San Marino Grand Prix: Michael Schumacher concedes he faces "an emotional weekend" as the San Marino Grand Prix holds significantly poignant memories for the six-times Formula One world champion.

The motor-racing world is preparing to pay its respects to a legend this weekend for it is 10 years since Ayrton Senna was killed at Imola after ploughing into a concrete wall at 137 m.p.h. at the Tamburello curve.

The Brazilian's death at the age of 34, caused by a front-suspension strut breaking and piercing his helmet, sent shockwaves throughout the sport which will again be felt during the next few days.

A decade on, and Senna's memory will once again be invoked, not least by Schumacher who back then was fast becoming the rising name in a sport dominated by a man who had won the drivers' crown three times in the previous six years.

After Senna's fatal crash on lap seven, Schumacher went on to win the race, which was insignificant at the end of a weekend during which Austrian Roland Ratzenberger was also killed after a crash in qualifying the day before.

To add to Schumacher's emotional burden, though, on the eve of last year's San Marino Grand Prix, his mother Elizabeth also passed away.

Schumacher and younger brother Ralf, who had both been at their mother's side on the Saturday after qualifying, chose to race on in her memory after learning of her death in the early hours of Sunday morning, finishing first and fourth respectively.

Memories of both ill-fated weekends are certain to be at the forefront of Schumacher's mind throughout the next few days as he said: "It is an emotional weekend.

"For me, it is not just about one driver. I like to remember both drivers who died in the same weekend - Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton.

"Everyone was shocked about what happened, and from my point of view - and I've said it many times - it was my first experience of death in the sport I most love."

Ferrari star Schumacher, however, does not believe the deaths of Senna and Ratzenberger were in vain, adding: "The only positive I can take out of it is that we have seen a lot of action in terms of safety since that day.

"Max Mosley was the person to drive the safety campaign strongly forward and to not let further things happen as much as is possible, to have a safe sport.

"To everything there is a limit, but he, his group, the drivers, everybody, pulled in the same line in order to improve safety.

"If you see the safety level we have these days, it is a tremendous success. That is the feedback of what has happened in 1994.

"It doesn't justify what happened, but at least we can see something positive came out of it."

Although Schumacher went on to win the first of his six titles in 1994, motorsport was undoubtedly denied the prospect of the German and Senna duelling for at least a few years.

Many have since tried to draw comparisons between the two, which is impossible and unfair, as Schumacher points out: "I never want to be compared or try to be somebody different."

Instead, Schumacher would prefer to reflect on Senna the driver and the person, adding: "I have very mixed and many memories of Ayrton.

"My first was in 1980 when I saw him racing in go-karts. Nobody knew who he was at the time, but I was very impressed.

"He was a purely fantastic kart racer with a lot of ability and talent, and he worked his through to Formula One and became as successful as he did.

"It was a privilege for me to be able to race against him. We had some tough fights, some very good fights, some tough times, but also some good times on a personal level which provide good memories."