Formula 1's Most Disgraceful Moment

[@austinemms9772]

The track marshals stood by and watched a man burn alive. David Purley did all he could to save him. Purley deserves a spot in every kind of motorsport Hall Of Fame for that.

[@frankisfunny2007]

The track marshalls should've read the room with Purley. Even ask if it's his car, or not, or if there's somebody in the car or not. Just neglect on the track marshalls for that event! Agreed, he tried his best to save someone. Even though he failed to save him, he's still a hero, in my books!

[@mcbeaulieu]

​@@JackLikesTrackhouseyeah he did 🤟

[@RazorSharp75426]

Is Williamson literally burnt to death or pinned underneath the car and inhaling the toxic fumes , then dying from it? Whichever the cause of it , this sùrely is a dreadful tragedy

[@testpilotian3188]

@@JackLikesTrackhouse he got the George Medal (often referred to as the George Cross) for it. It’s the highest medal a civilian can get.

[@humbellie7208]

I’ve seen the video when he walked away they tried to console him and the arm wave of “fuck off me you c***” was so deep you could feel his pain

[@slayori.designs]

Watching Purley’s reactions after he couldn’t rescue Williamson was just heartbreaking.

[@doomusrlc]

I don't know how he didn't take a swing at the guy pulling him away from the wreck.

[@heliumtrophy]

@@doomusrlc Probably would've incurred a fine although if I'm honest, it would've been the most understandable lamping seen on TV.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

Yeah, I've never heard of that guy, but now he's my hero! There's NO excuse for an organization as wealthy as the F1 is(and was), to not have well trained, well prepared fire/crash safety crews scattered near the known trouble spots, instantly ready to help out.. Then they COULD'VE gotten there quickly, extinguished the fire, and saved the guy! The NHRA's "Safety Safari" has been providing fast, courageous, competent track rescue service since the 50's, even though they've never had F1's money!

[@richardneal102]

Very sad to see, the trouble us the Marshalls back in the 70's were not properly trained to deal with fires if that kind, they dident have the proper equipment. Not

[@courtney7027]

@@doomusrlc he DID swing at him lol. Did you watch the same video as me?! 4:16...the narrator even mentions him reacting aggressively...

[@zanemurcha9742]

David Purely was awarded the George Medal for Bravery for trying to save Roger. When the marshal's who failed to help Purely came forward asking for compensation and recognition after this crash they were told to go away being told, "You didn't do anything... Purely tried to do something."

[@thomasvleminckx]

They had the nerve to even ask that...? If I was them, I'd quietly slink away in shame

[@stevecase6168]

While quite familiar with this horrible day in F1 history, I wasn't aware that marshals came forward asking for compensation? That's just pathetic and I'm glad they didn't get anything from it. Purley on the other hand was a hero, even though the end result was tragic...

[@danielstokker]

Marshals never did come forward werever you heard that is lying

[@example2844]

I don't want to come across as a pretentious prick about this, but I'm pretty sure it was the george Gallantry medal, not bravery. Though I understand the confusion

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

@@thomasvleminckx they don't know what shame is.

[@ryansheehan9462]

The footage of Purley walking away from the scene after there was nothing more that could be done and so obviously distraught is honestly heartbreaking. I don’t know if I would have ever been able to start another race after that.

[@TheFalcoFanatic]

Honestly, the ignorance toward Mr. Williamson was just, wrong. Everyone heard the cries for help, but just ignored him. My dad saw this race live on TV when he was a kid, and he told me that looking back on the race just makes him upset and angry. I know that tons of people were traumatized and furious at this. At least David and Rogers were reunited once again, in a very very better place. So sad to see someone go, doing what they love. But seeing someone go all because of being ignored just seems like a huge slap in the face.

[@shaunwalker2557]

its the dutch way....natural cowards.....even the germans couldn't keep up with them....and we wont mention anne frank..

[@carlodave9]

In a better place? Then I suppose we should thank the marshals for helping get him there. Hallelujah???

[@Synrgiii]

Explain how they are reunited? Heaven?

[@kevingarcia6368]

A terrible consequence when you're unfortunately the most ignored or overlooked person in the world. I'm not saying it's a good thing. But these horrible things can happen to you anytime you're being disregarded or ignored. I just hope Roger Williamson is in a much better place in the other world (afterlife). Such a terrible ending for a young British guy like Williamson. Talking about him is forever a what if scenario. But the outcome could have been different if they saved him. These questions if he was saved could've been like: What if like Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Jacky Ickx, Emerson Fittipaldi or even Niki Lauda or even all of them stopped their cars to save Williamson and helped him survive the crash? Could he have worked his way to be a true world class driver? Would he even be able to win a world championship? Would he maybe even be able to put a challenge against Niki Lauda and James Hunt? We'll never know the answers. And at just the age of 25 years old. He was gone, his life tragically cut short before he even had a chance to shine. This is by far and away the worst fatal accident in the history of motorsports. And it should be the worst of all time. Such the biggest tragedy in Formula One. Rest in peace Roger Williamson. (1948 - 1973). He wasn't given enough time.

