Gorianstrasse is a small, dead-end avenue in Salzburg’s Riedenburg neighbourhood, round midway between the previous metropolis nestling on the foot of the Hohensalzburg fortress and the airport on the western outskirts. There, in a new-build block, Roland Ratzenberger purchased a two-storey residence with stunning views of Untersberg mountain from the terrace.
For 29 years now this has been the house of Roland’s dad and mom. Rudi, his father, quickly turns 91, whereas mom Margit is 86 – however with a reminiscence some a lot youthful individuals would envy.
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“Roland was travelling the world as racer, however he all the time burdened he would have a residence in his hometown. That’s why he purchased this residence. He took it over one week earlier than Imola,” Rudi remembers. And he provides: “Firstly, we have been reluctant to maneuver in. Then we determined to not promote or lease it however to make use of it ourselves.”
The Ratzenberger household had lived on the japanese facet of town, near the highway that results in the lake district. It was there Roland (born 4 July 1960) and his youthful sisters Elisabeth and Gabi grew up.
“Roland was fascinated with vehicles from his kindergarten days,” Margit says reflectively. “He beloved to look out of the window and watch vehicles travelling by. Quickly he might title nearly each model, each mannequin.”
If the dad and mom have one remorse it’s the indifference they as soon as had about Roland’s ambition to pursue a racing profession. The daddy-son-relationship was generally troublesome, they admit. “Roland by no means spoke a lot about his plans or targets. He was fairly inverted, not solely to us, however to most individuals he needed to take care of,” Margit says.
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On 30 April 1994, Rudi and Margit returned from a trip in Mexico. They switched on the TV for the San Marino Grand Prix remaining qualifying session. The subsequent minute they witnessed the aftermath of a heavy accident and realised it was their son’s automobile.
Roland Ratzenberger was tragically killed in a crash through the Saturday qualifying session at Imola, 1994
Roland Ratzenberger was tragically killed in a crash through the Saturday qualifying session at Imola, 1994Sutton Photos
Sutton Photos
Rudi hadn’t needed his son to turn into a racing driver however from at the present time on he pushed to maintain Roland’s reminiscence alive within the media. “I do know he will likely be all the time talked about in reference to Ayrton Senna. So he is not going to be forgotten.”
Again to the 80s
Saalbach-Hinterglemm, within the Pinzgau district of Salzburg, is a trendy vacationer vacation spot identified for wintersports. Not a lot for rallying, although the village is dwelling to former Austrian rally star Sepp Haider and the secondary dwelling to double world champion Walter Röhrl. It was Haider who organised a nationwide winter rally within the valley in December 1980.
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I used to be protecting the occasion for the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper. On the service zone close to the Zwölferkogel cablecar, two younger males watching the motion recognised me from the paper and launched themselves: Roland Ratzenberger and Gerald Lachmayr, college students on the technical highschool in Salzburg. They needed recommendation on the best way to turn into racing drivers. I urged Walter Lechner’s racing faculty, then on the close by Salzburgring.
In 1989 Roland made his Le Mans debut in a Porsche 962 he shared with Walter Lechner and, although the race was reduce quick by a tyre failure after three hours, Roland’s fascination with the legendary enduro had begun
They adopted my recommendation, Roland so eager to make a begin that he dropped out of college simply earlier than commencement. Lachmayr stopped after one season or so of Austrian Method Ford, having run out of cash. Roland was wanting funds virtually all time. However he clung on to his dream, incomes simply sufficient by working as a ‘gopher’ in Lechner’s faculty and crew, then later as an teacher.
In 1985 he joined Alois Roppes’ Method Ford crew in Germany, working as a mechanic to pay for a trip within the crew’s second automobile alongside Michael Roppes, son of the proprietor. If lack of funds dictated sleeping in a truck or a tent, so be it.
Giving up was out of the query.
