Discuss the sport you love with other motorsport fans
Surtees dies after F2 race crash
The son of motorsport legend John Surtees has been killed in a "freak" accident during a Formula Two (F2) race at Brands Hatch in Kent.
Henry Surtees, 18, was flown to the Royal London Hospital after he was struck by a wheel which flew off Jack Clarke's car.
His father, John, who won the Formula One World Championship in 1964, said Henry would be "deeply missed".
"Henry had followed his heart from the time he first sat in a kart," he added.
Mr Surtees, of Surrey, who is the only man ever to have been world champion on two wheels as well as four, said: "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.
He added: "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."
Sunday's race was red-flagged while Surtees was removed from the scene.
The accident happened between the circuit's Westfield Bend and Sheene Curve.
Clarke's car hit a tyre wall and a wheel came off, hitting Henry Surtees on the head and knocking him unconscious.
The teenager's car then struck the trackside barriers.
A spokeswoman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said Surtees had been taken from the scene by helicopter.
On Saturday, Surtees had claimed his first F2 podium finish, coming third in the opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend.
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."
No-one from Brands Hatch was available for comment.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/e ... 158445.stm
Surtees Jr perishes chasing the dream
It is ironic that as one 19 year old is given his big break into Formula 1, news comes through of an 18 year old who died in pursuit of that same dream, while racing in Formula 2.
The death of Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 world champion John, has rocked the motor sport community.
Surtees died on Sunday following a freak accident at Brands Hatch where he was hit on the head by a loose wheel, which had been knocked off the car of Jack Clarke, stepson of F1 racer Julian Bailey. Clarke had spun and hit the barriers, causing the wheel to detach.
Loose wheels have been a hot safety topic in F1 for many years, with wheel tethers being used with varying degrees of success. F1 specification wheel tethers are used on the F2 cars, but the impact was high speed and at an angle.
F2 is essentially a new category with new cars this year. It has been revived by Jonathan Palmer and the FIA, who got together with Williams F1, the designer and builder of the car.
The series features some exciting up and coming talents and is notable for a club of ”sons of” F1 drivers of the past, who have all been taking steps along the road to emulating their famous fathers. Along with Surtees and Bailey, there is Alex Brundle, son of my colleague Martin and Jolyon Palmer, son of series founder Jonathan.
One can only imagine what must be going through their and their families’ minds. In their day motor sport was far more dangerous than today and many of them lost close friends during their careers.
Although the cars are faster now, the safety features built into them are massively superior. Many of these racing Dads got their sons through karting and felt comfortable with the idea of encouraging them to progress through single seaters, pursuing the dream of emulating them and becoming F1 drivers.
This incident is a tragic reminder that you can never make racing completely safe and never believe that you are close to doing so.
My thoughts are with the Surtees family and the F2 community.
So apparently there are tethers on F2 cars and the same ones as are used in F1. Surely this indicates that the F1 tethers just aren't strong enough?
So apparently there are tethers on F2 cars and the same ones as are used in F1. Surely this indicates that the F1 tethers just aren't strong enough?Surtees Jr perishes chasing the dream
It is ironic that as one 19 year old is given his big break into Formula 1, news comes through of an 18 year old who died in pursuit of that same dream, while racing in Formula 2.
The death of Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 world champion John, has rocked the motor sport community.
Surtees died on Sunday following a freak accident at Brands Hatch where he was hit on the head by a loose wheel, which had been knocked off the car of Jack Clarke, stepson of F1 racer Julian Bailey. Clarke had spun and hit the barriers, causing the wheel to detach.
Loose wheels have been a hot safety topic in F1 for many years, with wheel tethers being used with varying degrees of success. F1 specification wheel tethers are used on the F2 cars, but the impact was high speed and at an angle.
F2 is essentially a new category with new cars this year. It has been revived by Jonathan Palmer and the FIA, who got together with Williams F1, the designer and builder of the car.
The series features some exciting up and coming talents and is notable for a club of ”sons of” F1 drivers of the past, who have all been taking steps along the road to emulating their famous fathers. Along with Surtees and Bailey, there is Alex Brundle, son of my colleague Martin and Jolyon Palmer, son of series founder Jonathan.
One can only imagine what must be going through their and their families’ minds. In their day motor sport was far more dangerous than today and many of them lost close friends during their careers.
Although the cars are faster now, the safety features built into them are massively superior. Many of these racing Dads got their sons through karting and felt comfortable with the idea of encouraging them to progress through single seaters, pursuing the dream of emulating them and becoming F1 drivers.
