Motorsport is dangerous. It says so on every ticket and pass printed at a race track. Motorsport lives on the edge of danger and death. This is what often makes it so attractive to the hundreds of race drivers there are throughout the editions.
The Humanity of Racing Drivers
Formula One recently suffered its first death in 21 years with the passing of Jules Bianchi. His death brought very emotional scenes, as well as his funeral and the touching tribute during the build-up to proceedings for the Hungarian Grand Prix. All the drivers put their own helmets on the ground with Jules’ helmet in the middle. The drivers huddled together during the minute’s silence in memory of him. This was a very powerful moment for all involved.
No other sport lives as close to death as Formula One and motor racing in general. The drivers and personnel fully know this. I have found throughout my attraction to motorsport that the connection between the drivers may be that of sheer competition to beat the other person in the car ahead, but also that of a brotherhood. Knowing that you could be killed at any moment brings these drivers closer than any other sport.
When Niki Lauda crashed at the Nurburgring in 1976, his car was engulfed in flames. Despite this, Guy Edwards, Harold Ertl and Arturo Merzario managed to unstrap and pull him from the burning wreckage, saving him from being burned alive.
In 1992, during practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, Erik Comas crashed his car heavily. Ayrton Senna stopped at the scene of the accident, jumped out of his McLaren and ran to Comas’ car. He switched the engine off, preventing a fire, and helped hold Comas’ head until paramedics could get to him.
In 1994, just after Senna’s crash brought out the Red Flag, in an ironic moment by sheer accident Comas was allowed to leave the pits in his Larousse at high speed through Tamburello and was waved down by marshals. Comas saw the scene of Senna’s crash and withdrew himself from the race thereafter.
During examinations of the wreckage of Senna’s Williams, it was noted there was a flag in his cockpit. It was known Senna used to carry the Brazilian flag to wave if he won, but this time, it was different. The flag was Austrian. Had Senna have won the race he was going to wave the Austrian flag for Roland Ratzenberger who died the day before in qualifying.
Despite sometimes their often robotic PR talk and competitive banter in front of the cameras, there is a real human connection beneath F1 drivers.
No matter how harsh the rivalry or destructive the relationship, no matter what in a time of need these gladiators are there for each other. Just remember that Alain Prost was a pallbearer at Ayrton Senna’s funeral. That says everything about the humanity of a race driver to the very core.
