A late starter in motor racing, Roland Ratzenberger dedicated everything to reaching Formula 1. Turning down lucrative offers in IndyCars and sportscars, he’d just secured a foothold in F1 when tragedy struck on 30 April 1994
WORDS GERHARD KUNTSCHIK PICTURES
Gorianstrasse is a small, dead-end street in Salzburg’s Riedenburg neighbourhood, around halfway between the old city nestling at the foot of the Hohensalzburg fortress and the airport on the western outskirts. There, in a new-build block, Roland Ratzenberger bought a two-storey apartment with beautiful views of Untersberg mountain from the terrace.
For 29 years now this has been the home of Roland’s parents. Rudi, his father, soon turns 91, while mother Margit is 86 – but with a memory some much younger people would envy.
“Roland was travelling the world as racer, but he always stressed he would have a residence in his hometown. That’s why he bought this apartment. He took it over one week before Imola,” Rudi recalls. And he adds: “Firstly, we were reluctant to move in. Then we decided not to sell or lease it but to use it ourselves.”
The Ratzenberger family had lived on the eastern side of the city, close to the road that leads to the lake district. It was there Roland (born 4 July 1960) and his younger sisters Elisabeth and Gabi grew up.
“Roland was fascinated with cars from his kindergarten days,” Margit says reflectively. “He loved to look out of the window and watch cars travelling by. Soon he could name almost every brand, every model.”
If the parents have one regret it’s the indifference they once had about Roland’s ambition to pursue a racing career. The father-son-relationship was sometimes difficult, they admit. “Roland never spoke much about his plans or targets. He was pretty inverted, not only to us, but to most people he had to deal with,” Margit says.
On 30 April 1994, Rudi and Margit returned from a vacation in Mexico. They switched on the TV for the San Marino Grand Prix final qualifying session. The next minute they witnessed the aftermath of a heavy accident and realised it was their son’s car.
Rudi hadn’t wanted his son to become a racing driver but from this day on he pushed to keep Roland’s memory alive in the media. “I know he will be always mentioned in connection with Ayrton Senna. So he will not be forgotten.”
Back to the 80s
Saalbach-Hinterglemm, in the Pinzgau dist