This incident is a tragic reminder that you can never make racing completely safe and never believe that you are close to doing so.
My thoughts are with the Surtees family and the F2 community.
So apparently there are tethers on F2 cars and the same ones as are used in F1. Surely this indicates that the F1 tethers just aren't strong enough?Surtees Jr perishes chasing the dream
It is ironic that as one 19 year old is given his big break into Formula 1, news comes through of an 18 year old who died in pursuit of that same dream, while racing in Formula 2.
The death of Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 world champion John, has rocked the motor sport community.
Surtees died on Sunday following a freak accident at Brands Hatch where he was hit on the head by a loose wheel, which had been knocked off the car of Jack Clarke, stepson of F1 racer Julian Bailey. Clarke had spun and hit the barriers, causing the wheel to detach.
Loose wheels have been a hot safety topic in F1 for many years, with wheel tethers being used with varying degrees of success. F1 specification wheel tethers are used on the F2 cars, but the impact was high speed and at an angle.
F2 is essentially a new category with new cars this year. It has been revived by Jonathan Palmer and the FIA, who got together with Williams F1, the designer and builder of the car.
The series features some exciting up and coming talents and is notable for a club of ”sons of” F1 drivers of the past, who have all been taking steps along the road to emulating their famous fathers. Along with Surtees and Bailey, there is Alex Brundle, son of my colleague Martin and Jolyon Palmer, son of series founder Jonathan.
One can only imagine what must be going through their and their families’ minds. In their day motor sport was far more dangerous than today and many of them lost close friends during their careers.
Although the cars are faster now, the safety features built into them are massively superior. Many of these racing Dads got their sons through karting and felt comfortable with the idea of encouraging them to progress through single seaters, pursuing the dream of emulating them and becoming F1 drivers.
This incident is a tragic reminder that you can never make racing completely safe and never believe that you are close to doing so.
My thoughts are with the Surtees family and the F2 community.
I think that was indicated way back in Australia.
F2 car according to this excerpt from the FIA’s web site:
All of these features and the cars had to pass the rigorous FIA safety checks as well. Palmer said: “For any new car for an FIA series above F3 performance the FIA requires compliance with the 2005 F1 safety standards, particularly with regard to the many impact tests. These are extremely demanding for any new car. For our new Williams F2 car they were even more of a challenge, both because of the short timescale for the design and build of the car but also the fact that the objective was to design a car more than twice as strong as an F3 car – yet cost half the amount to provide.”
Despite all of this, the Formula Two car passed all of the tests first time round. 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.
“Although expensive and demanding to comply with, I am very appreciative of the fact that the FIA puts so much effort into researching the optimisation of safety and setting standards that we as a constructor can adopt to give us the comfort that we are providing our competitors with the safest possible race car with which to compete.”
A lass I know off another forum, he was her brothers good friend, he always races in Formula 2Palmer 'devastated' by Surtees death
By Steven English Monday, July 20th 2009, 15:57 GMT
Formula 2 chief executive Jonathan Palmer says he is 'devastated' following the death of Henry Surtees in Sunday's race at Brands Hatch.
The 18-year-old was struck on the head by a flying rear wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, who had crashed at Westfield Bend.
Surtees was knocked unconscious and his car hit the barrier on the approach to Sheene Curve.
He was stabilised at the circuit's medical centre before being airlifted to the Royal London hospital, where it was confirmed last night that he had died from his injuries.
Palmer issued a statement on Monday afternoon, saying it was the saddest moment of his career.
"I am absolutely devastated that 18-year-old Henry Surtees lost his life in an accident in the Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch yesterday," the statement said.
"This is the saddest time in my 35 years of motor racing and my deepest sympathies are with father John, mother Jane and their daughters Edwina and Leonora, together with other family and friends.
"Henry was driving at about 120mph between Westfield and Sheene corners on lap nine of the race when he was struck on the head by a bouncing wheel and tyre from an accident at Westfield corner several seconds earlier. It is clear that Henry was knocked unconscious immediately, and his car then continued straight on, hitting the tyre wall. I understand that the fatal injury occurred instantly and that the impact at Sheene had no influence on the outcome of the accident.
"The race was immediately red flagged and the medical team were very quickly at the scene. Henry was removed from the car, stabilised and taken to the medical centre, where he was prepared to be air-lifted to the Royal London Hospital, the regional trauma centre. After evaluation and investigations in the intensive care unit, Henry was found to have suffered a major head injury that was not survivable.