[@ButtersTheGreat1]

@@carlodave9 You guys are so exhausting.

[@davidcopeland5450]

1973 was a particularly dark and deadly year for motorsports. Roger Williamson being left to die by the inaction of track marshals and the fire crews. The worst ever Indy 500. Larry Smith’s fatal crash at the Talladega 500. François Cervet (who finished runner-up at the Dutch Grand Prix) and his fatal crash at Watkins Glen during qualifying for the season-ending U.S. Grand Prix while in the hunt for a podium points finish. More I haven’t mentioned here. Too many good racers and human beings on and off the track were lost that year. RIP to all of them.

[@ruddgrandprix-speedrunraci8515]

FeelsSadMan indeed.

[@itswais77]

Cevert was long gone he got decapicated

[@Bitterman5868]

@@itswais77 That was Helmut Koenigg Cevert was torn in half by the Armco barrier by the groin

[@TherealLorinser]

Art Polard as well during qualifying for the 1973 Indianapolis 500 and then at the race day Swede Savage.

[@glenbooth7903]

I remember watching these on TV, I think what a lote don't release is Sire Jackie Stewart has played a major role in making F1 a safer sport especially after the death of FC Jackie was his mentor. RIP to all that have lost there lives doing something they loved.

[@jeffrykopis5468]

The fire extinguishers were pretty worthless back then. Apparently they didn't do shit against gasoline. Criminal negligence by everyone concerned, except Perley. His effort was heroic.

[@rileyfair5]

The fact the guy who watched his friend die in front of him is more mature than you are about the situation shows alot

[@jeffrykopis5468]

@@rileyfair5 I didn't say anything "immature".

[@mikewhitcomb6558]

To your point about the fire extinguishers, you can clearly see the flames actually getting more intense at one point as a result of him trying to put the fire down.

[@jeffrykopis5468]

@@mikewhitcomb6558 Exactly. And that's negligence on the part of track officials, to not procure the proper kind for gasoline. Those cars didn't run on firewood.

[@SpeltzGDZ]

@@rileyfair5 What are you mad about? Jeffry didn’t say anything “Immature”

[@racingaerials4493]

The footage of the driver trying desperately to save Roger's life makes me cry every time. I remember hearing they were great friends in real life and he just didn't want to lose his friend.

[@richardneal102]

Yeah I agree it's very disturbing, I'm surprised some of the drivers didn't make there own decision, and retire/stop the race themselves?

[@Synrgiii]

Bot

[@dragonace119]

@@richardneal102 Over a year late but I always assumed the other drivers thought the burning wreck was David's which is why they didn't help.

[@Dan-nt2yb]

You ok now?

[@johnvandeventer8668]

I’m so glad that David Purley got the medal for his bravery

[@stinkyroadhog1347]

That medal would've meant nothing to him. He would've preferred his friend Roger, still alive....

[@TheGodParticle]

A true hero, forever in our hearts.

[@MillionaireWizard]

I feel like this is what could have been had Arturo Merzario, Guy Edwards, Harald Ertl, and Brett Lunger not stopped to help Niki Lauda's fiery crash at the Green Hell in the 1976 German Grand Prix.

[@DukeTheRebel]

Oh, those Marshalls would’ve been burned at the stake for not saving him

[@KingHayabusa384]

This accident and the efforts made to save his life made him regret the things he said in that interview shown.

[@lucyk.5163]

@@KingHayabusa384 What interview? What happened?

[@KingHayabusa384]

@@lucyk.5163 Sometime after the Dutch Grand Prix a reporter asked Lauda why he didn't stop and try to save Williamson. His answer: "I get paid to race, not to stop." As mentioned above, he deeply regreted this and considered it to be one of his biggest mistakes.

[@Notawhitchhunt]

I attended formula one at mosport in 1976 and had a pit pass. I saw Nikki Lauda in the pit area but he still wasn't able to race at that time. Was amazed at his incredible recovery and his desire to return to racing

[@Revup1]

David Purely was a British Army veteran, former member of the Parachute Regiment, graduate of the Royal Military College Sandhurst and had seen active service during the Aden conflict. This is why he ran towards the danger not away from it. Purley's courage and devotion to colleagues was the mark of a man who had served his country. For his rescue attempt of Roger Williamson, David Purely would receive the George Medal, one of the UKs highest civilian gallantry awards.

[@realMaverickBuckley]

He was a Para?? Damn. No wonder.

[@SpeccyMan]

A gallantry medal truly deserved but I'm willing to bet that Purley would rather still have had his friend alive than that medal.

[@Ann-vc1py]

Very true. God knows David tried so very hard to save his friend, a fellow racer, a fellow man. Rest easy Roger Williamson, your friend tried his very best. David is with you always, with all the other amazing and sorely missed F1 drivers. Utrinque Paratus David Purley. 🎉x

[@LucasOliveira-tt2ll]

Purley was quite a character, once recalled by british media as one of the last of the privateers, had a scruff with Niki Lauda, survived the biggest G-load until Kenny Brack had that one at Texas and passed flying acrobatic planes. And because of that sad moment, one of F1 unsung heroes. Emerson Fittipaldi once said he could see Williamson's eyes during each lap he ran before bursting into tears

[@briangriffinfamilyguyfan81]

In sorts of racing in general going from IndyCar, to NASCAR, to Formula 1 etc. was a bloodbath in the 70's The safety was not good at all back then

[@chaseelliotiscool2849]

Safety was not invented yet

[@richieosborn2639]

The only safe Motorsport was Speed Racer, because it was on TV.

