RIP Henry Surtees

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 19 Jul 2009, 17:37

Suffered a nasty accident in F2, as he was knocked out by a bouncing wheel. No reports from the hospital, but the discussions on Twitter appear to be suggesting he has died. Terrible news if so

UPDATE: it has been confirmed that Surtees sadly died, so beware the following video is for a fatal accident.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlfr6_IauW4

RIP. Very sad indeed.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:09

If he is indeed dead, then RIP. Looked a nasty accident.

I'd hate to be Jonathan Palmer right now. In the 4th race of his series, a driver may have died.

That's the kind of a accident that can happen no matter how strenuous the safety precautions are. Incredibly unfortunate.

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:12

That's one of the nastiest accidents I've ever seen. If he lives, it's a testament to the safety devices in place on that car. There was nothing Surtees could do, he couldn't have known that at that exact moment a tire was going to bounce across the track.

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:18

The news on Twitter appears to be indicating that he has now died. Still no websites reporting it. RIP - terrible loss, and quite possibly the beginning of the end of F2.

Life w12 · Post by **Life w12** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:19

Don't most open wheel cars have wheel tethers that prevent the wheels from flying everywhere in the case of a crash?

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:23

Life w12 wrote:Don't most open wheel cars have wheel tethers that prevent the wheels from flying everywhere in the case of a crash?

Yes. And the tyre came off Surtees car as well, when it hit the wall. So that is not a good sign.

Surtees visor was up as he came to rest. Just shows the force at which the tyre hit him.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:30

I have only just got home from Brands Hatch and this is the first I've heard about the possible severity of the accident. All that I was aware of was that he had been taken to the medical centre and that they later had to safety-car the race to allow the medical helicopter to take off. However, we (my dad and I) did not realise it was for Surtees (couldn't hear commentary well due to F2 volume) but dad thought it was for a spectator he saw unwell during a toilet break. :cry:

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:31

Still nothing confirmed though, and Twitter isn't exactly reliable... fingers crossed.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:42

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77073

Only news from Autosport so far and nothing on F1 sites of BBC or ITV...

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:44

Discussion on autosport.com: http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?s ... &start=120

Not looking at all hopeful.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:08

Best wait for official news rather than speculate. Don't wish to make any mistakes about the situation. There was also another serious accident in a Seat Leon support race with a car barrell-rolling. I've been to Brands Hatch a number of times before (only 45 minutes from home) with touring cars having 'spectacular' incidents but not with anybody being seriously injured before...

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:17

Jonathan Noble has said it on his Twitter... these sources are getting steadily more credible.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:23

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77088

RIP, conclusively.

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:23

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77088

Rest in peace.

(You know, it's really weird knowing somebody younger than you has just died.)

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:26

Very sad indeed. RIP.

Let's hope motorsport learns from this and sorts out stronger wheel tethers.

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:30

Horrible accident, RIP Henry, and condolences to his friends and relatives.

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:43

Who was the last (at least somewhat) major driver to die in a race?

Post by **Nuppiz** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:50

Oh my, one of the very few fatalities in high-class motorsport that have taken place during the time I have memories from (I was a tad too young to remember Senna's crash).

My deepest condolences for the family of Surtees.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:53

Nuppiz wrote: (I was a tad too young to remember Senna's crash).

Same here, and by a tad, I mean far too young.

RIP Henry Surtees

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 19 Jul 2009, 20:57

thehemogoblin wrote:Who was the last (at least somewhat) major driver to die in a race?

Actually in a race? I remember Greg Moore dying in 1999 in Indycar, but don't recall anything since, although there has almost certainly been someone since.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:00

Looking through this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_racing_drivers_who_died_in_racing_crashes
it looks like there were a few deaths in decent series in America in 2006.

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:01

Daijiro Kato died in a Moto GP race in 2003, but in open wheel racing I think Greg Moore is the last person to die in a race, not a test or practice session.

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:02

Paul Dana in 2007, I think, after looking at that list.

watka · Post by **watka** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:15

RIP, my heart goes out to everyone close to Henry. Outside of America, it's been very rare in my memory to hear of an open wheel racing death.

Ben Gilbert · Post by **Ben Gilbert** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:20

RIP Henry, such a horrible way to go.

Henrique · Post by **Henrique** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:27

An awful accident. And don't forget he was the son of F1 champion John Surtees. RIP.

Jack O Malley · Post by **Jack O Malley** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:35

I am shocked. This just can't be... Some time ago I was concerned about efficacy of wheel tethers, and sadly I was right. (do F2 cars have any wheel tether??)
Indeed, it's really weird knowing that such a young boy has lost his life.
May he rest in peace... My deepest condolences to his friends and family.

