In the eighth lap of the race, the seat of Roger Williamson suffered a puncture losing control and impacting against the races. Without control and wrapped in flames, March 731 British pilot began to roll down the runway for 300 metres with the bad luck that was upside down, making impossible that Williamson might get out of the single-seat.
The situation that was happening, one of the pilots, David Purley, did not hesitate a moment stop next to the track and run toward the car accident trying to turn it to enable Williamson as well out of it. Powerless, and not giving credit to anyone assist him (called for help from the public which could not access to the track as security prevented him) tried to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher, the only one who had.
It did not succeed. Currently Purley was beginning to be noted that his teammate could be already dead. Pulled shot and exhausted, David Purley him out of the track a Commissioner, who instead of helping the desperate pilot, only contemplated as everything was happening (without protection, dare not get into the fire). Worst of all is that Williamson died not from the accident, but that died afixiado by the smoke from the fire.
Inexplicably, and despite being the single-seater wrapped in flames, the Commissioners of that race showed only yellow flag. The management thought at all times that Williamson had managed to get out of the car and not made any decision. These decisions were made to the fire truck took a whopping eight minutes at the scene of the accident.
The action of David Purley was awarded the George Medal, the second highest award that can be given to a civilian in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
