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INDYCAR driver Justin Wilson died Monday night from a head injury suffered when a piece of debris struck him at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, the United States. He was 37.
Wilson, a former Formula One driver and seven-time winner in IndyCar racing, had been in critical condition in a coma at a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, before his death.
“This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motorsports community as a whole,” Mark Miles, chief executive officer of Hulman & Co., the parent of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said in a statement.
“Justin’s elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility — which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock,” Miles added.
Wilson’s family said in a statement that he was a “loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers.”
Wilson was the first IndyCar driver to die following a race accident since fellow Briton, Dan Wheldon, was killed in a fiery crash in Las Vegas in October 2011.
Wheldon, who died aged 33, was just one of two British drivers to win America’s most famous race, the Indy 500, on more than one occasion. He won it in 2005 and again in 2011, the 100th anniversary of the race.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Justin Wilson,” Wilson’s Andretti Autosport team said in a statement.
“He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport.
“His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilson family and fans worldwide.”
Tributes to Wilson, who is survived by his wife and two daughters, poured in from his fellow drivers and others in the motor racing world.
New Zealander Scott Dixon, who won the Indy 500 in 2008 from pole position, tweeted: “Father, Husband, Friend, just an amazing human being. We will miss you to no end. Love to the Wilson Family. #RIPJustin.”(SD-Agencies)
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