Roger Williamson facts for kids
Bronze statue of Roger Williamson at the Donington Park Garden of Remembrance
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| Born | 2 February 1948 Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 29 July 1973 (aged 25) Zandvoort, Netherlands |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Active years | 1973 |
| Teams | March |
| Entries | 2 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1973 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1973 Dutch Grand Prix |
Roger Williamson (born February 2, 1948 – died July 29, 1973) was a British racing driver. He was a two-time champion in British Formula 3. Sadly, he passed away during his second ever Formula One race. This happened at the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix in the Netherlands.
Early Life and Racing Career
Roger Williamson was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England. He showed great talent for racing from a young age. He quickly became known for his speed.
Roger won the British Formula 3 Championship twice. He took home the titles in both 1971 and 1972. These wins showed he was ready for bigger challenges. In 1973, he got a chance to join the March Engineering Formula One team. This was a big step up for his career.
A Tragic Race: The 1973 Dutch Grand Prix
After his first Formula One race in Britain, Roger's second race was in the Netherlands. It was the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort Circuit. On his eighth lap, something went wrong with his car's tire. His car flipped upside down and caught fire.
Roger was not badly hurt by the crash itself. However, he was trapped inside the car. The car quickly became engulfed in flames. The people helping on the track, called marshals, were not ready for such a serious fire. They also did not have the right equipment.
Another driver, David Purley, saw the crash. He was a friend of Roger's. David bravely stopped his own race to try and save Roger. He ran across the track, which was still active with other cars. David tried to turn Roger's car upright. He then grabbed a fire extinguisher from a marshal. He emptied it on the burning car.
David Purley tried very hard to put out the fire. He also tried to flip the car over. But his efforts were not enough. The marshals could not get close to the car because they did not have fire-resistant suits. David later said he could hear Roger's cries for help. By the time a fire truck arrived, Roger had passed away from not being able to breathe.
Most other racers thought David Purley was the one who crashed. They believed the burning car was empty. So, they did not stop to help. The race kept going. David stood on the track, waving his hands for them to stop. But no one did.
Remembering Roger Williamson
Roger Williamson was only 25 years old when he died. His tragic accident led to important safety changes in racing. After this event, all track marshals had to wear fire-resistant clothing. This meant they could safely help in case of a fire. Also, more drivers started to stop and help at crash sites. A famous example is the 1976 German Grand Prix.
David Purley was given the George Medal for his incredible bravery. This award recognized his heroic attempt to save Roger. A series of photos showing David's desperate efforts won a major photography award.
In 2003, a bronze statue of Roger Williamson was placed at the Donington Park circuit. This was 30 years after his crash. Tom Wheatcroft, who owned the circuit, had helped Roger with his racing career. He called the day Roger died "the saddest day of my life."
