&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Rival driver Loek Hartog saves fellow racer Ollie Millroy from burning car in daring rescue at China GT")
Motorsport is dangerous and sometimes fatal. British race car driver Ollie Millroy, however, was lucky to escape a burning car with only a few fractures and a bruised lung. Credit for Millroy's escape from the jaws of death goes to his rival driver Loek Hartog, who pulled him out of the burning car without a second thought. The British driver acknowledged the act of selflessness and said he "owes his life" to Hartog. The incident happened in Shanghai during the China GT championship on Saturday (Sep 5), 20 minutes into the race, after which the event was suspended.
Rival saves fellow driver from burning car at China GT
The incident happened when Millroy, who was driving a Ferrari, was struck as a result of a collision between two other cars of David Chen and Neil Verhagen. Millroy's car immediately burst into flames, and the race was red-flagged. The safety marshals, however, could not respond immediately. Hartog, who was behind Millroy, stopped immediately and attempted to rescue the Briton from the driver's side by hauling off a part of the door. He then grabbed a fire extinguisher from a nearby official to douse the flames and pulled his rival driver from the opposite side of the wreck.
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Millroy was immediately taken to a hospital, where he is receiving treatment for multiple fractures and a bruised lung. The Briton took to Instagram to thank Dutchman Hartog for the selfless act and wrote: "I owe my life to you. Loek Hartog stopped instantly with no flag marshals or fire crews in sight, and risked his own life to get me out of the car. I don’t remember anything between 30 seconds before the crash and 1 hour after it, but … I will remember his incredible act of bravery for the rest of my life. One day I will tell our three kids this story and Loek will be the biggest superhero in history in their eyes too. I’m lying here tonight with 5 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a broken hand and finger, and a bruised lung, but it could have been much worse. Thank you Loek."
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