Rival driver rescues Ollie Millroy from burning car in Shanghai

Dutch racing driver Loek Hartog pulled British competitor Ollie Millroy from a burning Ferrari during a China GT Championship race in Shanghai, according to BBC Sport. Hartog stopped his own car, got out with a fire extinguisher and tackled the flames before dragging Millroy clear of the wreckage after the crash at Saturday’s event.

Watch the highlights:

Millroy later credited Hartog with saving his life. In an Instagram post, the British driver said Hartog had stopped immediately when no flag marshals or fire crews were visible and had put himself at risk to reach him. Millroy said he could not remember the period beginning roughly 30 seconds before the accident and ending about an hour afterward.

The injuries Millroy reported included five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken hand, a broken finger and a bruised lung. He shared a photograph from his hospital bed and said the outcome could have been much worse. Millroy also thanked Hartog directly and described the intervention as an act of bravery that he would remember.

Hartog said he saw a car become a fireball ahead of him and believed its driver might not be able to escape without help. The Dutchman said there had been no real decision to make before he stopped and approached the burning vehicle. He acknowledged that the rescue was frightening and that, at points, he did not know whether he would be able to free Millroy, while adding that he believed many others would have reacted similarly.

AAI Motorsport, Millroy’s team, issued a sharply critical account of the emergency response. The team said the Ferrari continued burning for more than a minute and alleged that timely and effective firefighting and rescue operations were not seen. It said it would no longer enter races organised by China GT, arguing that the dangers inherent in motorsport did not excuse what it described as an avoidable threat to a driver’s life.

China GT organisers said they would review and investigate the accident. Their statement also said they intended to develop more comprehensive plans addressing shortcomings in competition organisation, support, emergency response, rescue and medical services. The organisers’ review and the team’s allegations establish the next areas of scrutiny; BBC Sport’s report did not provide an independent finding on responsibility for the response.