Surtees' son dies after Brands Hatch crash

Surtees' son dies after Brands Hatch crash

Postby Cheese » Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:14 pm

Surtees' son dies after Brands Hatch crash

Formula Two driver Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 F1 World Champion John Surtees, has died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

The 18-year-old was struck on the head by a wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, which spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend during the second of this weekend's races at the Kent circuit.

Surtees was knocked unconscious by the impact and his car collided with the barriers at the following Sheene corner. Trackside medics extracted Surtees from his car before he was taken to the circuit's medical centre.

He was airlifted to the Royal London hospital after being stabilised by the medical team but a hospital spokesman confirmed to Press Association Sport on Sunday evening that Surtees had died as a result of his injuries.

Surtees secured a drive in F2 over the winter after a breakthrough year in 2008, when he contested the Formula Renault UK Championship and Winter Series, and made his debut in British Formula Three at the final round of the campaign, when he claimed a victory and a podium finish for Carlin in the National Class.

Surtees claimed his first F2 podium only on Saturday when he finished third in the weekend's opening race at Brands.

Henry's father John Surtees is famously the only man to have won World titles on both two and four wheels. He claimed multiple 500cc motorcycle World Championships before winning the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964.

The 75-year-old also fielded his own Team Surtees cars in F1, F2 and Formula 5000 in the 1970s.

In a statement, Surtees said: "Henry had followed his heart from the time he first sat in a kart.

"He treated seriously the balance between motorsport and school, having just finished his A-Levels.

"The world beckoned and he was thriving on the freedom to concentrate on his motorsport.

"Despite bad luck in his motorsport, he had shown himself to be one with the possibilities of reaching the very top. Despite his young age he had shown maturity, technical understanding and speed.

"Most importantly he was a nice person and a loving son. He will be deeply missed."

PlanetF1.com
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Cheese
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