John Surtees' son dies after horrific crash

The teenage son of the only man to have won motor racing world championships on two wheels and four, John Surtees, has been killed in an horrendous accident at Britain's Brands Hatch circuit.

Henry Surtees, the 18-year-old son of the 1964 Formula 1 and multiple motorcycle world champion, was hit by a flying tyre during a Formula 2 race and crashed heavily into a barrier.

Surtees was treated at the circuit medical centre and flown to Royal London Hospital, where he died.

Autosport.com has reported that the young Surtees was "struck on the head by a wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, who had spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend".

"Surtees was knocked unconscious in the accident and his car failed to negotiate the following Sheene Corner, running straight off the track and into the barrier," Autosport.com reported. "Surtees graduated to F2 this season from Formula Renault and had taken his first podium finish in the series with third place in Saturday's race at Brands Hatch.

"His step up to the category came after several seasons in karts, which included victory in the Junior Gearbox Championship in 2005, before a graduation to car racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2006.

"He switched to single-seaters in 2007, taking a race victory in Formula BMW UK for Carlin Motorsport en route to seventh overall in the standings - and second in the rookie cup.

"He also made a brief foray into the Formula Renault UK championship that year, contesting the final two rounds at Thruxton as well as the winter series.

"In 2008 he remained in Formula Renault, taking 12th in the final standings before finishing runner-up in the Winter Series with one victory and three podiums from four races. He also contested last year's British Formula 3 season finale in a national class car for Carlin, taking one victory and one podium."