Tragic Imola Has Saved Lives, Says Max.

FIA president Max Mosley remembered the tragic events of Imola 1994 by pointing to the improved safety record of F1, brought about by measures introduced in the wake of the black weekend.


Paying tribute to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger - who perished within 24 hours of each other five years ago - Mosley pointed to several other drivers who may not have survived accidents had it not been for safety devices introduced since. Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Salo, Johnny Herbert and Ricardo Zonta have, according to Mosley, reason to be grateful for the head and rear impact absorbing structures made mandatory in F1 in the period since 1994.


"We have seen several accidents in the last 12 months which would have either caused death or serious injury without the improvements which have taken place between 1994 and now," the president said. "But people should never be under any illusions. We can never make Formula One entirely safe."


"We have been able to reduce the probability of death or serious injury, but we have not eliminated it. If you want to race small, light cars with enormously powerful engines at 200mph on very narrow roads, it will always be very dangerous."