British ex-Formula One driver Justin Wilson dies of head injuries after being hit by flying debris in IndyCar race
IndyCar driver Justin Wilson has died from a head injury suffered when a piece of debris struck him at Pocono Raceway. He was 37.
IndyCar made the announcement on Monday night at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Watch: Justin Wilson is hit by flying debris during IndyCar race
Wilson was a British driver who lived outside Denver in Longmont, Colorado. He was hit in the head during Sunday’s race by a piece of debris that had broken off another car. Wilson’s car veered into an interior wall at the track, and he was swiftly taken by helicopter to a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
“Can’t even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my Brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion!” his younger brother, Stefan, also an IndyCar driver, tweeted. Stefan Wilson said his brother’s organs would be donated.
The last IndyCar driver to die because of an on-track incident was Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon, who was killed in the 2011 season finale at Las Vegas after his head hit a post when his car went airborne.
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