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Roland’s willpower and ambition have been rewarded. In 1985, he gained 11 out of 19 races and took the Austrian, German and European FFord titles. The next season, success in England introduced him consideration within the racing world. Profitable the Race of Champions and the Method Ford Competition at Manufacturers Hatch, coached by Walter Lechner, paved the best way to F3 and a works contract with BMW within the Touring Automotive World Championship 1987 – changing F1-bound within the Schnitzer squad.
Ratzenberger took over within the ETCC from F1-bound Gerhard Berger
Ratzenberger took over within the ETCC from F1-bound Gerhard BergerMotorsport Photos
Motorsport Photos
Massive in Japan
Roland additionally raced in F3 from 1987 (profitable a Euroseries race on the Nürburgring) for West Surrey Racing and moved to England for the 1988 season to race in F3. He discovered a flat in Blakesley, close to Silverstone. The season with Madgwick introduced extra accidents than success. Roland determined to maneuver to F3000 with Spirit, ending up third within the British championship.
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Endurance racing attracted Roland as a manner of getting nearer to F1. Former Schnitzer worker Peter Reinisch, additionally Salzburg-born, put him in touch with Walter Brun’s sportscar crew. In 1989 Roland made his Le Mans debut in a Porsche 962 he shared with Walter Lechner and, although the race was reduce quick by a tyre failure after three hours, Roland’s fascination with the legendary enduro had begun.
When the prospect of a take a look at for Toyota in Japan got here up, Roland took it in the easiest way, incomes a contract for 1990 and changing into the primary European works driver for the Japanese model. He relocated to Japan and have become a Toyota stalwart for the following seasons in Group C racing.
A primary likelihood to maneuver to F1 appeared within the type of the brand new Jordan crew. Burkhard Hummel, co-owner of Austrian company WWP, tried to arrange a package deal along with a brewery and an oil big to place Roland within the second automobile alongside Andrea de Cesaris. The sponsors couldn’t agree on a contract and the drive went to Bertrand Gachot.
Roland additionally thought of a ‘plan B’ within the US, testing a Dick Simon-run IndyCar at Willow Springs. However transferring to US racing is usually a one-way avenue; the stable contract with Toyota in sportscars (which allowed Roland to race on in touring vehicles as effectively) could be higher for ongoing F1 visibility. 1992 introduced a ninth-place end in Le Mans along with and Eje Elgh within the older Toyota 92C-V Turbo. In a Porsche 962 he completed third within the Daytona 24 hours. In 1993, Roland did a lot of the driving on the best way to a category win on the Sarthe and fifth total within the up to date 93C-V shared with Mauro Martini and Naoki Nagasaka. Martini nonetheless charges Roland as the most effective Group C drivers of that point.
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Among the many European expats in Japan – , , , Andrew Gilbert-Scott, Eddie Irvine to call just some – Roland was a preferred determine and an excellent pal. When a person pulled a knife on Frentzen in a bar one night time, Roland stepped in to forestall HHF from being damage. He was blissful in Japan, incomes good cash, and even spoke some Japanese.
Ratzenberger accomplished the 1992 Le Mans 24 Hour within the Kitz Racing Toyota with Eddie Irvine and Eje Elgh
Ratzenberger accomplished the 1992 Le Mans 24 Hour within the Kitz Racing Toyota with Eddie Irvine and Eje ElghSutton Photos
Sutton Photos
The massive break
These comforts didn’t diminish Roland’s ambition to achieve F1 and he purchased a small flat within the Monte Carlo Solar tower as a European dwelling. Late in 1993, every little thing started to come back collectively.
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German businesswoman Barbara Behlau, who ran an company in Monaco specialising in artists and occasions, was approached for an funding in a non-public airline.
Her monetary advisor disagreed, suggesting as a substitute that supporting a race driver into F1 could be a greater proposition. Barbara agreed to pay £500,000 for Roland to compete within the first 5 races with Nick Wirth’s newly established Simtek crew.
Ratzenberger’s case was supported by crew sponsor MTV. Owing to the similarity of his title to the British tv character Roland Rat, he was identified within the UK and had even appeared in a TV sketch with the puppet rodent. However he knew that he was clearly the number-two driver, firstly as a rookie, and secondly as a result of his team-mate was David Brabham, whose three-time world champion father Sir Jack owned 26% of the crew. Simtek was so wanting cash that it might solely present a automobile for Roland on the final pre-season take a look at at Imola in early March.
