- 10 Dec 11, 11:03#286089
Yeah, I agree that of course any F1 driver could potentially be killed at any time. What I was referring to in specifics was that it was well known at the time that Senna was getting increasingly desperate and pushing the heavily flawed Williams to the limit and beyond because Schumacher was getting so far ahead in the points standings. Now it very much is all 'ifs, buts and maybes', but if the Benetton was indeed using these aids, would they have won the opening races so comfortably and thus would Senna have been pushing the car so hard that he already knew was potentially dangerous (he's on record as having said how dangerous he believed all of the cars were that season, as well as pages of feedback describing how nervous and twitchy the Williams specifically was). I don't know the answer, but I do believe it's a genuinely valid question.
On a more serious note, and it's a discussion point, not something I am asserting before the daggers are drawn, the question is, if Benetton were using these aids, and had they been more sporting and not used them, would Senna have been killed or might he still have been with us today?
I agree regarding attitude towards competition, but was in the dark as to what happened off track in '94 - before my time by 3 years. Thanks for that.
One lapse in concentration could kill an F1 driver, not just mechanical failures on a car operating beyond its limit. Senna could have died before Imola, everything's unknown if the circumstances change - speculation seems out of place.
Yeah, I agree that of course any F1 driver could potentially be killed at any time. What I was referring to in specifics was that it was well known at the time that Senna was getting increasingly desperate and pushing the heavily flawed Williams to the limit and beyond because Schumacher was getting so far ahead in the points standings. Now it very much is all 'ifs, buts and maybes', but if the Benetton was indeed using these aids, would they have won the opening races so comfortably and thus would Senna have been pushing the car so hard that he already knew was potentially dangerous (he's on record as having said how dangerous he believed all of the cars were that season, as well as pages of feedback describing how nervous and twitchy the Williams specifically was). I don't know the answer, but I do believe it's a genuinely valid question.
Favourite racing series: F1, Indycar, NASCAR, GP2, F3, Formula E, Trophee Andros, DTM, WTCC, BTCC, World Endurance... etc. etc.