Eddie Jordan summed up the relief of many in Formula One when he responded to yesterday's verdict by saying: "Quite honestly, from the team's perspective it was probably the only decision they could come up with. Obviously it is a really good day.

"It was, of course, a sad day what happened in Imola that time. But I think the judge has come up with the only decision that they could do."

Jordan also expressed concern that any Formula One team, his own included, could find themselves brought to book legally over the circumstances of a driver's death.

"It would be very difficult for me to send a lot of engineers and designers who in their opinion have built the best and safest car they can and then, in the very unlikely event of a driver fatality, you could have an engineer or a team owner go to jail, while their family think they are just pursuing their sport," he said.

Jordan, speaking on Radio 5 Live, added there are lessons from Senna's death, and subsequent accidents too, to be learned for Formula One.

"There have been huge accidents since then, and some involving our own cars in particular, where the driver has walked away totally safe.

"But, having said that, we continue trying to find newer and better and safer areas, and these are of course transferred back into the auto industry."

Ken Tyrrell today hailed the decision to clear Williams and the five other defendants as "tremendous news."

"The fact that Frank and the rest of the team have coped with this major problem during a championship year says something about the Williams team," said Tyrrell.

"In motor sport we have a governing body called FIA and they should have dealt with it, not a court of law.

"I know it is Italian law, but if there's going to continue to be racing in Italy, that has got to happen in future."

Former Formula One driver Derek Warwick also felt the decision to clear Williams, Patrick Head, Adrian Newey and three Imola track officials of Senna's death in 1994 was a correct one.

"Every drivers knows he's taking risks," said Warwick. "But we're prepared to take those risks because we know that every team we race for are giving 100 - no, one million per cent - to make sure the car is as safe as it could be.

"Perhaps now we can concentrate on what Ayrton was better known for, his driving achievements, and not what happened, why it happened and where it happened."

The sport's governing body, FIA, said in a statement from their Paris headquarters that they would not comment on the decision until they have "examined the full text of the decision and studied its implications."

Senna's family chose not to get involved in either the prosecution or the trial, but retained a lawyer, Giovanni Carcaterra, to follow the proceedings on their behalf.

Carcaterra said: "The family did not seek a conviction, but wanted only an explanation of the circumstances of the accident," adding that the trial had been conducted very professionally.

Ferrari team chief Jean Todt broke his silence on the trial to welcome the verdict.

Todt said: "I haven't expressed an opinion throughout all this because I felt it was only right to wait for the judgement, which has been very long and laborious, and is therefore a judgement of conscience which has to be both accepted and respected.

"On top of that it wasn't easy to give an opinion on a motor race when you know that there are dangers and risks involved.

"My comment is a positive one, because of the fact that there has been a very careful examination of all that has happened and because of the outcome of the trial."