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World Sports (World Sports)

September 17, 2026

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'I owe him my life' - British racing driver on rivals rescue

British racing driver Ollie Millroy says it is a "miracle I'm alive" after fellow driver Loek Hartog saved him from his car when it was engulfed in flames.

Millroy, 36, was hit by two other cars during the China GT Championship race at the Shanghai International Circuit 11 days ago, with his Ferrari immediately catching fire before hitting the safety barriers.

A barely conscious Millroy was stuck in his car for over a minute before he was pulled from the burning wreckage by Dutchman Hartog after he immediately stopped his car to help him.

"He acted instantly and he did everything right," a recovering Millroy told BBC Sport from his hospital bed in China.

"Watching the video back, it looks like you're watching a movie and everything's rehearsed.

"He ran around to check on me and realised the fire was too bad, and went round to the passenger side and realised he wasn't going to get me out of there; got an extinguisher, kept the fire off me for long enough to get inside the car and get me out of it.

"Every single step was perfectly executed. If you look at the photos and videos of the car, the fact I've got out without life-changing burns or even the fact I'm alive - it's a miracle.

"It was as though it was meant to be," added Millroy. "I'm not religious in any way, but it was as though someone had pre-programmed him to get me out of that car.

"It's created this really strong bond between us. I didn't have any memory of the crash, the first time anyone talked me through it was Loek in the hospital and the two of us were just in floods of tears when he was telling me what happened and what [he] did and how different the result could have been for me."

Organisers said in a statement after the race they "will further review and investigate the accident and formulate more comprehensive plans to address shortcomings in competition organisation, support, emergency response, rescue and medical services".

Millroy eventually intends to continue racing, but first he is set to be reunited with Hartog, 23, as the Dutchman flies back to China this week so the pair can meet for the first time since the day of the crash.

"I remember being scared very briefly," says Hartog, who races a Porsche for various different teams across GT racing.

"I tried to run to the car and I was seeing if he was making an effort himself and quickly realised it was a one-sided quest. I saw I needed to free the space around him to get out [of the car]."

By the time he saw the scene Millroy's car was already stationary, and Hartog recalled that it was another 59 seconds from when he stopped his car to Millroy exiting his burning vehicle.

"I wish it were sooner," Hartog said. "There's a human element to that. I don't know why I went there; why I chose [to help him]. There was no reasoning, and I explain to myself that it was how I have been taught - how I grew up in some way."

Millroy's wife Fern has been by her husband's side since hours after the crash, with the couple's three children being looked after by Fern's sister.

"It's so emotional. I feel like I need that closure to give [Hartog] a great big hug," she said.

"It's incredible how you can instantly love someone you've never met before - we've probably been around the same paddocks over the years, but to love someone who has just taken care of my soulmate and father of our three children, it's incredibly significant."

Millroy joked: "I'm just sorry I can't take him out anywhere nicer for dinner [when they meet] but I'm tied to machines in the hospital bed.

"We've got to know Loek's parents and you can see how he's come from the most wonderful, amazing family, and that you don't have to be a bad guy to be a great sportsman; you can be a really nice guy and really good sportsman.

"He made a decision that day he was going to prioritise something else other than sport, and that's what saved my life."

While Hartog wants to "close their chapter" by revisiting Millroy in China, the pair expect to work closely together in the future - in particular on matters of safety.

"There'll always be an element of risk," says Millroy. "But we always take that for granted.

"I never got in that car on that day and thought: 'I really hope there's a highly trained and expert fire crew down that corner in case something happens.'

"I don't want to comment too much until it's been officially investigated. There's a lot of people wanting a lot of answers."

Hartog adds: "This specific moment is something we can use to make the sport safer - there was a multitude of things that went wrong: I shouldn't have been the person to help but if it weren't for me, the outcome could have been very different."

Millroy added: "As soon as I feel ready I want to get back in the car, but I've not been home yet, not seen the kids - there's a lot of things I want to go through in my head first.

"I must have said 'thank you' a thousand times and I'd say it another thousand times that I'm so unbelievably grateful. All the emotions won't make sense until I get back home with the kids and then it'll be like: 'OK, I am actually still alive and living my life.'

"There was a very good chance that wasn't going to happen if it wasn't for Loek."

SOURCE/AUTHOR : BBC NEWS/Katie GornallBBC Sport correspondent and Matt WarwickBBC Sport senior journalist