Formula 1’s America’s triple-header will draw to an emotional close in Brazil this weekend, 30 years after losing its greatest-ever driver.
Local hero Aryton Senna made his F1 debut at the 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix, before becoming a two-time race winner in Sao Paulo.
The three-time world champion enjoyed the second of his Interlagos triumphs in 1993, just a year before his tragic passing.
Senna’s death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, when he was just 34, took a superstar in his prime.
His tragic crash, which came a day after Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger also lost his life in a separate accident, has since become known in F1 racing circles as ‘Black Sunday’.
Three decades later, May 1 remains a date that carries emotional resonance for F1 fans but none more so than the drivers involved.
Mark Blundell’s first-ever podium in motorsport’s elite was shared with Senna at the 1993 South African GP – F1’s last visit to Africa.
A year later, the Brit was racing for Tyrrell-Yamaha when that fateful red flag was brought out following Senna’s 131 mph crash in Italy.
Blundell ultimately finished ninth when the Grand Prix restarted thirty-seven minutes after the passing of Lewis Hamilton‘s idol.
Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone revealed earlier this year that Max Mosley, then president of the governing body the FIA, made the prediction that Senna’s death ‘would be the end’ of the sport.
However, just 14 days later, the grid returned to Monaco and by the end of the month, something extraordinary had happened.
Senna’s Williams partner Damon Hill won the 1994 Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Michael Schumacher for the team’s first win of the season.
Blundell, who qualified in 11th, then capitalised on a series of engine failures to ensure there were two Englishmen on the podium.
It was the third and final podium of Blundell’s F1 career, who reflected fondly on a moment of euphoria in a month that has such a storied place in motorsport history.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT.com, he said: “It was the podium that I didn’t know was my last one at that stage because you never do.
“Looking back on it, again, point scoring in those days was quite a tough situation and reliability was also a bigger factor in what went on.
“Just having a podium full stop in Formula One is always going to be an achievement.
“Even if you look today and you reflect on the grid of Grand Prix drivers and you start to analyse how many of those Grand Prix drivers have had one podium and two and three, people may want to just go and do it.
“It will be quite easy to see that there have been several people, several drivers that have never had a podium. They never had more than one or two or three.
“Just to get on a few times actually for me is something I’m happy about and the Spanish Grand Prix standing up there, I can’t complain. Still, a nice thing to be able to do.
“Also, with Tyrell and again with Yamaha, because I scored the first World Championship point for Yamaha as a manufacturer and I scored the first podium with Yamaha. Nice memories.”
Blundell’s podium in Barcelona was the second he had shared with F1 icon Schumacher, who went on to win the first of his seven world championships later that season.
The German wasn’t yet polished as the prototype of the modern F1 driver and pioneer of fitness that he eventually became.
On witnessing the rise of future Ferrari superstar, Blundell added: “I’d already raced against Schumacher in sports cars in the world sportscar championship when he was at Mercedes Benz/Mercedes Salva and I was at Nissan. So, we knew each other from that period and you knew that he was a talent. You could see that.
“In Formula One, I had a couple of times where we’d come across each other and had a bit of disagreement over the same piece of tarmac, but that’s happening all the time and that’s a normal situation.
“But I think what was evident to see with Schumacher was he was in that 1 per cent club, like a Senna and like a [Alain] Prost, where he’d worked out that to do what he needed to do on the track with his ability, he still needed the best of the best to be outside of his cockpit of a race car, to put everything together.
“From the standpoint of making sure that he had the best in class, in engineering and design, and team managers and so forth. That was one of his skill sets. I think that was a massive plus on his side of things and what he did.
“And also, for me, he took the fitness level of drivers to the next step. So, I think Senna was one of the ones that came in and took it to a new level and then I think Schumacher was the guy that actually lifted it to another level again.”
Blundell partnered with future world champion Mika Hakkinen at McLaren for the 1995 season before his time in F1 came to an end.
The now-58-year-old, who also won the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans, has since dabbled in a series of other career ventures.
Blundell is CEO of a Sports management and marketing agency, MB Partners, and previously worked in insurance and real estate.
He also tried his hand at F1 presenting – but that is an area he now defers to his former Brabham and Ligier teammate Martin Brundle.
“I think Martin Brundle is underrated as a driver by many people,” Blundell added to talkSPORT.
“I can tell you that he’s a formidable driver and his ability to understand a car and get the most out of it is up there with the best and his way of working inside a team was also an incredibly strong asset of his.
“He’s one of those intelligent drivers and I learned a huge amount from him. Bearing in mind when I first started motor racing in 1984, Martin had just started the Grand Prix.
“When I caught up with him, he had many years of experience and I took a huge amount of that experience and learned from him. Without a doubt, he is a top driver.
“The fact that he’s gone on to make himself another career in television and without doubt, again, be probably one of the biggest and best authorities on F1 and deliver it in such a way that everyone can understand is also a testimony to him and his skills.
“So yeah, don’t underestimate Martin!”
Former Formula 1 driver Mark Blundell spoke to talkSPORT.com via AceOdds.
