Roland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver born on July 4, 1960. He competed in various motorsport categories before joining the Formula One circuit in 1997. Ratzenberger drove for the Simtek team and participated in several races during his short career in F1. Tragically, Ratzenberger's life was cut short during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend, where he suffered a fatal crash during qualifying. His death, along with that of Ayrton Senna the following day, led to significant safety reforms in Formula One to protect drivers and improve track conditions.