Berger Pays Tribute to Senna, Ratzenberger

Austrian Gerhard Berger drove Ayrton Senna's old Lotus around the Imola circuit on Sunday in an emotional tribute to the late champion and his own compatriot Roland Ratzenberger.

Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix, possibly the last to be held at Imola, marks the 10th anniversary of the race weekend on which the two Formula One drivers died.

With Senna's sister Viviane and her 20-year-old son Bruno watching, his former McLaren teammate and closest friend in the paddock drove three laps in the car.

A Brazilian flag with Senna's photograph on it fluttered from the airbox while Berger had a badge of Ratzenberger's helmet on his overalls. His own helmet was painted in the Austrian red and white.

"That was very emotional for different reasons," said Berger, who raced in that 1994 Grand Prix for Ferrari and whose practical jokes at the Brazilian's expense are part of the sport's folklore.

"Of course to remember Ayrton, of course to remember Roland. I think it's a great way to remember the colleagues. The next thing that was very emotional was to come to Tamburello and see the marshals that saved my life in 1989 and tried to save Ayrton's life."

Quick Work

Berger, then with Ferrari, hit the wall at Tamburello after three laps of the 1989 race and survived thanks to the quick work of marshals after his car was engulfed by flames.

"And then of course it was emotional to remind us and remember the time of this kind of cars because that was very special too," said the Austrian. "So altogether it was a great, great thing to do."

Senna and Ratzenberger were the last fatalities Formula One has suffered on the racetrack. The Imola course has been redesigned since the Brazilian's crash at Tamburello corner while leading in a Williams but his memory lives on at Imola.

Circuit organisers have dedicated grandstands to each driver.

Faded floral tributes, framed photographs and dedications in several languages adorn the back of the wall where Senna was killed and a statue stands on the infield on the opposite side of the track.