 | |
| Born | 26 January 1945 Bognor Regis, Sussex, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Died | 2 July 1985 (aged 40) English Channel, close to Bognor Regis, United Kingdom |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Active years | 1973–1974, 1977 |
| Teams | LEC, Token Non-works March |
| Entries | 11 (7 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1973 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1977 British Grand Prix |
David Charles Purley, GM (26 January 1945 – 2 July 1985) was a British racing driver born in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, who participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting at Monaco in 1973.
Purley is best known for his actions at the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix,[1] where he abandoned his own race and attempted to save the life of fellow driver Roger Williamson, whose car was upside down and on fire following a serious accident. Purley was awarded the George Medal for his courage in trying to save Williamson, who suffocated in the blaze.
During pre-qualifying for the 1977 British Grand Prix Purley sustained multiple bone fractures after his car's throttle stuck open and he crashed into a wall. His deceleration from 108 mph (173 km/h) to 0 in a distance of 26 inches (66 cm) is one of the highest G-loads survived in a crash (180 G). He scored no championship points during his Formula One career. He died in a plane crash, having retired from motorsport and taken up aerobatics, in 1985.
- ^ David Tremayne, Racers Apart: Memories of Motorsport Heroes, MRP, 1991, p.293