Roger Williamson, David Purley & The 1973 Dutch Grand Prix

[stripeyfox]

First came across this a couple of years ago and it is still truly staggering. Roger Williamson, a F1 driver from Leicester crashed his car during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix at Zaandvoort and became trapped in the burning car. Fellow driver David Purley stopped his car and struggled for several minutes virtually unaided by ill equipped marshalls to extinguish the fire and right the car to rescue his friend. Unfortunately, it was in vain, and while the race continued around him, it took 8 minutes for the fire truck to arrive by which time Williamson was dead.

Purley would later be awarded the George Medal for bravery and subsequently survived a horror crash himself which effectively ended his racing career.

He took up aerobatic flying and was himself killed in a plane crash in 1985.

In an age when the term "hero" is applied to footballers and other sportsmen and celebrities, these two guys, mostly forgotten transend sport. Racing at a time when it was spectacularly dangerous and required a level of bravery and courage beyond most people's understanding, and a brave but ultimately futile effort by a man trying to save his friend's life.

I beleive there is a statue and memorial of Williamson at Donnington.

Wanted to share this - the memory of these guys should not be forgotten.

There is a biography about Williamson here:
My link

[LCFC-ARAB]

Amazing story, maybe if more drivers had stopped he would have been saved

[davieG]

I remember it well, the saddest aspect is the way his fellow drivers, with their protective gear carried on with the race obliviously and selfishly leaving the guy to die a horrible death.

[stripeyfox]

I remember it well, the saddest aspect is the way his fellow drivers, with their protective gear carried on with the race obliviously and selfishly leaving the guy to die a horrible death.

It has been argued, I think, by Race Control and other drivers, that they thought that Purley was the driver of the burning car and had already escaped. I'm not sure how that stacks up. Either way, that the race continued while a driver burnt to death is perhaps that darkest hour ever in F1. Even after the fire was out, a blanket was thrown over Williamson's body and they race continued.

[Head Honcho]

A harrowing piece of film and utmost respect to David Purley.

[StanSP]

wWatching that sent shivers down my spine. Felt so sorry for Purley trying to help a friend and fellow racer but so helpless in doing so

[stripeyfox]

It's hard to watch without feeling Purley's anguish at the helpless situation. Suppose the much safer sport we have today is the legacy of tragedies like this one.

[potter3]

I came across a similar video a while a go too, possibly the saddest video I've ever watched.