Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Senna!

Ayrton Senna was one of the most famous Formula One racers of all time, and Netflix's Senna miniseries shows how he tragically crashed and died in 1994. Due to Senna's prominence and domination over the Formula One league, his tragic 1994 death has become infamous, with it having a variety of effects that have impacted the sport forever. So, while Netflix's Senna explores the events that led up to the titular driver's death, here is a full breakdown of what happened, how it happened, and how its legacy has changed the world of Formula One racing.

Netflix's Senna miniseries has finally been released, with it telling the story of the titular Formula One driver. Ayrton Senna was a prominent driver who raced in Formula One throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with him getting 41 wins, 65 pole positions, three world champion titles, and still holding five Formula One records. Gabriel Leone plays Ayrton Senna in Netflix's biographical miniseries, with him bringing to life the professional and personal details of the Formula One driver's life, all the way up until his tragic death on May 1, 1994.

How Senna Crashed His Car In 1994's Imola Grand Prix

It Came After Several Other Prominent Crashes

Ayrton Senna's final races occurred at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994 at the Imola Circuit in Italy, with this being just the latest of many races that Senna had competed in. During practice on Friday before the Grand Prix, Senna's prot¨¦g¨¦ Rubens Barrichello got into a major car accident while racing, although his life was saved. After witnessing the incident, Senna went on to set the fastest time in qualifying. However, Senna took extra time to review his car for safety after the race, with this possibly being due to the shock of Barrichellos' crash.

The next day, another accident happened during a qualifying race, leading to the death of Austrain driver Roland Ratzenberger. On Sunday, Senna had placed an Austrian flag at the back of his car, presumably planning on raising it for his victory lap if he had won. Another collision happened at the start of the Sunday race, with a safety car being deployed while debris was being cleaned from the track. Senna and the rest of the drivers slowly followed the car for five laps, with it resuming at the start of lap six.

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Senna had the third-quickest lap of the race on lap six. During lap seven, however, Senna was approaching the Tamburello corner when his car left the racing line. He ran into a unprotected concrete barrier in a straight line, with him having entered the corner at 192mph (309 km/h). Senna attempted to break before hitting the wall, with him colliding at a speed of 131 mph (211 km/h). The collision caused the nose and front wheel of the car to tear off, with the vehicle bouncing off of the wall and spinning before it stopped.

How Senna Died As A Result Of His Car Crash

Three Major Injuries Contributed

Ayrton Senna 2010 (2)

Senna's car crash was clearly bad, with him remaining motionless, making one slight head movement, and then going motionless again. The tire that had been lost due to the crash had hit the right side of Senna's helmet, causing skull fractures that ended up being fatal. A piece of the suspension had also penetrated his helmet and head, while another piece of the upright assembly had penetrated above his right eye. Television footage shows medical professionals and fire marshalls removing Senna from the car, with heavy amounts of blood being visible.

The pieces of the vehicle that had penetrated Senna's helmet ruptured his superficial temporal artery, causing lots of head trauma and blood loss. An on-site tracheotomy was performed as the race was stopped and a medical helicopter arrived. Senna was brought into the Maggiore Hospital 43 minutes after the crash, and his heart stopped 10 minutes later. Senna was placed on life support for a few hours, and once his heart stopped for a second time at 18:37, with his death being announced at 18:40.

Did Banning Electronic Aids Have Anything To Do With Senna's Crash?

The Rule Changes Were Controversial

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Electronic driver aids had been at the center of some major controversies in the world of Formula One around the time of Ayrton Senna's crash and death, with many fans wondering if these aids had anything to do with his death. The Williams team had debuted several electronic driver aids in the late 1980s, with their package including things like active suspension, traction control, and anti-lock brakes. While these were controversial, they helped Williams drivers excel at their races, although many other teams weren't fans of these additions.

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Several prominent Formula One figures attempted to get these aids banned from the sport, with it being agreed that they would stop being used at the end of the 1993 season. Senna joined the Williams team for the 1994 season, with him agreeing that he would do it with or without the electronic aids. Since the aids were eventually banned, Williams had to redesign its cars. This has led to speculation that the new Williams models had a hand in Senna's death, although it is impossible to say for sure due to the variety of factors that surrounded the crash.

How Senna's Death Changed Formula One Racing

Lots Of Rule Changes Were Announced Soon After

The deaths of Senna and Ratzenberger had some major impacts on Formula One racing as well as the San Marino Grand Prix. The FIA received major criticisms for its rule changes, with many racers and Formula One fans calling for safety improvements. The FIA almost immediately announced new rule changes ahead of the race in Monaco, with these having to do with pit stops and who could be allowed onto the pit lane surface. The Grand Prix Drivers' Association was reformed and forced the FIA to announce even more safety measures.

For the Spanish Grand Prix, it was announced that the size of the diffusers and the front wing would be reduced while the front wing end plates would be raised. Then, several major changes were announced for the Canadian Grand Prix, with many of these having to do with head safety and the prevention of tires striking drivers, a direct response to Senna's death. These new safety measures have helped to prevent more accidents like the one that resulted in Senna's death, with the driver's legacy being carried on with the likes of Netflix's Senna.