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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Surtees son dies after race crash | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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. | 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". | 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. | "Henry had followed his heart from the time he first sat in a kart," he added. |
| 'Loving son' | 'Loving son' |
| 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. | 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. | "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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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. | Clarke's car hit a tyre wall and a wheel came off, hitting Henry Surtees on the head and knocking him unconscious. |
| 'Dangers we face' | |
| The teenager's car then struck the trackside barriers. | 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. | A spokeswoman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said Surtees had been taken from the scene by helicopter. |
| On Saturday, he had claimed his first F2 podium finish, coming third in the opening race of the Brands Hatch weekend. | |
| World Touring Car driver Andy Priaulx, who was at the Kent race circuit on Sunday, said: "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." | |
| Surtees 'aimed to emulate father' | Surtees 'aimed to emulate father' |
| He added: "My heart goes out to his parents, Jane and John 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." | |
| 'Freak accident' | |
| 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". | 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. | 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. | "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." | "He was very much an up-and-coming star. Good things were expected of him." |
| No-one from Brands Hatch was available for comment. | No-one from Brands Hatch was available for comment. |
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| Son thanked Surtees at F2 launch |