China GT has completed its investigation into the incident that saw Loek Hartog rescue Ollie Millroy from his burning Ferrari during Race 1 in Shanghai last Saturday.
The Dutch driver stopped to help his fellow competitor, who remained trapped in the cockpit as the AII Motorsports Ferrari 296 GT3 caught fire.
Phantom Global Racing driver Hartog climbed out of his Porsche and took a fire extinguisher from a marshal before tackling the flames around Millroy and pulling him from the car.
Footage recorded by two cameras mounted on Hartog’s car appeared to show that the response from the marshals was not as quick as it should have been.
The incident sparked anger in the paddock, with several competitors expressing concern about the safety of racing in such conditions. It was subsequently followed by various reports and claims, including one suggesting that the ambulance driver had been asleep when called to respond to the crash.
Amid the controversy, which inevitably spread across social media, the organisers’ initial statement stressed that it was too early to draw detailed conclusions and said a further, thorough investigation would be carried out in the following days.
Loek Hartog, Ollie Millroy
Photo by: Ollie Millroy/Instagram
CCTV footage from BEC Motorsports has now emerged, with a clock visible in the top-right corner showing the exact timings of the events.
Below is a breakdown of the various stages, from the initial contact involving Millroy, David Chen and Neil Verhagen through to Hartog’s intervention and the arrival of the emergency services.
The entire sequence took just over six minutes, from 16:47:25 to 16:53:41, rather than the 15 minutes incorrectly reported by some people at the scene.
Photo by: GT China
16h47’24”: At Turn 14, Verhagen and Chen make contact and lose control of their respective cars. The marshal at post 14 displays the double yellow flag.
Photo by: GT China
16h47’25”: Chen’s Ferrari hits Millroy’s car, and the fire breaks out.
Photo by: GT China
16h47’37”: Race Control decides to show the red flag, alerting the marshals in the area, firefighters, rescue vehicles, fire trucks, medical vehicles, rapid response vehicles and ambulances to go immediately to the scene of the incident according to the rescue procedures laid down for race incidents.
Photo by: GT China
16h47’41”: Hartog stops to provide first assistance to Millroy
Photo by: GT China
16h48’12”: The first marshal arrives at the scene and hands the fire extinguisher to Hartog
Photo by: GT China
16h48’20”: The second marshal arrives with another fire extinguisher
Photo by: GT China
16h48’31”: The first fire truck arrives
Foto di: GT China
16h48’40”: Millroy has been extracted by Hartog
Foto di: GT China
16h48’57”: The second fire truck arrives
Foto di: GT China
16h51’33”: The chief medical officer and the ambulance arrive for initial examinations and assessment of the injuries, and treatment for Millroy and Chen
Photo by: GT China
16h52’45”: The fire trucks have arrived at the scene to carry out fire-extinguishing operations
Photo by: GT China
16h53’41”: The first ambulance arrived at the scene to assist Millroy, leaving at 16h58’52” to reach Ruijin North Hospital for treatment. The second transported Chen to the medical centre for an examination before transferring him to Ruijin North Hospital.
Loek Hartog, Ollie Millroy
Meanwhile, there has been an update on Millroy’s condition, with the British driver still in intensive care and his wife Fern providing an account of his current situation.
“Ollie remains stable in the intensive care unit in Shanghai, surrounded by the most incredible doctors and surgeons. We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and love that have been sent to us, giving us the strength to keep going through this traumatic period in our lives,” Fern wrote.
“He sustained six broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken hand and a punctured lung. Following a four-hour operation on Tuesday, plates and screws were fitted to the various fractures to give him the best possible chance of healing.
“He also underwent a second operation on Wednesday to insert a drainage tube into his abdomen to allow gas and fluid to drain from his lung, which has greatly alleviated the pain.
“The doctors are monitoring Ollie’s cognitive state following the severe concussion he suffered, which caused him to be unconscious for more than an hour. The impact was so severe that it broke the visor of his helmet and snapped the HANS device.
“Despite the injuries and challenges we are facing now, we cannot help but feel incredibly lucky that he is alive. We all feel an enormous amount of gratitude and love towards Loek Hartog, who saved Ollie’s life.
“Your messages of love and support have been hugely appreciated and we will keep you updated on Ollie’s progress in hospital.”
Hartog has also reflected on the incident, proposing that the wider motorsport community come together to improve safety for drivers who may find themselves in a similar situation.
Ollie Millroy in hospital in Shanghai
Photo by: Ollie Millroy
“What happened in Shanghai showed us how much this community cares about the conditions we race in. Ollie and I want to see what we can do together for the next driver who needs help, potentially through a non-profit organisation built with this community,” said the 23-year-old.
“Ollie is still in hospital and has a recovery ahead of him, so his health comes first. In the meantime, share your ideas in the comments because, as Ollie said, no one should have to go through what we experienced last weekend.
“We’re trying to work out what the next steps could be and we’ll keep you updated. Thank you for the support you’ve shown both of us. It means more than you can imagine.”
