Williams Surprised by Reopening of Senna Trial

The BMW-Williams team today said they were surprised that the Italian Supreme Court has referred the investigation of Ayrton Senna's death back to the Court of Appeal in Bologna.

Williams said they will assist the authorities in the investigation despite being cleared of culpability on two separate occasions.

"Williams has assisted in the detailed investigation of this matter over the last nine years and has been cleared of any culpability on two separate occasions," the team said in a statement. "Accordingly, Williams is surprised that the matter should not be considered closed after such an extended period and an extensive examination of all the facts.

"Williams however respects the legal process in Italy, and will continue fully to assist the authorities as they require."

Brazilian Senna was killed in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola and an investigation into his death followed immediately. Williams technical director Patrick Head and chief designer Adrian Newey were charged with manslaughter by Italian State prosecutor Maurizio Pessarini with a badly designed steering column blamed.

But Head and Newey were later acquitted in November 1999 after a lengthy investigation - five-and-a-half years after the death of the three-time World Champion. Imola circuit officials Federico Bendinello and Giorgio Poggi were also cleared of manslaughter charges.

But the Italian Supreme Court has accepted a petition from prosecutor Rinaldo Rosini and the appeal process will be repeated with errors found in the original process. No official dates have been set for the beginning of the appeal, although it is unlikely that it will start before next summer.

Formula One's governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said it had no comment to make at this stage and lawyer Roberto Causo, who is representing Williams in the case, said he had little doubt that the original acquittal would again by upheld.

Both the badly damaged FW16 car, impounded after the race, and the helmet worn by Senna have been returned to Williams and the Brazilian's family respectively.

Formula One sources said the timing of the announcement, a day after Austria was told this year would be the country's last appearance on the calendar, will not have helped Imola's chances of retaining its place. In the most extreme scenario, the future of Italy's other race at Monza could also be in danger.

The fact that Italian authorities took the Senna case to court in the first place dismayed Formula One bosses, who warned at the time that teams might not come to Italy if they risked conviction in the event of accidents.

Leading figures in Formula One argued that motor racing was a dangerous sport and that organisers should be exempt from any liability of serious injuries or deaths.