Henry Surtees died on Sunday 19 July 2009 following a tragic
accident at Brands Hatch whilst competing in Formula Two. His death
robs the sport of an honest and highly approachable character who
was just beginning to demonstrate the true level of his talent. A
pole position at Brno and his first podium in Formula Two this
season spoke of genuine world class potential.
Born on 18 February 1991, it was perhaps inevitable that Henry
would fall in love with motorsport at an early age. His father
John, who inherited his passion for that sport from his father,
remains the only man ever to have won world championships on two
and four wheels, having added the 1964 Formula One title with
Ferrari to his seven World Motorcycle Championships.
Henry's career began at the age of eight in cadet karts, and he
took several karting titles throughout his karting years, including
the 2000 Club Winter Championship at Rye House and the 2005 Junior
Gearbox Series.
In 2006 Henry graduated into car racing when he entered the
British Ginetta GT Junior Championship, finishing third overall
with three wins and six podiums. He then made the move into single
seaters in 2007, competing in four different series: Formula BMW
UK, Formula BMW ADAC, Formula Renault 2.0 UK and the Formula
Renault UK Winter Series.
Henry remained in Formula Renault 2.0 UK in 2008, taking 12th in
the final standings, before finishing runner-up in the Winter
Series with one victory and three podiums from the four races.
Henry also contested two races in both the British Formula 3
National class - where he took one victory and one podium - and
Formula Renault 2.0 WEC.
He died doing what he loved, in freak circumstances of which he
would mercifully have been unaware. He will be missed keenly by all
of us at MotorSport Vision and Formula Two who had the privilege to
know him and work with him, as we come to terms with the cruelty of
the loss of one so young and promising.
Our thoughts are with John, who has dedicated his life to the
sport, and with his wife Jane and their family, all of whom
supported him with such unstinting passion and commitment.