[@SouperGoose62]

Indeed, the speeds were getting ahead of the safety

[@zikalokof1challenge414]

I mean, seatbelts weren't even a thing in F1 until 1972, that says something. Also, most helmets were open and only protected the outer parts of the head (similiar to a baseball helmet) and left the face wide open, with some drivers using masks to prevent oil and things like that to come in and "blind" them. Of course, fully closed helmets became a thing in the 70s, but they weren't as near as effective as they are today

[@DaimosZ]

@@richieosborn2639 What about all the bad guys in the show getting murked left and right or all the rival racers getting killed in horrific accidents? Speed Racer was far more violent than most animated series on US tv at the time.

[@OWfan]

A point about Purley's last race weekend is that he survived a major accident himself with what was at the time the record for largest recorded G-force a person survived in a non-voluntary instance (Kenny Brack's '03 Texas crash surpassed that).

[@DukeTheRebel]

Wasn’t there a comparison out there to Kenny’s impact as to what it would’ve been comparable to?

[@theant9821]

I thought it was Nigel Mansells crash in 87 that had the largest g force, the car flew into the air then landed with the kerb directly beneath his seat, so the force went directly into Mansell, crushing his spine, he was lucky to have survived, let alone walk again, and race again. If you watch it and look at the photos it's painful. I think it was the 87 Japanese grand prix.

[@callmeshaggy5166]

@@theant9821 Breck's crash was 218g. He briefly weighed something like 14 tons. He survived because it was focused on his legs.

[@pommiebears]

Maybe his friend was watching over him, eh?

[@richieosborn2639]

Fire was the most feared thing in Motorsport. This moment solidified that fear, until safety got improved overtime. And I’m glad that Zandvoort became better after it’s resurgence in 2021 and it’s staff and equipment are no longer cheaper than Mr. Krabs!

[@jussieronen3707]

Fire was the reason why early F1 drivers didn't want to wear seatbelts, they preferred death by flying out of the car to burning death strapped to their seats.

[@Lasukie]

The whole footage of this is heartbreaking. When Purley realizes Williamson had ceased calling for help and the marshall tries to lead him away while the others continue to stand and watch is rly rly awful

[@DV1287]

David purely needs to be in the motorsport hall of fame. He prob never won a championship, but def had a heart for everyone in racing

[@KingHayabusa384]

Seeing Purley walk away, broken and devastated is the saddest thing I have ever seen. You can feel his pain and anger.

[@chrism9136]

I was 14 and at this race. We were on the other side of the track, but I still remember seeing the smoke getting thicker and spreading. It was blindingly obvious that something was seriously wrong. The crowd around were all shocked the race was not stopped. As the race went on, we learned of Williamson's death. It still took an age before the officials cancelled the meeting, there was one lower level race left!

[@iagofreitas910]

Roger Williamson, Tom Pryce, Pierre Courage, François Cevert, Jochen Rindt... A lot of drivers that gone too soon... Some of them deserves to be in the series like Stefan Bellof, Ricardo Rodriguez, Jim Clark for example (only sugestions)

[@chrisguardiano6143]

There's also Ronnie Peterson who was Mario Andretti's teammate when he won the F1 title in 1978. Sadly in the title clinching race at Monza, Peterson suffered critical injuries in a first lap wreck & would die the next day as a result of complications associated with a broken leg suffered in the crash. This naturally made the title celebration a somber one for Andretti.

[@iagofreitas910]

@@chrisguardiano6143 yes Ronnie was very promisor... His death was very brutal 😢

[@stinkyroadhog1347]

@@chrisguardiano6143 Both American champions were unable to celebrate their title wins. Both drivers went into a title showdown with their teammates at Monza and both lost their supremely talented teammates in horrible crashes on lap 1.

[@coca-colatrackhousewarrior9925]

Senna would've raced for another 10 years had he lived

[@CrewGuyPJ]

@@coca-colatrackhousewarrior9925 Senna had raced another 10 years if williams team mechanics knew how to weld....fixed it for you.

[@fandenando77]

This is definitely the most gut-wrenching moment in the history of Formula 1. Even though this happened way before I was born, hearing about the story or seeing images of the crash makes me sad and angry.

[@GT_177]

Mad respect for Purley. Not just for what he did to try and save Williamson but how he handled that interview. Would have expected more anger but he made it clear that he understood the difficulties faced by the marshals and the officials.

[@El_boricua31]

This is basically the Skimp Hersey tragedy of F1. (For those of you who don’t know, Skimp Hersey was a stock car racer in the 1940s who died from burns in an accident in Lakewood Speedway. There was a photographer who was the closest person to Hersey. He refused to help him instead taking pictures of the accident. Eventually track officials got to Hersey but died the next day.)

