Wheatley is one of the few members who are today in the Paddock who lived in-situ the tragic weekend of racing in Isola 1994. For him, in general, it was a year that marked his life and in which he would win his first world Cup with Michael Schumacher, but that is already another story.
Wheatley worked as a mechanic of the front wheel of Schumacher and that year, recalls the beautiful rivalry he had with Senna. For him, Ayrton was his idol, a pilot he had followed since he was in lower categories. In Formula 1, they had to face and Jonathan remembers a curious anecdote, how the blackboard taught Michael motivated the Brazilian to improve his time and take the pole.
“Without a doubt, it was the year that had the most impact on my life. I married in 1994, although I promised myself the previous year. I grew up in the world of karting, and no one had really risen from Karting to Formula 1 of all the heroes he saw in the magazines. Ayrton was a name that was arrived, won this race and then, suddenly, he was on the road to Formula 1, “Wheatley commented on the official podcast of Formula 1, Beyond the Grid.
“I continued his career. Ford Formula, Ford 2000 formula, an incredible season of formula 3 with Martin Brundle. Ayrton was my hero and suddenly, I had it in the garage next door in Formula 1. We had that continuous relationship in 1994, Ayrton returned to the garage and I taught the board with Michael’s timehe raised his voice and shook his head. He went on track, it was faster than Michael and looked for me with the board to tell me where his time was, “he adds.
For Wheatley, that is one of the worst weekends that can remember and are words that still have more weight when a figure says that has been so many years in the paddock.
“Icola 1994 was the worst weekend I can remember, I still remember the emotions now. When I moved last week, I saw that I kept many things of that year. For me, like a young man, it was a turning point. I remember that Benetton’s chief of mechanics came to me, put his arm on his shoulder, because he knew the relationship he had and what he thought of Ayrton, and told me he had gone, “he said.
“Many things happened that weekend. Rubens’s accident, with his hands in front of his head, an incredible image. Roland, could remember that accident, which had not been normal and that was very serious. In the race, JJ Lehto was stuck in the exit and there was a great impact, Alborto lost a wheel in the Pit-lane that hit my number one mechanic And he damaged his leg, “he insisted.
Finally, Wheatley recalls the atmosphere after knowing that Senna had lost his life. At the airport, everyone was silent and even nobody wanted to get on the plane, for fear that something would happen following all the heartbreaking accidents that had happened that weekend.
“The most important thing is, after Senna’s accident, we didn’t want to get on the plane. I remember that we were all sitting at the airport in silence and Williams’ boys had told them about Ayrton and we didn’t want to get on the plane. The question was: what is the next thing that will happen?“Wheatley acknowledged to conclude.
