world champions, I believe Senna captured the imagination of motorsports fans more than any other driver in history.

[NHcheese]

The most dedicated driver, not in terms of WDC's but more about how he raced.

[racechick]

Had he lived he'd have had a fist load more championships and Schumi a lot less. In my opinion.