[@jayd2517]

The footage of Purley walking away is absolutely heartbreaking.

[@johndybala8580]

So is 4:23, Purley's interaction with the track marshal who had probably stood on the other side of the track being the rubbernecker he was, trying to be seen as magnanimously coming alongside Purley in that moment. (It's not as clear in this video as in others that the guy ran from out of the shot's frame to gain visibility by fawning over Purley.) Even without microphones, it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to determine what Purley said as he pushed the guy's arm away from him.

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

That’s disgusting… No other words to describe this horrible moment :(

[@SpaNT650]

Speechless!

[@Itbebobby]

To think of how Purley felt walking away from the flames is to die a little inside.

[@jacekatalakis8316]

At the time Jackie Stewart's safety crusade which started in 1966 wasn't well recieved, consider that Spa and the Nurburgring both were assuming oh the drivers won't dare back out of racing here... They did. Stewart was seen as a pariah at times for his attitude towards safety in an era of macho and this is a man's sport on real tracks, attitudes

[@jimsimpson1006]

Safety standards in motor sport are far higher now than they were fifty years ago and Sir Jackie is one of the people we can thank for that.

[@martinmolloy5876]

David Purley = selfless and brave. What a man. I've seen images of this many times. Very upsetting, but David was so brave. RIP both.

[@yunque3748]

this was well done, i appreciate the effort, passion, and care you put into these stories. please hold true to your values. your style in journalism is rare but very much appreciated.

[@yhelloh]

Sometimes as hard as it is to watch, I watch it back in full every once and a while. Reminds me that we are so fragile as humans, and that driving your daily can also result in fatality. David Purley did everything he could, and I hope to never see anyone experience that. I hope he is well.

[@alanluscombe8a553]

The clip of his death and David’s reaction is one of the saddest things you can watch

[@afterburner119]

I had no idea who David Purley was until this video. Now I know a new Motorsports hero. David Purley, Man; Hero; Friend.

[@geneharrogate6911]

Seeing David Purley literally face the fire to save a his friends life then walking off in despair has to be one of the most gut wrenching spectacles in motorsport history.

[@newguest5412]

David Purley was a pure hero, thank you so much for talking about him because his story is rarely told. For anyone interested, there is a really fascinating serie of pictures captured that day by photographer Cor Mooij, of Purley desperately trying to save Williamson.

[@SaraSpruce]

I first read about this incident at maybe 7 or 8 years old. I've admired David Purley ever since. What an absolute hero.

[@BangaGlaser]

Terrifying video, but an important one. I feel terrible about what happened, and I’m glad to know learn this story. It’s better to know than to not. Not everything is a win. Thank you BFM, Sincerely.

[@sorosub4562]

Such a crazy age with Motorsport, if you crashed hard you were expecting to die most of the time.

[@briantaylor9285]

Absolutely sickening.

[@CaBc933]

That’s a pretty sad death. I heard about this however I never knew how bad it was.

[@emdotrod]

The 1970s was a dark time for F1 and motorsport in general. The need for speed with little to no regards for safety are the perfect combination of disaster.

[@Milton_Valenzuela]

When I first watched the hour-long documentary of the 1973 season, I was just pissed to all hell that Williamson died with no one trying to help except Purley. F1 teams were so addicted to performance gains that they gave safety the middle finger. But also, those times were nothing short of amateurism when it came to F1, tracks, marshals, and fire trucks practicing safety

[@TheMouseAvenger]

There's a documentary about the 1973 racing season? Neat! ^_^ Where can I see it?

[@theant9821]

The British grand prix was the first to take professional marshalling and safety seriously, as the BRDC and GPDA ect. was like a workers union for racing drivers and based in Britain too, like most Grand Prix teams. But it took years for it to become standard practice across the world, as back then circuits basically operated to ther own standards they set themselves. It wasn't until drivers demanded professionalism or they wouldn't race that something was done. Personally i believe the single moment that did most for driver safety was when Niki Lauda pulled out of the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix, losing the title as a result, because he decided it was too dangerous. Sure other drivers had come in for safety before then but that was the first time one of the big dogs of the sport had taken a stand and losing the title because of it made his stand so significant that it got things taken seriously and made change happen.

[@RJSRdg]

@@theant9821 The real turning point was Ronnie Peterson's fatal crash at Monza in 1978 - in some ways not dissimilar to Williamson's in that it was the drivers, not the marshalls and emergency crew who went to the rescue. This led to Dr Sid Watkins demanding that Bernie Ecclestone improved track safety.

[@ChickenMusiala]

Tbf tho those extinguisher didn't do shit

[@mustangswede]

@@TheMouseAvenger it's called 'One by One' and also 'The quick and the Dead' ( there's 2 names for the same documentary) and it's available on Amazon Prime. (atleast that's where i viewed it) I think its a pretty amazing document in time/of a time. Good Luck!

