From Ayrton Senna to Princess Diana, remembering legends who lost their lives in the fast lane

ECONOMICTIMES.COM

Updated: Mar 18, 2017, 02.05 PM IST

Professional racer Ashwin Sundar's untimely death in a car crash has left the nation in shock. But this tragic accident isn't the first; here are other famous personalities who lost their lives in car crashes.

Paul Walker

The beloved 'Fast and Furious' actor's death in a car crash came as a shock to fans worldwide. Walker, only 40 then, was behind the wheel of a Porsche at a charity car show. His untimely death on November 30, 2013, two days after Thanksgiving was a shocking loss.

The cast of 'Fast & Furious', which was mid-way through the shooting of the film, completed the movie as a tribute to their co-star.

Walker passed away on November 30, 2013, two days after Thanksgiving. (Image: Facebook/PaulWalker)

The fact that he was the star of the blockbuster franchise and died in a car accident only added to the bitter tragedy. He is survived by his daughter, Meadow Rain Walker who had filed a case against Porsche after the tragedy.

Princess Diana

One of the most controversial accidents of all time, Diana, the Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in a tunnel by the Seine. The accident also killed Emad Mohammed al-Fayed (aka Dodi), the Harrods heir, and their driver.

The car was being chased by photographers on motorcycles, and the driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol. The Princess, 36, had been returning from her holiday with Dodi Fayed from the French Riviera.

Actor John Travolta dances with Princess Diana at a White House dinner in Washington. (Image: AP)

It has been nearly 20 years since the death that shook the world, but ever since that fateful night, conspiracy theories have swirled around what really happened.

Princess Grace Kelly

Who knew a simple September 14 would change the fortune of so many people around the world! It was 1982 and Princess Grace Kelly had been driving her beloved 11-year-old metallic green Rover 3500 from her country home to the Palace of Monaco, with her daughter Stephanie. No one had anticipated what would happen next. During the short drive Kelly missed a curve and the car catapulted down a cliff.

Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in a scene from 'To Catch a Thief'. (Image: imdb)

Ever since the crash, persistent rumours had suggested that Stephanie was the driver, but the Princess broke her 20-year silence on the car crash that killed her mother in 2012 and denied any such allegations. Other rumours also suggested that Stephanie was at the time in a heated argument with her mother about her plans to marry her then-boyfriend Paul, the son of the French film star Jean-Paul Belmondo.

Ayrton Senna

The Formula One legend's death on TV during shocked the world. The Brazilian driver - often termed the greatest in his field - tragically lost his life during the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola after crashing his Williams car into a wall at 145 mph.

The Brazilian driver tragically lost his life during the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola. (Image: Facebook/Oficialayrtonsenna)

This marked the second loss in the racing world in two days, as Austrian Roland Ratzenberger too had lost his life earlier, after suffering a similar crash during the qualifying race.

In an ironic discovery, an Austrian flag recovered from Senna's car revealed the racer's intent of raising the flag in honour of Ratzenberger at the end of the race.

James Dean

On September 30, 1955, Hollywood's budding-star James Dean's sports car slammed into a Ford sedan near Bakersfield, California. The tragic accident occurred just prior to the release of his signature film, ' Rebel Without A Cause'.

The poster of Dean's film 'Rebel Without A Cause'. (Image: imdb.com)

Decades later a documentary unearthed evidence that Dean, contrary to what was said before, was travelling at just over 70mph, up to 20mph slower than was claimed - slamming all claims that the actor's death was a result of his reckless driving.

FONTE PESQUISADA

THE ECONOMIC TIMES - From Ayrton Senna to Princess Diana, remembering legends who lost their lives in the fast Lane. Disponível em: <http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/from-ayrton-senna-to-princess-diana-remembering-legends-who-lost-their-lives-in-the-fast-lane/articleshow/57703100.cms>. Acesso em: 18 de março 2017.