David Purley

David Purley (born the January 26th 1945 with Bognor Governed, England - deceased the July 2nd 1985 with Bognor Governed) was a British racing driver. Ace of Formula 3 but author of a modest career Formulates 1 of them (only 7 GP), it especially went famous to have tried to carry help to its compatriot Roger Williamson at the time of GP of the Netherlands 1973.

Biography

Resulting from a family which made fortune in the manufacture of refrigerators (the LEC Refrigeration), David Purley profits from an abundance of cash which enables him to begin in automobile sport at the end of the years 1960 (on AC Cobra then on Chevron). In 1970, it begins in the single-seater in British championship from Formula 3 on a Brabham within the stable Lec Refrigeration Racing. It takes down its first success with the GP of the Borders with Chimay in Belgium, in front of James Hunt. In 1971, it buys a Ensign at the wheel of which it is essential on Lyden then with Brands Hatch and again with the GP of the Borders. In 1972, it runs at the same time in F3 and Formule 2. In F2, it takes down like better result a podium in Pau behind Peter Gethin and Patrick Depailler while in F3, it gains for the 3rd consecutive time the GP of the Borders. In 1973, after three last years mainly Formulates 3 of them, it engages in Atlantic Formula and reaches in same time the Formule 1 the wheel of a sponsored March private by LEC. Purley however already modestly took the wheel of F1 in 1972: indeed, it is recruited by the stable Capricorn of Peter Connew to control the PC1 in the John Player Challenge Trophy, race out-championship. Purley, already sensitive to the security conditions at the time of the GP, insists to have a circuit breaker on the wheel. Its mechanics arrange a system with haste then, using a simple electric cable rolled up around the wheel. The car does not finish the warm-up because of the rupture of the cable…

It disputes its first Grand Prix in Monaco (abandonment), then, after a not-qualification in Great Britain, takes part in the GP of the Netherlands, which will make its celebrity. Qualified in bottom of grid, he pursues at the beginning of race March of his compatriot Roger Williamson, when this last is victim in a fast portion of a mechanical failure (puncture or breaking of suspension), which sends it against the rail. The shock is such as March is turned over and is returned on the track, where it starts to blaze up. Immediately, Purley stops on the side opposite of the track, and leaves to carry help in Williamson, still conscious, but unable to evacuate by its own means its turned over single-seater. Purley initially tries to give the car of Williamson on its wheels, but without success. It then tries to extinguish the fire with the assistance of a small extinguisher taken of the hands of a police chief of track who had approached, but without more success. It is only in the one second time that a team of first-aid workers intervenes and manages to extinguish fire, but to too late save the life of Williamson, dead asphyxiated. The season 1973 corresponding to the beginning of the generalization of the retransmissions on line of the GP of F1, the images of Purley vainly trying to help Williamson will make the round the world tour and will mark the spirits deeply. The George Medal to him will be granted little time afterwards by the British authorities in reward of its exemplary attitude.

In 1974, Purley turns over in the lower discipline within the stable Peter Harper where it obtains honest results by taking down three second places. It also disputes the Grand Prix of Macao de Formule 3 and takes down the first certificate of merit. To thank his pilot, Peter Harper rents a Token RJ02 and engages it with the GP of Great Britain de F1, but David does not manage to qualify it.

In 1975, Purley engages in British championship of Formula 5000 on Rafter-Ford. It signs two victories in 1975 then six in 1976 what enables him to take down the title.

In 1977, it turns over in Formula 1 as a owner-pilot of the new stable LEC, at the wheel of a car (LEC CRP1, name of its faithful backer) designed by engineer Mike Pilbeam (ex-BRM). Purley engages with the GP of Spain then of Monaco but does not dispute them because the single-seater is not finalized. The first race of Purley on the CRP1 is the Race off Champions, out-championship, promising race since Purley finishes 6th. The CRP1 begins in championship from the world with the GP from Belgium where Purley is qualified in a very honest 20th place. Thanks to a rustic but reliable and well built car, he manages to climb until the third place in race, before retrogressing following a problem at the time of a supply. He receives all the same even the flag with checkerworks in 13th position. Purley is qualified for the two following GP, in Sweden then in France (respectively in 19th and 21e place). If it finishes 14th in Sweden, the GP of France disputed with Prenois will be much harder for the young stable: Purley, private of brakes, loses the control of its single-seater and destroys completely it. The limited budget of the team is almost absorbed to repair the frame in order to be able to dispute the GP of the United Kingdom to come.

But the adventure ends in a serious accident during the tests of the GP of Great Britain. Statement with multiple fractures and a serious cranial traumatism, Purley must observe a convalescence of several months. It briefly turns over to the competition in 1979 in the championship Aurora (British championship of Formula 1) before putting a final term at its career of racing driver.

Reconverted into the aerobaticss, it finds death into 1985 with the orders of its small plane Pitts Special.

Results in championship of the world of F1

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