[@SimonJohn67]

I grew up in the same town as David Purley (Bognor Regis). I never actually witnessed his plane crash but I was out and about that evening and was drawn to the large crowd that had gathered on the beach. A terrible tragedy that rocked the whole local community.

[@hmdwgf]

Zandvoort had just been extensively renovated and it was the first time F1 had been on the renovated and revised track; the Dutch GP was cancelled in 1972 because the old track was basically a public road with lots of fast corners that went through sand dunes near a beach resort town half an hour west of Amsterdam. That part of the track, at a corner called Tunnel Oost where Williamson was killed was where Piers Courage was killed 3 years before. Apparently the Dutch marshals and organizers thought that Williamson's flaming wreck was in fact Purley's car and that he was trying to push his own car upright. Quite honestly that wouldn't surprise me, as no one seemed to know what was going on other than Purley.

[@ysgol3]

The race wasn't stopped of course, and many drivers claimed, as you said, they thought it was Purley's own car, and that Purley had escaped. Only those drivers knew whether that was true or not. Williamson was saying things like 'For God's sake David, get me out of here'. Awful. And when Cevert crashed so horribly at the end of that year, the drivers stopped and rushed to him, only to see the horrendous fatal injuries Francois had suffered.

[@ysgol3]

@@GamingSinceThe70s-pq9st Hi, yes indeed, my point though that the new drivers' attitude caused by Roger's situation first showed itself when Francois crashed. Point taken though, we can't know whether the drivers would have done the same had it happened in the race, I reckon they would have , but of course we can't know.

[@animaltvi9515]

They didn't notice there were 2 stationery cars and only one driver walking about trying to wave them down ???

[@neilmartin3220]

Seen this incident come up many times over the years. One of the most easily avoidable deaths in motorsport. Ironically the track had just reopened at that time boasting all new safety features. David Purley was far too gracious in that interview. What a gentleman and hero David Purley was.

[@Katinahat293]

He was indeed far too gracious. The whole sport needed to be called out and changed, but he couldn’t since it was his job. I wish he had been able to speak freely.

[@cito1101]

Un-F**king-Believable!!!

[@erebousde]

50 years ago today.

[@NurseryEnterprises]

Sad chapter in human history. Thank you for keeping it fresh in our minds so we never forget to keep pushing for improvement in every aspect of our lives.

[@lorddrac_dontaskmetodance]

Small correction: Purley was involved in aerobatics (stunts with aircrafts), not acrobatics. Roughly the same idea behind it, though.

[@BlackFlagsMatter]

Lmfao thought I said that during final recording.

[@spikenomoon]

Stop being so Flipping Flappy

[@CX0909]

Before KZbin removed it I saw a tribute to Williamson and Purley with this footage done to Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. I cried…. It was heartbreaking.

[@johnash826]

Why the hell did they not stop the race? Watched it back in the day. It is still unbelievably stupid and shocking!

[@nigellangridge1975]

David Purley… when he did all he could you see his spirit break. Marshals were totally ill-equipped. The whole incident was a catastrophic f*** up. Only David Purley comes out of this event with any dignity.

[@sacitkoc2544]

Huge respect to Purley, what a great man. Hats 🎩 off

[@patrickracer43]

The 60s and 70s were a bloodbath no matter the discipline: NASCAR, Indycars, F1, Sprints, Endurance, Rally Edit: you can't blame Purley for being as aggressive towards the marshalls, as he was basically the only one to try to help Williamson, Purley was the only one who tried to help his fellow human being

[@oildrag]

David Purley’s body language said it all ! He was broken, he did absolutely everything possible, what a total Hero !!!!

[@ianpender5969]

I have an idea for a video. NASCAR drivers that are/were the real deal. Meaning, drivers that had a lot of hype before getting into NASCAR and lived up to the hype. A driver that had a lot of success throughout their whole career. For example: i remember hearing Logano was gonna be the next big thing. Sliced Bread, they called him. But he only had 2 wins in his first 4 seasons. So, to me, he didnt live up to the hype. Just a thought of a video. :D Keep up the great work!

[@ericathewwfwcwdivastraight8906]

This is scary. RIP to all the racers my condolences

[@simoneghilardini5211]

In my opinion the whole 1973 racing season has been the worst, darkest and most tragic year of motor racing, not only in F1 with Revson, Williamson and Cevert. I think about USAC that saw the tragic Indy 500 with Art Pollard killed in practice, Salt Walther severely injured and burned at the start and Swede Savage suffering such a devastating crash that ultimately led him to death. Then on May 20th 1973 there has been at Monza the worst tragedy ever known in the history of MotoGP (not MotoGP actually until 2002, just to identify easily the motorcycle world championship). At the start of the Grand Prix of Nations, 250cc class, a horrific crash at Curva Grande involving almost the whole field, killed one of the two best riders ever of that period, Renzo Pasolini and Jarno Saarinen, and caused severe injuries to Walter Villa in a gruesome dynamic. Another tragedy on 8th July 1973 happened at Monza, during the start of the 125cc class of the Italian juniores championship, with three riders killed at the same corner, Renzo Colombini, Renato Galtrucco and Carlo Chionio. That's the reason why they've put the chicanes at Monza afterwards.

