Originally posted by NorCal DC4
The best explanation I've read is that the car bottomed out, lost a significant amount of downforce from the cessation of airflow under the car a few hundred yards from Tamburello corner.
The Italian courts were debating when the steering collumn failed (before/during /after the crash) for well over a year.
It was the right front wheel and suspension wishbones that broke off when Senna collided with the wall that delivered the fatal blow.
correct and the video footage supports that explanation (sparks coming out of the bottom of the car). the steering column failure did fail but as a result of the impact. it did not cause the failure.