This is not a riddle

[daniela31]

so I am not placing it in the riddle section.
It's something I read over the weekend, and wondered if anyone else knew the answer.

When Ayrton Senna was killed at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994, an Austrian flag was found in his car. What was the flag for?

[Catron]

Perhaps the unique duality of his character was most evident at the moment of his death. As track officials examined the wreckage of his racing car they found a furled Austrian flag. A victory flag that he was going to raise if he won the race, in honour of Austrian Roland Ratzenberger, who had died on that track the day before.

[daniela31]

Well done Catron. pick your prize.

Very, very sad though don't you think? Quite ironic really.
:-(

[kjc]

I can remember this. Such a sad weekend all round. and yes, quite ironic that Senna was intending raising the flag on the podium in honour of Ratzenberger.
Neither of them should have died. The weather was atrocious and the whole thing should have been cancelled.

RIP Senna and Ratzenberger.

[whiffy]

Senna had terrible premonitions of his own death before the race.

I remember so clearly that day, exactly where I was sitting, I said out loud to myself "He's dead". The greatest racing driver the world has ever seen in my view. I was at Silverstone once for qualifying, and the sight and sound of Senna through Copse was absolutely awesome. So typical of that yellow helmet to dash out of the pits in the last minutes of qualifying to take the pole - yet again.

My own tribute.