[@bowelrupture]

First: the situation at Zandvoort was not different than at any other circuit. Just look at the marshals nowadays around any race track. Only a very few have suffient protection. Second: Funding for track safety was very minimal. The marshals all were volunteers. The next day they had to go to their normal jobs. They had spent a lot of money to get the track to the, for that time, very safe and modern state. Prior to this GP, in 1972, the track was boycotted by the drivers: No safety features at all. In 1973 there was a new control tower, grandstands, armco all around the track, which was resurfaced completely. Also they had a fire truck which was new for that time too, afaik. Several things went wrong when the crash happened. > The armco was properly attached but the upright poles were not deep enough into the ground. The armco acted like a ramp. > The marshals had no firesuits. No protective clothing. So it was for them impossible to get close to the car. They could not get the car turned over on its wheels. > The Fireman officer (the men in the uniform) tried to contact the control tower but the connection was disconnected. > The control tower had no TV. So they could not see, what everyone saw on tv. They saw some smoke. The laptimes stayed pretty much the same, Peterson barely slowed down. > The fire truck had to go all around the track to get to the crash. Which was at Tunnel Oost Post 10. Because there is one thing a driver can be sure of: no traffic from the left or right. And definitely not in the opposite direction. > Zandvoort definitely learned from this. A lot of extra rescue vehicles to intervene quickly in case of fire. Including sufficient extinguishers.

[@patb5266]

Thanks for this, I didn't know of this until now. I have so much respect for Purley, he did the right thing. R.I.P to both these men.

[@DC322]

David Purley was the only one who tried to do everything to save Roger's life while everyone else including the marshals were standing around doing nothing or not calling for firefighters to the scene. Race control could had stopped the race but didn't as race cars were still at full speed while Roger was trapped and burning in the race car. After Williamson's incident, 1977 South African GP race where a F1 car was on fire and track marshals were running across the hot track when Tom Pryce hit one of the marshalls who was carrying the fire extinguisher. The track marshal was killed instantly and Tom Pryce crashed at the end of the track after the impact of the fire extinguisher that hit his head. Pryce was also dead.

[@DropkickNation]

The marshalls had no way of helping him. What were they supposed to do with no heat protection?

[@callmeshaggy5166]

@@DropkickNation literally anything is better than standing around doing nothing. How can you even defend such negligence?? Even just one more and they might have been able to flip the car in time.

[@DropkickNation]

@@callmeshaggy5166 Like what? Again, armchair judges...

[@paulvanzyl2385]

The Fire extinguisher hitting Tom Pryce's head killed him instantly as well, they said that at the speeds they were racing the force of the fire extinguisher hitting his helmet made it jolt so violently that the chin strap sliced through his neck nearly decapitating him. But yeah it's quite sad that the drivers those days were seen as "expendable".

[@callmeshaggy5166]

@@DropkickNation like what? Try clicking "read more" next time since I literally gave an example. But we get it you don't need to say it any clearer - you'd have done nothing like a coward too 👍

[@t_mac41603]

The Tom Pryce crash in 1977 South African Grand Prix is undoubtedly the most gruesome of all.

[@Mattyice2000]

In the late 60 and 70 racing drivers voiced there concerns about the safety and conditions on the track but the racing organizations didn’t really listen to them

[@MrMotorNerd]

The Statue should have been a tribute to both Williamson and Purly. After all both players tell the true story . The single statue cheapens the heroic attempt by a fellow privateer.

[@brooksobrien5290]

I met David Purley just 5 weeks before this crash at Monaco with my dad on a Page and Moy racing tour which included fans and several drivers including Purley and his wife. He was completely charming and ordered wine for our table, in french, every night. Purley chatted with our table several nights in a row without ever mentioning he was making his GrandPrix debut that weekend, everyone thought he was just a fan on honeymoon with his new wife. David spoke with my shy 15 year old self about my future racing plans, as though he really cared. The needs to be a book on his amazing life!

[@dafyddthomas7299]

sounds like a nice guy and legend - he is a hero for sure and be interesting if someone could have written a book about his life and then a film

[@ultramariogod]

It sucks that changes only happen after horrific tragedies

[@justind.hulett7764]

Thats fucked up the fact that they didn't bother helping him if you could have asked him if its his car. And no other drivers stopped to help from the back of track Marshalls wouldn't even help either. Thats fucked up

[@stephenbrown4211]

So would you approach a 3000 degree fire with no protection? They couldn’t get near it.

[@heliumtrophy]

Never fails to make me bawl out crying just seeing those images. There are a few things I should point out. First is that the marshalls at the grid were in shock because this was the second major accident to happen in a few years - there was Piers Courage's death which also had a huge plume of smoke to which one Dutch marshall spoke years later that "oh shit, no, not again," because they really were scared of something bad happening and they were just immobilised by fear and panic. Not using that as an excuse but I understand the thought process. Hearing one marshall relay on Dutch TV "Hij is Roger Williamson. De man is dood," absolutely shook with grief and remorse is chilling. It should also be pointed out that for the rest of the race, Purley would shake his fist at his fellow racers and give them the middle finger. Speaking of Niki Lauda, a few years later, he was in an altercation with Purley over how he should have moved over believing he was a back marker, Purley's response was "I happened to be leading the race at that time, now if you don't stop pointing those fingers at me, I'll snap them off and shove them up your arse." Niki wisely backed down. You can see another programme with Purley with John Noakes (famed for being one time Blue Peter presenter on BBC) and when asked about the whole incident still clearly haunted him.

