Vettel pays tribute to Senna and Ratzenberger with emotional Imola demo run

May 19, 2024 12:21pm UTC

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 19: Sebastian Vettel holds an Austrian and Brazilian flag in tribute to Roland

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 19: Sebastian Vettel prepares to drive the McLaren MP4/8 of Ayrton Senna on

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 19: Sebastian Vettel drives the McLaren MP4/8 of Ayrton Senna on track prior to

TOPSHOT - German former Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel drives the historic McLaren car of

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 19: Sebastian Vettel performs donuts in the McLaren MP4/8 of Ayrton Senna on

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 19: The families of Ayrton Senna, Roland Ratzenberger and Sebastian Vettel look

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 19: A detail view of an Ayrton Senna decal on his McLaren MP4/8 prior to the F1

Sebastian Vettel delivered a special – and rather emotional – demo run in one of Ayrton Senna’s old F1 cars ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as the tributes to the Brazilian and Roland Ratzenberger continued at Imola.

Senna and Austrian racer Ratzenberger lost their lives in separate accidents at the circuit some 30 years ago, with Vettel and many others up and down the paddock using this weekend’s event to hold various tributes.

INSIGHT: Joining Vettel’s run for the ages as F1 remembers Senna and Ratzenberger at Imola

After organising a track run on Thursday evening, Vettel stepped into the cockpit of Senna’s McLaren MP4/8 from 1993, in which the three-time world champion claimed the last of his 41 race wins.

Moving scenes followed as Vettel toured the circuit, waved to fans and then held up Brazilian and Austrian flags, before parking up on the start/finish straight and completing a series of donuts.

Flick through the image gallery above for some of the best shots from the demo.

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