“I remember bawling my eyes out”: Lewis Hamilton recalls the tragic death of Ayrton Senna in 1994

Long before he became an honorary citizen of Brazil, Lewis Hamilton had already developed a fondness for the country, and it was all thanks to one man – Ayrton Senna. He was Hamilton’s sporting idol and hero, which is why he couldn’t hold back his tears when he heard of his death.

He got candid and made this revelation in his cover story style Magazine. He said: “I was with my father, we worked on the go-kart. I remember walking forward and crying and screaming my eyes out.”

Ayrton Senna died at the age of 34 after a horrific accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Imola. During the race he collided with a concrete barrier and the impact to his head was fatal.

Tragically, he was the second driver to lose his life this weekend, as Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger had died in a similar accident during qualifying the day before.

The incident changed Formula 1 forever as new safety measures were quickly implemented. It was an emotional moment for nine-year-old Hamilton, who idolized the São Paulo native. In an interview, the Brit explained that it affected him deeply because “He wasn’t that kind of guy.” However, there is more to this statement than meets the eye.

Hamilton talks about casual racism and repressed feelings

Hamilton is the first and only black driver in Formula 1 and has taken active steps to address the lack of diversity in the sport. However, growing up, he did not have access to the resources or support systems he advocates for today. He and his family often faced casual racism, but his parents, unable to fully resist it, encouraged him to take a different approach. This upbringing caused Hamilton to become emotionally reserved and reserved.

He revealed, “There was no escape. You experience it at school, in the parks, while walking through the city. I didn’t understand it and my parents never talked to me about it. They never explained what was going on. My dad was like, ‘Keep your head down, hold on, don’t say anything, just beat them to the punch, that’s all you can do.’

Times have certainly changed, and for the better. However, casual racism was far too common back then and often went unpunished for too long. This is what drives the 39-year-old Hamilton’s drive to reach greater heights.