Thread: Henry Surtees dies after F2 crash

Source: Autosport.

Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 Formula 1 world champion John Surtees, has died following an accident in a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

During the second of the weekend's races, the 18-year-old was struck on the head by a wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, who had spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend.

Surtees was knocked unconscious in the accident and his car failed to negotiate the following Sheene Corner, running straight off the track and into the barrier.

Medical crews were swiftly on the scene to extract Surtees from the car, before he was taken to the track's medical centre. He was stabilised at the circuit's facility before being airlifted to the Royal London hospital.

A spokesperson for the hospital this evening confirmed that Surtees had died from his injuries.

Surtees graduated to F2 this season from Formula Renault and had taken his first podium finish in the series with third place in Saturday's race at Brands Hatch.

His step up to the category came after several seasons in karts, which included victory in the Junior Gearbox Championship in 2005, before a graduation to car racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2006.

He switched to single seaters in 2007, taking a race victory in Formula BMW UK for Carlin Motorsport en route to seventh overall in the standings - and second in the rookie cup.

He also made a brief foray into the Formula Renault UK championship that year, contesting the final two rounds at Thruxton as well as the Winter Series.

In 2008 he remained in Formula Renault, taking 12th in the final standings before finishing runner-up in the Winter Series with one victory and three podiums from four races. He also contested last year's British Formula 3 season finale in a National Class car for Carlin, taking one victory and one podium.

AUTOSPORT sends its sincere condolences to Henry's family and friends.





Old guys (like myself) know John Surtees as a Motorcycle Grandprix world champion who went on to have a very successfull auto racing career as a driver, and later as a Formula 1 team owner/constructor - Surtees Grand Prix. He was always a class act - an old school gentleman. I don't know much about his son Henry, but I imagine he was a class act just like his father.

RIP Henry Surtees.

Sad story he's too young. RIP!

Accident video

Very sad... RIP Henry
He had a very bright future

damn, what are the chances of that happening! sucks. RIP

loss for words, truly a tragic way to pass.

RIP!

Oh my.....gave me shivers after seeing that vid...Very sad. RIP

rip

Very Sad RiP

So sad. RIP.

Man, that's terrible.

Not sure what to say to that. RIP.