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » 19 Jul 2009, 21:59

Jack O Malley wrote:Some time ago I was concerned about efficacy of wheel tethers, and sadly I was right. (do F2 cars have any wheel tether??)

Perhaps now isn't the time to get into a technical discussion, but I don't think you are right. This is from the FIA website regarding the new F2 series:

Palmer said: “This was an outstanding result and a great testimony to Patrick Head’s team. As well as complying with the FIA survival cell impact tests, including side impact, nose push-off, nose impact, roll over bar and rear impact structure tests, our F2 car incorporates the latest 2009 F1 head surround protection requirements, wheel tethers and many other detail safety benefits such as the accident data recorder and even a cockpit light that illuminates to warn rescue teams that the car has been subjected to a very high G impact.

Judging from the video, I'd say the wheel tethers worked exactly as intended. Wheel tethers are not designed to prevent wheels from breaking off cars; they are designed to prevent wheels flying off at high speed. If you look at the video, the wheel was moving very slowly across the track and it was the speed of Surtees' car which caused the damage.

Nonetheless, a tragic accident indeed. Sincerest condolences to the Surtees family.

PS - If you're going for high profile drivers dying in race crashes, I don't think it got much higher profile than when Dale Earnhardt was killed in the 2001 Daytona 500.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 19 Jul 2009, 22:13

RIP.....

Incidently the wheel came off Jack Clarke's car who is Julian Bailey's step-son

RejectSteve · Post by **RejectSteve** » 19 Jul 2009, 23:57

Rest in peace Henry. I can't imagine what's passing through John's mind and the rest of the Surtees clan. Such a tragic loss.

The scary part is this isn't new to Formula 2 at all. The original F2 had a similar accident at Hockenheim back in 1980 when Markus Hoettinger was struck in the head by a loose wheel and perished. A terrible and sad day for the motor racing world.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 20 Jul 2009, 00:56

That was a very nasty crash from the vidoes I saw on youtube.
RIP Henry

Fitch · Post by **Fitch** » 20 Jul 2009, 03:01

Very Sad news indeed, RIP and condolences to the Surtees Clan....

Very Ironic that a Man who was a Motorcycle and Formula 1 champion, during the most deadly time in auto racing comes through without so much as a serious injury, and then to lose a Son in the safest time, and to a freak accident at that....

Very sad..

jesus928 · Post by **jesus928** » 20 Jul 2009, 03:03

Very sorry to see a motor racing fatality. Rest in peace Henry. The link at the top of this page doesn't work but this one does:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06dsOwfe7xo

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 20 Jul 2009, 05:00

shinji wrote:I'd hate to be Jonathan Palmer right now. In the 4th race of his series, a driver may have died.

It's by no means a reflection of the safety of Formula Two. There were so many variables in play that it was almost random chance that it happened. I don't think a driver like Surtees - or his father - would want the series discontinued for an accident like that.

Bort · Post by **Bort** » 20 Jul 2009, 06:29

Terrible accident, reminds me of the infamous Tom Pryce video in its power to show how these guys ride it on the edge and can be snuffed out within a split second.

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 20 Jul 2009, 08:21

Awful news - and my sympathy goes out to everyone who has been involved in this tragedy.

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 20 Jul 2009, 08:51

It must be awful for John Surtees, who doubtless lost many friends and colleagues to fatal accidents in the fifties and sixties. He must have thought those days were behind him.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 20 Jul 2009, 09:16

News of his death was confirmed very soon after I went to bed last night and am very sorry to learn of it. He had scored his best result in F2 just the day before by finishing 3rd. What makes it even more tragic in my mind was the number of other incidents in that race that they kept replaying on the big screens round the track that had no consequences. And we all thought the race stoppage was because of the fickle English weather - will it rain or not? Very distressing.

And for those wanting to know, it happened round on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix loop, just a corner or two beyond the corner already named after his father...

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 20 Jul 2009, 09:33

Paul Hayes wrote:It must be awful for John Surtees, who doubtless lost many friends and colleagues to fatal accidents in the fifties and sixties. He must have thought those days were behind him.

Also spare a thought for Frank Williams - the circumstances of this are in some ways comparable to that of Senna's death. Two very unlucky incidents which have invloved his cars.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 20 Jul 2009, 09:44

I am confident that if anything can be learnt from this very unfortunate set of circumstances, then it will be implemented, if for no other reason than Jonathan Palmer, organisor of both Brands and F2, has his own son competing in the F2 series and that his condolences will be genuine.