5 Most Fatal Formula One Accidents Ever

When was the last time you worried about driver’s life after witnessing a serious accident? Here is a list of such crashes.

1. Gilles Villeneuve (1982)

 
Gilles Villeneuve, a Canadian racing driver started his Formula One career in 1977 with the McLaren team. He was soon acquired by reigning world champions Ferrari in the last days of  the season. From that day in 1978 to his death in 1982 he drove for the Italian team. He won six Grand Prix races in a short career at the highest level. Villeneuve died in a 140 mph (225 km/h) crash with the March of Jochen Mass during qualifying round for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. 

2. Ayrton Senna (1994)

 
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. Silva got his name at the first position in three Formula One world championships. He was killed in an accident while leading for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. He remained the most recent Grand Prix driver to die at the wheel of a Formula One car.

3. Roland Ratzenberger (1994)

33 year old Roland Ratzenberger was killed during qualifying round for the San Marino Grand Prix at the Imola circuit on Saturday 30 April 1994. He was unable to keep his car on the track resulting in severe damage of front wing of his car. Instead of disqualifying himself for race he continued the race till he was competing for the final grid spot. His car failed to turn into the Villeneuve Corner and struck the outside wall at 195.68 mph (314.9 km/h)

4. Michael Schumacher and Luciano Burti (2001)

At Hockenheim GP in 2001 Schumacher had problems with Ferrari’s gear selection and started to loss pace. Burti behind in the traffic failed to see the Ferrari struggling in front. He hit Schumacher from behind and was launched into air but no one was hurt severely in this accident.

5. Felipe Massa (2009)

Massa was a Brazilian driver. He finished a close 2^nd in the 2008 Drivers’ World Championship. During his stay at Ferrari he crashed his F60 at Hungaroring’s Turn 4, after being struck on the helmet by an 800 grams spring, that came off from Rubens Barrichello’s Mercedes. The spring bounced on the tarmac and hit Massa, after that he temporarily lost consciousness and slammed into the safety wall.

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Rubens Barrichello Q&A: Williams in better shape than last year

After a hectic pre-season test schedule, Williams’ Rubens Barrichello is feeling positive about the British team’s 2011 chances. Feeling more at home in the FW33 than he did in its predecessor, Barrichello is targeting a top-ten grid slot and a points-scoring finish at the forthcoming Australian Grand Prix…

Q: How has the pre-season build up been for you?
Rubens Barrichello: This is my second year with the team and we are in much better shape than we were this time last year. Everything has been prepared well and the team are doing a really good job getting everything ready in time for Melbourne.

Q: How does the FW33 compare to last year’s car?
RB: I think we are better on performance than last year. The car is a different animal though so there is a different way of treating it, but I quite like it. How much faster it is, is very difficult to know, but the car feels better than last year’s to drive.

Q: What is your opinion about the tyre degradation we are seeing?
RB: It is difficult for everyone but it depends on the balance you have. It gets to a point where tyre performance has completely gone and you can’t bring it back. You have to look after them but even then you wouldn’t realistically be able make them survive a whole race.

Q: What would you consider to be a successful weekend for you in Australia?
RB: There is still a question mark about where we stand I know that we have improved but there are teams either side of us. I know how optimistic I am and I know how much I would love to say that we will do really well, but what I will say is that I want to be in Q3 and to score points, and I think that is achievable.

Q: What are your thoughts on the load on drivers in the cockpit now you have had some time testing both KERS and the moveable rear wing?
RB: Running with both KERS and the rear wing is tough. As soon as you do a lot of running you get used to the situation, but every new track will be a new challenge. Hopefully we will get a little bit more of an explanation as to how the wing will work, as originally it was only to be used at the start and in straight lines to overtake, but now it seems to be engaged at most corners. With KERS you have to look at the steering wheel to save as much as you want and to use it in the right places, so you’re not looking straight ahead all the time. This is one of the things we are taking about with Charlie Whiting and Jean Todt to try to improve.

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