Rival Driver Rescues Ollie Millroy From Burning Ferrari in Shanghai GT Crash
British driver Ollie Millroy was rescued from a burning Ferrari by rival Loek Hartog after a horrific crash at the Shanghai International Circuit, sparking safety outrage and team withdrawals.
A dramatic and terrifying incident unfolded at the Shanghai International Circuit during the China GT Championship, when a severe multi-car crash triggered a massive fire. A collision between two cars sent them sliding violently into the Ferrari driven by 36-year-old British driver Ollie Millroy, striking his vehicle from the side and causing it to burst into flames.
As Millroy remained trapped inside the burning cockpit with no rescue teams in sight, rival driver Loek Hartog stopped his own car and rushed toward the blaze. Hartog grabbed a fire extinguisher from a newly arrived track marshal and pulled Millroy out of the burning vehicle. Millroy was rushed to the hospital, suffering from five broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, a bruised lung, and fractures in his hand. Following surgery, Millroy expressed his deep gratitude to Hartog, stating that he is alive today solely because of his heroic actions.
The severe incident has sparked widespread outrage. Betty Chen, the owner of Fist Team, announced the team's immediate withdrawal from the remainder of the season. Chen launched a scathing attack on the track's safety failures, pointing out that Millroy was left trapped in the burning car for approximately a minute and a half without any response from the emergency and firefighting teams.
The crash in Shanghai has drawn historical comparisons to Niki Lauda's famous accident fifty years ago, where Lauda was pulled from his burning car by fellow drivers after rescue teams failed to arrive on time.
Motorsport experts have strongly criticized the safety operations at the Shanghai circuit, emphasizing that this is a top-tier venue that hosts Formula One races. Critics argue that safety cannot rely on the heroism of rival drivers, and without an immediate overhaul of emergency response protocols, a critical lesson in motorsport safety will have been missed.