[@66391_Moshup]

When i saw the original video of Purley trying to save Williamson, He literally tried just to save his friend, that many F1 drivers thought that it was Purley's car which was burning. Among all drivers, he was the one who stopped to try help Williamson escape the blaze, and unfortunately didn't succeed and I can feel his frustration and disbelief of seeing his friend burned alive. He got the George Prize for his attempts on saving Williamson, but Purley himself also died in 1985. RIP, Roger and David.

[@lorddrac_dontaskmetodance]

F1 fans: "Okay, but at least our safety cars aren't crashing like IndyCar is."

[@DrCrabfingers]

The good old bad old days...or vice versa. Motor sport was a shit show in terms of driver safety, marshal training, correct clothing etc. I'm sure we've all seen cars leaving the track and ploughing into spectators...often spectators were allowed to sit unprotected at the side of the tracks. Seeing those marshals running towards a burning car with a man in it and just have no idea what to do is quite mind blowing. Who was that man who seemed to be dressed as a bus conductor? Jackie Stewart almost single-handedly changed motorsport safety by his constant insistence for improvement. Thank goodness scenes like this are now only shaming historical records.

[@striker31]

If I was David Purley, I would’ve beaten up those marshals.

[@lorddrac_dontaskmetodance]

The one that attempted to get Purley away, right?

[@striker31]

@@lorddrac_dontaskmetodance each and every one of them that did nothing.

[@nixbronowski5822]

Unacceptable in ANY ERA of Racing.

[@_Revuelto]

"Reunited with his buddy in a much better place." and similar statements are among the dumbest utterings of all times after tragedies that has cost someone their life and brought unfathomable sorrow and pain to their closest.

[@camerongreenwoodcrampakacgc.]

David Purley is my definition of an absolute hero and, of course, the definition of a true hero. :)

[@tensaichigo2]

Purley. What an absolute legend. It's clear what he found more important. Saving a man's life was more important to him than a race. What a great man. He deserves all the respect and admiration for trying his best to save a man's life. The fact so many just watched or drove by is disgusting. I hope everyone that didn't help, felt guilty and suffered later in life.

[@rijkemans5114]

As it seems they saw one driver trying to flip his car. Big deal, not worth stopping for. They apparently didn't realize it wasn't his own car, and the driver was still inside.

[@dragonmaster3207]

The fire marshals couldn’t do anything. There clothes were not flame resistant and the extinguisher actually made the fire worse.

[@mrkipling2201]

I watched an F1 documentary the other day and the episode about the 1970's and the safety measures back then were almost non existent. The drivers turned up at one circuit for a race and found the barriers were so loose, they might as well have not bothered. The drivers had to bolt them together themselves!!

[@w00llee14]

R.I.P Roger Williamson & David Purley, both taken from us too soon.

[@tiadaid]

Zandvoort marshals was horrbile back then. In 1977, Patrese and Pironi crashed, and they left the car in the middle of the track for over a lap!

[@nicholasdimauro5324]

Anyone who has been near a bonfire can attest to the intense pain with coming even within 20 feet if it. I can’t blame the fire marshals for not turning over the car. Purely definitely is a hero.

[@martinclapton2724]

People use to knock Jackie Stewart for his voicing for better safety requirements at race circuits for medical and fire protection assistance , but it’s incidents like this as well as the death of Francois Cevert later at Watkins Glen that very same year, and Niki Laudas accident in 1976 that promoted such a stance to be taken. It was almost taken for granted , that from the start of F1 in 1950 right until the late 1970s this was a gladiatorial form of sport and lives were expected to be lost in any one given motor racing season. These scenes , nothing short of horrific . David Purley deserved recognition for his bravery.

[@stephenbrown4211]

Jackie certainly was the catalyst for improving safety but there was one unsung hero who got things done; Louis Stanley. He actually set up the first mobile medical unit and got marshals trained

[@J35B]

As was said in the documentary 'grand prix the killer years' the only person who comes out with any credit in this is David Purley

[@nordvestgaming1238]

Videos like these really do make you appreciate how far we have come in terms of safety in motorsport

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

David Purley was a paratrooper turned racing driver and Roger Williamson was his best friend. He earned the George Medal for trying to save his friend. He survived the highest speed shunt of all time to that point at the 1977 British Grand Prix. RIP to both.

[@peterobertson1457]

I remember watching this on the day. I was 7 years old at the time but can still remember being shocked and outraged by it.

[@MongoJoe7863]

It's a damn shame no one else had the ability or the courage to try and get Roger out of the car. What's the point of having track marshalls if they're not going to do their job? Doing everything possible and failing is one thing, but standing around and doing nothing is inexcusable.

