By the twentieth anniversary of the death of Ayrton Senna Bashny.Net

First of May this year marked the 20th anniversary of the death of the legendary Ayrton Senna, or as it was called, "The Wizard." Below are the memories of the designer of the machine, behind the wheel in the death of Ayrton - Briton Adrian Newey.

After 1991, Senna did not win titles - in 1992 and 1993, they went to the racers Williams, speaking on machines built by Adrian Newey. In 1994, Senna went to Williams, but in the first two races fizzled, and the third was killed. Newey says that preceded the accident and trying to figure out what caused ...

Adrian Newey: "After two years of working with active suspension with the Williams FW16 we had problems. The aerodynamics was a mistake - the distance between the track and the bottom was too small. It became clear on the tests in Nogaro that Damon Hill spent before the race at Imola.

Continued under the cut ...

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I was on the track and watched the machine. This route is similar to Imola, her many bumps. I immediately became clear what the problem is. The side pontoons were too long. The air did not get into the diffuser, as the leading edge of the pontoons was located too close to the asphalt. Today it sounds funny, but at the moment we do not have the tools to notice such a problem in the wind tunnel.

We decided to shorten the side pontoons, but, of course, did not have time to do so before Imola. Our car won the pole in all of the first three races, but only thanks to Ayrton. None of the other pilot on such a machine to do this would not have been.

I had a lot of work at the base, I was not present at the last race in Aida and I arrived quite late in Imola. When I came to the paddock, then suddenly I saw a car flying at a height of bump. It was the car of Rubens Barrichello.

On that Friday, I can not remember something else. One of the cars Simtek lost the front wing. The team leader, Charlie Moody, whom I knew to work in March, came to me and asked how best to attach the front fender to the nasal obtekatelyu.Ya could not help him, not knowing the structure of the wing at Simtek. I told him that this is the work of designer Nick Wirth. When asked where he was, Moody said that he went to the gala dinner. The next day Roland Ratzenberger crashed out of the broken front wing. The death of Roland is very much influenced by Ayrton.

Increased pressure on it. He came to Williams hoping to get a better car, but still did not get any points. In Imola, our car was not too good. We had problems, we tried to find an acceptable ground clearance. Ayrton complained of understeer and oversteer - the usual symptoms in such cases.

In Aida Benetton Ayrton I watched on the track and was convinced that Michael Schumacher piloted with traction control. According to him, the car Schumacher was illegal. On Saturday morning I met him in the trailer. He said he conducts an unequal battle, and asked me what we can do. I told him that we know the solution to our problems, and that his car will soon be better.

Then there was a race. It all started with a collision at the start and the appearance of the safety car. The Tamburello we did not have any problems. But this turn of many bumps, and within more than outside. Damon always chose the safer path on the outer radius. Ayrton is believed that the inner radius is shorter and therefore faster.

What exactly happened, I do not know, but then again this is not discussed in the courts. On our car had power steering. The steering torque is measured by a sensor strut front axle and had no position sensor. According to the data, which managed to extract from the damaged electronics unit, we have seen: the steering torque suddenly fluctuates.

On the one hand, these data can be interpreted as a refusal of the steering column. But even half a second Ayrton went all the way to press on the gas, then reduce the pressure to 50%, before finally, completely remove the gas and brake. Logic says that a failure of the steering, he immediately would press on the brake to stop.

On-board cameras on the car Schumacher can see the rear part of our car breaks down, Ayrton quickly corrects the trajectory, then it throws off the track - this is my theory. It happens on the American ovals - the car takes off in the opposite direction.

Why it happened on the second lap after the safety car left the track, rather than the first? Tire pressure was still low, but theoretically it could be easier than the first round. Schumacher said that Ayrton was almost taken off in the previous round. Probably, there was a slow puncture one of the right tires, but it is impossible to verify - both wheels were completely destroyed.

After the accident, I immediately had a bad feeling, because he did not move the car. The helmet was as if bolted to the place where the driver is located, lightly touching the headrest. Then there was a terrible noise. After that, I do not remember anything.

Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with Ayrton. Always take time to establish relations with the new driver. Over the years, we have been rivals, I worked for the team competition. When we first met at the base in December, he immediately wanted to see the aerodynamic model. And I wanted to know about the design of the machine all that was possible. "

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