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“I’m alive thanks to one man”: Driver hails “superhero” who pulled him from burning car

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Under investigation
  • British driver Ollie Millroy credited Dutch rival Loek Hartog with pulling him from a burning Ferrari after a three-car crash in Shanghai.
  • Millroy said he suffered five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, fractures to his hand and finger, and a lung contusion.
  • His team, AAI Motorsport, said it would no longer compete in China GT, while the championship organizers promised a detailed investigation into safety shortcomings.

“I’m alive tonight thanks to one man,” British driver Ollie Millroy wrote after a terrifying three-car crash at Shanghai International Circuit. That man was his Dutch rival, Loek Hartog, who stopped racing, found a fire extinguisher and pulled Millroy from the wreckage of his burning Ferrari.

I’m alive tonight thanks to one man.

· Ollie MillroyThe British driver credited Loek Hartog with rescuing him from his burning car.

Millroy said no track marshal or firefighter appeared to be in sight when Hartog rushed toward the damaged car. The 36-year-old driver said he could not remember the crash itself, but would remember Hartog’s bravery for the rest of his life.

Millroy reported five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a fractured hand and finger, and a lung contusion. He said he would one day tell his three children about the rescue, with Hartog becoming “the greatest superhero in history” in their eyes.

Loek Hartog stopped immediately, with no track marshal or firefighter in sight, and risked his own life to get me out of the car.

· Ollie MillroyMillroy described the rescue after the crash.

Hartog, 23, later visited Millroy in hospital and played down his actions. “It was terrifying and there were moments when I didn’t know if I would be able to get Ollie out,” he said. “But what I did is not what matters. I’m sure many people would have reacted exactly the same way in my position.” He said the most important thing was that Millroy was recovering.

It was terrifying and there were moments when I didn’t know if I would be able to get Ollie out.

· Loek HartogHartog recalled the difficulty of pulling Millroy from the wreckage.

Millroy’s team, AAI Motorsport, said the car “continued to burn for more than a minute” after the crash and that it saw no timely firefighting or rescue operation. The team announced it would not take part in any more races organized by China GT, criticizing the circuit’s safety measures. The China GT Championship organizing committee apologized for the accident and said it would conduct a thorough review and investigation, then develop broader plans to address any shortcomings.

The car continued to burn for more than a minute.

· AAI MotorsportMillroy’s team cited the duration of the fire while criticizing safety arrangements.
About this summary

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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