[@Fordmister]

Im not quite sure how people expect someone without fire retardent clothing to approach a a fire that was likely burning at a temperature in excess of 3000 degrees. Their cloths would have ignited before they got anywhere near the car. They only had one extinguisher and gave it to the only man with fire protection (Purley, only the drivers had fIre proof equipment as standard in those days) and waited to the fire engine race control never sent because they assumed that Purley was the driver of the burning car not Williamson who was trapped inside. Its really not a question of courage or doing nothing, the failure was in the weeks before the race when race organisers decided that trackside marshal's didn't need fire proof suits or proper training. I find it hard to be angry with people who made the intelligent decision to not pointlessly set themselves on fire because they weren't given any training or equipment to deal with the situation they found themselves in. If they had tried to intervene we likely would have just lost more lives than Williamsons that day. Best case scenario if they actually tried to get close is a bunch of marshals survive severe burns and Roger still burns to death

[@mrgobrien]

​@@Fordmister yes - the critics always fail to mention or realise that only purley had fireproof clothing - every bonfire night i stand as near as possible to the fire just as a test - and i can never manage more than about 3 seconds before having to step back away - and this fire was very likely much hotter and the marshals would've had to go right into it.

[@stephenbrown4211]

@@Fordmisterwell said. Hopefully the armchair marshals will shut up when they read this

[@camerongreenwoodcrampakacgc.]

David Purley. How could anyone go wrong with a friend like that. What a beautiful soul he was. Especially at the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix with Roger Williamson. God bless his beautiful soul. David Charles Purley.

[@Racer881Ken]

David Purely is my hero

[@chazmichaelmichaels88]

Remember that time a father and son track worker duo ran across the track, the son was carrying a fire extinguisher and was then hit by a car. The driver died because the fire extinguisher hit his head and the son was completely obliterated by the impact. The father turned around to see his sons body parts flying through the air.. horrific.

[@hotel_arcadia]

South Africa 1977?

[@kushagrasinha389]

They weren't father and son

[@Cynon]

While this is a disgrace, it needs to be said that the people at fault are the race organizers and the lack of training for the track marshals. I do not agree that it's F1's most disgraceful moment -- the moment the apartheid-era South African Grand Prix was allowed to happen should be considered as it's most disgraceful moment. Why do I say that? Because of what South Africa was at the time, and that giving it a Grand Prix was effectively legitimizing it's government. A government that even conservatives in the UK did not want to support.

[@BlackFlagsMatter]

Gotta do a video on that.

[@Cynon]

@@BlackFlagsMatter James Hunt was a HUGE anti-apartheid advocate, even as a broadcaster. Most of the drivers didn't want to be there, either.

[@DrAkuIa1]

Why the hell wasn’t the race stopped? A man was possibly burning alive.

[@AlonsoRules]

50 years later, there are marshals at many of the newer sportwashing venues that are just an inept as these ones were.

[@Glickse]

Inhumanness.Unfortunately that hasn't changed much, same thing happened to Senna, nobody helped him. Please watch the footage and he is still moving and probably asking for help, but the criminal heartless 'marshalls' just stood there and watch him die. Ironically he saved Coma in a similar accident, he stopped his car to protect him, warn other drivers, shut down the engine in Coma's auto to avoid fire, and held his head upright to allow him to breath.

[@NathanChambers]

Man, such a sad story. It hurts to even think about how helpless Purley felt while trying to save a fellow drivers life and no one would help and he couldn't do it alone. :(

[@UTD1958]

This sport was so brutal and unforgiveble back in the days.. Rip to all those men that sacrificed their lives for doing what they loved to do❤️🙌🏻

[@pietrobarneschi3936]

I have to point out that in one occasion short after the Dutch GP, when Niki Lauda was asked why he didn't stop to help his fellow driver he answered: "I have not been paid to be a firefighter, but to race cars". Considering what happened to him three years later he's been lucky that his saviors didn't think the same as him

[@dafyddthomas7299]

true on this - extremely wrong on Niki on this point, seeing dense smoke from the pits - race control should have red flag the race, and f he and others stop they could have made a difference. Niki was sometimes a %^^%%^ and aggorgant son of a bitchen before his accident but afterwards totally difference - his dogged effort in finding who was at fault with Lauda aircraft 004 and then potentially saving future life was commendable.

[@octanegamer1576]

It's crazy thinking this was before regulated safety standards and drivers unions and the procedures for every accident and to the opposing opinions on certain safety standards saying that "that is stupid, real racing drivers put their lives on line and die like a man" which is ridiculous

[@HyperK7]

Props to the two marshals who overcame the fear of catching on fire themselves for at least a little bit. You can see in that image that the flames are licking toward their arms, hands, and face. Takes some balls to rush into it, even for a bit. Rest of the marshals needed to gather their courage, but those two specifically get a bit of forgiveness.

[@shawnar1116]

How heart breaking. The pic of Purley pleading with the man broke my heart.

[@bmf97ss1]

Very sad story. I don't know which one was worse this or the Tom Pryce incident.