John Surtees' son dies in F2 crash
22 Jul 2009|550 views
Henry, 18, was struck on the head by a stray wheel after racer Jack Clarke crashed into a tyre barrier ahead of him on the track, knocking Henry unconscious. Henry's car then went off the track and into the barrier.
The race was subsequently red-flagged and Henry was flown from Brands Hatch to the Royal London Hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him.
Just a day before, Henry, who had competed in Formula Renault and Formula 3 last year, had claimed his first F2 podium finish, coming third in the opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend.
Henry's father, John, who was Formula One World Champion in 1964 and is the only man to have been world champion on both four wheels and two, said that his son would be "deeply missed".
He added, "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."
David Croft, the BBC's Radio 5 Live motorsport correspondent, said it was "a freak, deeply tragic and horrible accident that can happen in what is a dangerous sport."
He said: "A few hundredths of a second later, Henry Surtees would have been fine. Sadly, he was coming up to the tyre right at the moment it bounced into the air. He was very much an up-and-coming star. Good things were expected of him."
The race was subsequently red-flagged and Henry was flown from Brands Hatch to the Royal London Hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him.
Just a day before, Henry, who had competed in Formula Renault and Formula 3 last year, had claimed his first F2 podium finish, coming third in the opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend.
Henry's father, John, who was Formula One World Champion in 1964 and is the only man to have been world champion on both four wheels and two, said that his son would be "deeply missed".
 |
David Croft, the BBC's Radio 5 Live motorsport correspondent, said it was "a freak, deeply tragic and horrible accident that can happen in what is a dangerous sport."
He said: "A few hundredths of a second later, Henry Surtees would have been fine. Sadly, he was coming up to the tyre right at the moment it bounced into the air. He was very much an up-and-coming star. Good things were expected of him."
Henry, 18, was struck on the head by a stray wheel after racer Jack Clarke crashed into a tyre barrier ahead of him on the track, knocking Henry unconscious. Henry's car then went off the track and into the barrier.
The race was subsequently red-flagged and Henry was flown from Brands Hatch to the Royal London Hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him.
Just a day before, Henry, who had competed in Formula Renault and Formula 3 last year, had claimed his first F2 podium finish, coming third in the opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend.
Henry's father, John, who was Formula One World Champion in 1964 and is the only man to have been world champion on both four wheels and two, said that his son would be "deeply missed".
He added, "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."
David Croft, the BBC's Radio 5 Live motorsport correspondent, said it was "a freak, deeply tragic and horrible accident that can happen in what is a dangerous sport."
He said: "A few hundredths of a second later, Henry Surtees would have been fine. Sadly, he was coming up to the tyre right at the moment it bounced into the air. He was very much an up-and-coming star. Good things were expected of him."
The race was subsequently red-flagged and Henry was flown from Brands Hatch to the Royal London Hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him.
Just a day before, Henry, who had competed in Formula Renault and Formula 3 last year, had claimed his first F2 podium finish, coming third in the opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend.
Henry's father, John, who was Formula One World Champion in 1964 and is the only man to have been world champion on both four wheels and two, said that his son would be "deeply missed".
|
David Croft, the BBC's Radio 5 Live motorsport correspondent, said it was "a freak, deeply tragic and horrible accident that can happen in what is a dangerous sport."
He said: "A few hundredths of a second later, Henry Surtees would have been fine. Sadly, he was coming up to the tyre right at the moment it bounced into the air. He was very much an up-and-coming star. Good things were expected of him."
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