- Driver deaths in British motorsport series
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This article is about driver deaths in British domestic series. For drivers who have died at British circuits while competing in International series, see Driver deaths in motorsport.
Motorsport of any type, or at any level, is dangerous by its very nature. However the nature of the media often means that only deaths in high profile series, with mainstream TV coverage, are reported in the press. For example the tragic deaths of Dan Wheldon [1] and Marco Simoncelli [2] within a week of each other in 2011, received signifcant press attention while other recent deaths did not. This can give a misleading impression to the general public as to the number of deaths that occur in the sport as a whole. The below list shows drivers that have died racing in British national or club car racing series since 1970. The list only includes drivers to have died during a race and only those competing in British domestic series. The deaths are spread across the major existing cirucits in the country, with only Knockhill Racing Circuit, Rockingham Motor Speedway (opened 2001) and Croft Circuit (since reopening in 1996) having no recorded driver deaths in this period.
Year Driver Series Circuit Ref 1970 Dale Prochazka
Junior Formula Ford Mallory Park [3] 1970 Martin Brain
Clubman Series Silverstone Circuit [3] 1970 Chris Summers
Formula 5000 Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit [3] 1970 Jim Merricks
Clubman Series Brands Hatch [3] 1971 Leigh Gaydos
British Formula Ford Mallory Park [3] 1971 Peter Hawtin
Formula 5000 Championship Oulton Park [3] 1971 Brian Tarrant
Jaguar Club Series Thruxton Circuit [3] 1972 Jack Smith
Unknown Single Seater Series Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit [3] 1973 Brian Hough
BARC Modified Sportscars Thruxton Circuit [3] 1974 Jon Thorne
Formula Ford/Monoposto Race Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit [3] 1974 Geoff Coles
Unknown Sportscar Series Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit [3] 1976 John Wingfield
Formula 5000 Championship Thruxton Circuit [3] 1976 Bob Toleman
Formula Ford Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit [3] 1976 Michael Giddings
Formula Ford Brands Hatch [3] 1978 Albert Corrieri
250cc International Kart GP Silverstone Circuit [3] 1980 Martin Raymond
Sportscar Championship Brands Hatch [3] 1980 Wendy Wathen
Club Mini Championship Castle Combe Circuit [3] 1982 Tony Williams
BARC MG Midget Championship Thruxton Circuit [3] 1983 Roger Joice
JDC Historic Championship Silverstone Circuit [3] 1984 Chris Poore
Superkart Mallory Park [3] 1985 Stephen Langton
Historic Race (F1 Meeting) Brands Hatch [3] 1987 Peter Rogers
British Formula Ford Donington Park [3] 1987 Aray Xavier
Snetterton Formula Ford Championship Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit [3] 1991 Paul Warwick
British Formula 3000 Championship Oulton Park [3] 1992 Gary Loebell
Oulton Formula Ford Series Oulton Park [3] 1992 Ian McArdell
British Formula Ford Castle Combe Circuit [3] 1992 Marcel Albers
British Formula 3 Championship Thruxton Circuit [3] 1993 Gordon Ellinor
Superkart + Brands Hatch [3] 1993 Kenton Owen
Superkart + Brands Hatch [3] 1997 Peter Ruddler
JCC Jaguar Challenge Oulton Park [3] 1999 Neil Shanahan
British Formula Ford Championship Oulton Park [3] 2000 Tim Miller
Clubman Series Oulton Park [3] 2001 Nic Fairman
750mc Caterham 7 Championship Mallory Park [3] 2001 Steve Bell
BARC Mini Miglia Championship Silverstone Circuit [3] 2002 Keith Griffiths
BRSCC Alfa Romeo Championship Mallory Park [3] 2002 Mark Williams
BARC BMW Challenge Thruxton Circuit [3] 2002 Stefan Gilboy
Sports and GT + Cadwell Park [3] 2002 Tony Clinkard
Sports and GT + Cadwell Park [3] 2003 David Heynes
BRDC Historic Sportcar (F1 Meeting) Silverstone Circuit [3] 2004 Darren Needham
John Cooper Challenge Silverstone Circuit [3] 2004 Kevin Lloyd
Renualt Clio Cup (BTCC Meeting) Thruxton Circuit [3] 2004 Len Thompson
Lagonda Rapier Vintage Championship Cadwell Park [3] 2005 Peter Deardon
British Superkart Championship Brands Hatch [3] 2006 Richard Weavers
British Superkart Championship Silverstone Circuit [3] 2008 Barry Westmoreland
Historic Sports Cadwell Park [3] 2010 Jeff Leadley
MSVR GT Cup Championship Thruxton Circuit [3] + = Multiple drivers to have died in the same incident (see previous/following entry)
References
External links
- [http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/Motorsport Memorial Homepage, searchable database on Motorsport deaths
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