China GT in Shanghai: GT3 driver pulls his opponent from burning wreckage

– The motorsport world narrowly escaped a deadly drama last Saturday: During the first race of the Chinese GT series in Shanghai, a horror crash occurred after about 20 minutes, in which Porsche driver Loek Hartog became a heroic lifesaver.

Read more McLaren does not give up on the World Championship, but: We are not good enough in Monza

The cause of the dramatic fire accident was a duel between Neil Verhagen in the 610Racing BMW #33 and David Chen in the Harmony Racing Ferrari #37, who were battling for eighth place overall on the way to the hairpin turn. Chen tried to fend off his opponent’s attack and pushed him onto the wet grass.

There, both cars lost control, flew almost unbraked towards the hairpin – and crashed full force into the side of the AAI Ferrari #91 of Ollie Millroy. The Briton’s car, who lost consciousness on impact, immediately burst into flames.

Porsche driver Loek Hartog recognized the dramatic situation, stopped his car at the roadside, and rushed to help his opponent. Millroy was still motionless in his seat while everything around him was already on fire.

Hartog takes 49 seconds to rescue Millroy

Hartog first tried to approach from the driver’s side, but due to the extreme heat, this was in vain. He then made another attempt from the opposite side – also initially unsuccessful after opening and unlocking the door.

The Dutchman then ran off to grab a fire extinguisher from an arriving marshal. With it, he extinguished the fire on the driver’s side, released Millroy’s safety belt, grabbed him under the armpits, and forcibly pulled him out of the cockpit.

The heroic deed was not seen on live TV but was captured by the onboard camera in Hartog’s Phantom Global Porsche: From getting out of his car to rescuing his colleague, only 49 seconds passed – a sequence that literally takes your breath away.

Hartog spoke out a few hours later on social media. “Thanks to everyone who reached out after the events,” wrote the Dutchman. “What I witnessed in Race 1 was terrifying, and I am incredibly relieved to know that Ollie is okay.”

Ollie Millroy survives with multiple injuries

Millroy suffered fractures to five ribs, the collarbone, a hand and a finger, as well as a lung contusion. “I just came back from the hospital where I visited him. Motorsport can very quickly remind you that some things are much more important than racing,” said Hartog.

“When I saw a car engulfed in a huge fireball in front of me, there really was no decision to make. From what I could see, I naturally assumed the driver could not get out on his own, so I stopped, got out, and went to the car. I had no doubts at any point.”

“When I think about what happened, I am truly grateful to the people who have accompanied me throughout my life and career and taught me to recognize when something bigger than racing is happening in the present moment. And this is a classic example of that.”

“It was terrifying, and there were moments when I didn’t know if I would ever get Ollie out. But it’s not about what I did; I am sure many people in my situation would have reacted exactly the same way.”

Hartog will be “the greatest superhero of all time”

“I am grateful to have been at this place at this moment,” admits Hartog. “It also makes you appreciate the level of safety we sometimes take for granted. When you see such a severe crash and such a huge fire, you realize what really matters.”

“The most important thing is that Ollie is okay. Things could have turned out very differently today, and I am truly grateful that they did not.” Millroy also responded to his opponent’s heroic act by thanking Hartog for his efforts and sharing his own perspective on the incident.

“I am alive tonight solely thanks to one man, Loek Hartog, who stopped immediately – even though neither marshals nor firefighters were in sight – and risked his own life to pull me out of the car,” said the Ferrari driver.

Read more Planned MotoGP city circuit in Adelaide: Riders surprised by first videos

“I don’t remember anything that happened between the 30 seconds before the crash and the hour after, but I will remember his incredible act of bravery for the rest of my life. One day I will tell this story to our three children, and in their eyes, Loek will be the greatest superhero of all time.”

Ollie Millroy wants to return to racing quickly

“Tonight I lie here with five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken hand and finger, and a bruised lung, but it could have been much worse. Thank you, Loek. I owe you my life for your selfless act today.”

“Thanks to everyone for your kind messages. I will try to respond as I now have to spend a few days in bed. Tonight I will definitely thank my guardian angel, that’s for sure. [Wife] Fern is on a plane on her way here, and I am surrounded by my team, my Taiwanese family, and the AAI team.”

“Tomorrow there are a few operations to fix everything, then a few weeks of rest here before I can race again,” writes Millroy, who despite the severe crash apparently wants to get back behind the wheel of a race car as soon as possible.

“Thanks to Ferrari for building a car that could withstand this impact, and I am sorry for our AAI Motorsports team and my teammate Yin Yu Chen, who lost their racing rocket today. Now it’s time to rebuild, get healthy, and then get back in the saddle.”

Criticism of the slow pace of the rescue teams

A shocking aspect also visible in the footage from Hartog’s onboard camera is the slowness with which the rescue teams arrived at the accident site: The Porsche driver even had to run towards some sports cars that were moving to the accident site at a pace that was anything but quick.

Yin Yu Chen, teammate of the injured Millroy, has already presented her perspective on the rescue operation – as a clear and completely justified criticism of the lack of responsiveness of the track personnel, especially on a race track that also hosts Formula 1.

“Today was a heartbreaking day for our entire team,” writes the racing driver. “After Ollie Millroy’s crash, our car immediately caught fire when he went off the track. For about a minute and a half, Ollie was alone in the car without immediate help from the fire brigade or rescue services.”

“There were no marshals, no ambulances, and no help to extinguish the fire or rescue the driver,” says Chen. “Equally hard to accept was hearing the commentary casually report that the driver was ‘okay’ and had ‘got out of the car on his own.'”

“Given the seriousness of the situation on the track, such a superficial and inaccurate description of the situation is deeply concerning. For this reason, I must thank Loek Hartog for everything he did today. He did not hesitate for a single moment to stop and come to Ollie’s aid when he needed it most. A true legend!”

Ferrari team reacts – and withdraws from the series

“Ollie is not only a teammate but also a family friend for 13 years. Never in my life as a driver have I experienced such a traumatic event. We fully understand that motorsport carries risks.”

“However, the organizers’ measures following today’s incident – especially the lack of an immediate and appropriate response to the emergency – are something we cannot accept. The safety of drivers and team members must always come first.”

“What happened today and the way the situation was handled are truly unacceptable,” the GT3 driver makes clear. “Given how the organizers handled today’s incident, the team and I have decided to withdraw from the championship, and we will not participate in any further China GT events.”

“Thanks to everyone who rushed to help today, and I wish Ollie a speedy recovery. You are not only my teammate but also my friend, my mentor, and, I am quite sure, my father’s best golf partner.”

Read more Steve Nielsen: Monza pole the best compensation for Monaco appeal