"Henry had joined Formula 2 for this first season of the new championship and had immediately impressed with a pace, focus and maturity that belied his young age of 18 years. He took an incredible pole position at Brno in the Czech Republic in only his second F2 event, and became the first British driver to win a place on the podium with a magnificent third place at Brands Hatch on the day before he died. Henry made a big mark in just four events and looked very likely to be a winner in F2 in the future and maybe even F1.
"Not only was Henry immensely talented but he was also a very popular member of the whole Formula 2 team, making many friends among both the other drivers and the team members, earning enormous respect everywhere.
"John Surtees played a major part in his son's success, carefully monitoring everything that was going on and meticulously using his huge experience mentoring Henry and contributing to the all important set up and strategy. It was such a pleasure seeing father and son working together so effectively and it was clear that pursuing Formula 2 success was the focus of Henry and John's lives and something they enjoyed immensely.
"There will of course be a detailed investigation into the accident that claimed Henry's life and we will do everything possible to understand exactly what happened and why, and see what can be learnt from this freak accident in the continual quest to make motor racing safer. It is perhaps ironic that John Surtees competed for many years at the highest levels of motorsport on both four wheels and two at a time when safety was given little consideration, but his son Henry should lose his life at a time when driver safety has never been greater.
"The Williams F1 designed Formula 2 cars comply with the FIA 2005 F1 safety standards, including the fitment of wheel tethers to reduce the risk of wheels coming off in accidents. The F2 car also includes the latest F1 standards of driver head protection with high cockpit sides and lateral deformable structures. As with F1 however, wheel tethers cannot provide an absolute guarantee that a wheel will not come off in an accident and in a single-seater race car the front of the head is inevitably exposed to the risk, however small, of being hit by another car or component.
"This accident is particularly poignant for me as a father and brings into sharp and uncomfortable focus the inevitable danger of motorsport. On Sunday morning my 18-year-old son Jolyon and Henry were sat together, amidst all the F2 drivers, joking and signing autographs for fans. In the afternoon F2 race Henry was just half a second or so behind Jolyon, trying to move forward after an earlier spin. As they both dived down towards Sheene, the bouncing wheel just missed Jolyon, but hit Henry, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. By the evening, I was with John and Jane Surtees in the same intensive care unit at the London hospital that Jolyon had been in nearly two years earlier after his serious quad bike accident.
"The awful tragedy has not just touched, but profoundly affected many people. Our whole Formula 2 team and those involved at Williams F1 are enormously saddened, shocked and stunned by what has happened and for Henry's dedicated F2 mechanic Don Old it is a particularly difficult time. When such incidents occur one relies upon the professionalism of all those involved and I am proud of the way the medical team at Brands Hatch did everything possible to save poor Henry's life.
"We all know life can be cruel and we read of young victims of tragedies every day, whether through accident, war or illness. But nothing can prepare someone for the loss of their own child and clearly John and Jane are absolutely distraught. We are all so desperately sorry. At this most difficult time in the Surtees' life we will of course do whatever we can to help as John and Jane in particular try to come to terms with the loss of Henry, someone so special and someone who had already achieved so much in his short life."
Tributes paid to Henry Surtees
By Steven English Monday, July 20th 2009, 13:54 GMT
Motorsport figures close to John and Henry Surtees have paid tribute to 18-year-old Henry, who died following an accident in Sunday's Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch.
Surtees was struck on the head by the left rear wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, who had crashed at Westfield Bend. He was airlifted to hospital but died from his injuries on Sunday evening.
John Surtees paid tribute to his son in a statement earlier today, and those close to the family have begun to pay their own respects.
Andy Priaulx (driver coach and mentor to Surtees in Formula BMW in 2007)
"Our sport can be cruel, but never crueller than when it claims a life.
"It is a tragedy when this happens and yesterday we witnessed this at Brands Hatch. Henry Surtees was a fine young man on the verge of his career in the sport, who I had the pleasure to tutor when he was racing in Formula BMW.
"His death highlights the dangers that we face and my heart goes out to his parents, John and Jane Surtees. John is one of my motor racing heroes who has achieved so much over his life in the sport.
"As a driver and also a father of a son who may one day want to follow my footsteps into the sport, it is hard to imagine coming to terms with such a loss."
Jaime Alguersuari (former team-mate)
"I got to know Henry at Donington last year when he came to drive [in F3] with Carlin and on the Thursday before the race he and I went to Alton Towers. We spent the day going around together and got on really well. To hear the news, especially this week, means a lot to me. This weekend was going to be perhaps the best weekend of my life, but now there is a shadow.
