Denial on Senna

Motor racing

Motor racing

Speculation continued to surround the cause of Ayrton Senna's death last night after the chief investigator into the Imola crash denied attributing the blame to a faulty steering rod.

Professor Enrico Lorenzini dismissed Sunday's report in the News of the World, in which he was quoted as saying the rod could not stand the strain of the race as it was "badly welded."

"I did not say that and I'm not saying that," Lorenzini said yesterday. He added that in his opinion the steering column had snapped, but "how or why is another matter".

The report is currently being considered by a Bologna magistrate, Maurizio Passarini, who is expected to announce his verdict by mid-January.