It was Ayrton’s intention to get acquainted with Roland. “Ayrton thought Roland was an excellent man,” Senna’s physio Josef Leberer remembers. After Roland’s accident, Senna went to Villeneuve nook to get an perception into the reason for the accident
To overlook his first GP at Interlagos a fortnight later was an enormous blow for Roland. He knew Simtek’s Ford engines have been two grades beneath Benetton’s and one beneath these equipped to Larrousse and Minardi. There have been engine issues, a damper failure and different new-car mishaps, so Roland didn’t lap quick sufficient to qualify on Friday and missed out on Saturday when rain hit within the second session.
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The Pacific GP at Aida was up subsequent and this supplied particular incentive for a driver with so many connections to Japan. Ending eleventh within the race was an enormous motivation for the European season forward.
We met in Simtek’s motorhome on Thursday afternoon of the San Marino GP weekend. Roland defined why he thought he might beat David Brabham and the 2 Pacific vehicles to qualify regardless of a technical drawback. The subsequent race up was Monaco, which Roland thought of his different ‘dwelling’ occasion. He was in a wonderful temper and clearly needed to show one thing.
This temper didn’t final lengthy. On Saturday through the lunch break, my colleague Gerald Pototschnig interviewed him and Roland, clearly beneath just a little stress, reduce it quick, saying, “Let’s end this after qualifying, I’ve acquired no time left.”
His phrases took on a merciless second which means 40 minutes later when he crashed into the barrier at Villeneuve nook whereas travelling at 306km/h. Roland’s entrance wing had indifferent, most likely because of a kerb strike the earlier lap, and, because the stays of his automobile got here to relaxation, the angle of his head within the cockpit led everybody to worry the worst.
Ayrton Senna had hoped to show a tribute following Sunday’s race, although the tribute by no means got here
Ayrton Senna had hoped to show a tribute following Sunday’s race, although the tribute by no means cameRainer W. Schlegelmilch / Motorsport Photos
Rainer W. Schlegelmilch / Motorsport Photos
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We waited in entrance of the circuit’s medical centre, hoping for some reduction, some excellent news, although all of us felt there was no hope anymore.
At any time when Roland got here again for a couple of hours to Salzburg, we met for a drink and he often allowed himself one glass of beer. Throughout one quick stopover, he randomly acquired married to Bente, ex-wife of 1989 Le Mans winner Stanley Dickens. It was 13 December 1991. They honeymooned in New York. In early January, simply three weeks later, Roland known as his mom and advised her he’d filed for divorce.
The dad and mom by no means realized the rationale.
Roland’s later companion was a Somalian mannequin known as Kadisha. Based on Rudi and Margit, she devastated the flat in Monaco after the accident and took every little thing she might. “We don’t wish to consider her,” Rudi says bitterly.
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It was Ayrton’s intention to get acquainted with Roland. “Ayrton thought Roland was an excellent man,” Senna’s physio Josef Leberer remembers. After Roland’s accident, Senna went to Villeneuve nook to get an perception into the reason for the accident. He was very nervous. And he requested Leberer for an Austrian flag to hold in his automobile and wave for Roland after the race.
Tragically although, Ayrton by no means acquired the chance to make this gesture.
Rudi and Margit will journey to Imola on 30 April in firm of a detailed household pal and can attend the memorial ceremony that will likely be held on the Autodromo for Ayrton and Roland.
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“That is the thirtieth anniversary of this tragic weekend. However we suppose it will likely be the final for us to recollect,” Rudi and Margit confess.
Time is passing by.
The Brazilian and Austrian flags painted on the Monaco grid in reminiscence of Senna and Ratzenberger
The Brazilian and Austrian flags painted on the Monaco grid in reminiscence of Senna and RatzenbergerMotorsport Photos
Motorsport Photos
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