"The risk is something every driver knows, we all know there is this very small possibility. My prayers go out to his family, for all the people involved in motorsport it is very sad news. The Surtees family have all of my support, I have already sent them some messages. I will try and do my best in the future and for the Surtees family this weekend."
Ferrari
"A tragic accident on the last motorsport weekend. Henry Surtees, the son of John Surtees, the Formula 1 World Champion with Ferrari in 1964, died last night after an accident at the Brands Hatch circuit in this season's fourth race of the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
"Surtees was hit by a wheel that flew off a car after it had hit the safety barriers, causing him to crash into the guardrail. Surtees died at the Royal London Hospital, where he was taken by ambulance. The 18-year-old had gained a place on the podium the day before, his first of this season.
"Chairman Luca di Montezemolo and Ferrari are close to John Surtees in this moment of great sorrow."
Felipe Massa
"I heard about Henry Surtees' death this morning and it really moved me a lot. I'm so sorry for this tragedy and I'm close to his family in this moment of great sorrow."
Felipe Massa was visibly moved by the tragic death of John Surtees' son, last night at a London hospital after the 18-year-old's accident during a FIA Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch: "These things remind us how much safety has to remain the priority on the track and in all the other places of motorsport. Over the last years much has been done, but we can't be inattentive."
Carlin Motorsport (Surtees' team for the British F3 finale in 2008)
"Carlin Motorsport are today mourning the loss of Henry Surtees, a dear friend to the team and a former Carlin driver. Henry was tragically killed in an accident in Sunday's Formula 2 race, aged just 18, at his home circuit of Brands Hatch.
"Henry raced with Carlin in the 2007 Formula BMW UK championship, and won for the team in British F3 at the Donington Park round last year. He remained a dear friend to many team members and recently assisted Carlin in its KTM X-BOW and track day projects.
"The thoughts and hearts of everyone at Carlin go out to Henry's parents, John and Jane, his sisters, family members and friends at this very sad time."
Tony Teixeira (A1GP chairman)
"I want to send my personal condolences and those of everyone in A1GP to Jane and John Surtees after the tragic death of their son Henry at the weekend.
"John is a great ambassador for motorsport and when I met him through his involvement with our series as A1 Team Great Britain's team principal, I realised why. He was a devoted father to Henry, and I know he was a son who was not only likely to follow in his footsteps as a racing driver, but also as a person who gave a hundred per cent to everything he did.
"Sadly this accident highlights the dangers involved in the sport and makes us all appreciate certain things in life. I hope Jane and John can gain some comfort from knowing the respect all of them have in motorsport worldwide. Our thoughts go out to both of them at this difficult time."
The FIA, which is the governing body of the Formula 2 championship, has also released a statement: "Following yesterday's tragic accident, the FIA extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Henry Surtees. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."
Tony and Sarah Shaw (Manor Competition, Surtees' 2008 Formula Renault team)
"Manor Competition wishes to send its heartfelt condolences to the family of Henry Surtees who tragically lost his life in an accident during a Formula 2 Championship race at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, 19th July.
"Henry competed with Manor in Formula Renault UK in 2008. The team feels privileged to have known and worked with such a talented and thoroughly professional young man. Our hearts go out to Henry's parents, John and Jane, and all of his family and friends."
John Booth (Manor Motorsport boss)
"I met Henry a few times and of course know his father John. As well as being a very nice lad, he was clearly talented and a driver destined for success. I was very sad to hear of his death, which is shocking for all of us involved in motorsport.
"Together with everyone here at Manor, I would like to send our sincerest condolences to John, his family and their friends. Our thoughts are with them."
FIA
Following yesterday's tragic accident, the FIA extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Henry Surtees. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
UK Motor Sports Association
"On behalf of UK motorsport, the Motor Sports Association sends it deepest condolences to the family and friends of Henry Surtees who was tragically killed yesterday in the Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch. Our thoughts are with his parents, John and Jane, and the rest of the Surtees family at this difficult time."
Very sad.:( Very sad.
Does F2 use wheel tethers? I know in F1 they don't always work so that might need to be looked into.
Do F2 cars have the raised cockpit sides like F1? if not would that have made a difference?
:( Very sad.
Does F2 use wheel tethers? I know in F1 they don't always work so that might need to be looked into.
Do F2 cars have the raised cockpit sides like F1? if not would that have made a difference?
In the quote above it says they use both. I think something definitely needs to be done about the tethers given that both cars involved lost wheels.
See our F1 related articles too!
