Ollie Millroy, a 36-year-old British racing driver, was involved in a crash during a China GT event at Shanghai International Circuit. His Ferrari burst into flames after being hit by two other cars, but he was rescued from the wreckage by rival Loek Hartog, who sacrificed his chances of winning to save him. Millroy's wife Fern is grateful for Hartog's actions and credits him with saving her husband's life, saying "I still can't believe he's alive, purely down to our real-life superhero Loek Hartog." According to Millroy's wife, he suffered serious injuries including six broken ribs and metal implants in his right hand.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Loek Hartog, a 23-year-old Dutch racing driver, stopped to help his rival Ollie Millroy, a 36-year-old British driver, after Millroy's Ferrari burst into flames during a race in the China GT Championship at the Shanghai International Circuit. Hartog pulled Millroy out of the burning car and used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze before helping him escape from the wreckage. Millroy suffered significant injuries, including broken ribs, a damaged clavicle, and internal injuries to his lung, but credited Hartog with saving his life. The incident has sparked praise for Hartog's heroic actions, which some have described as "superheroic." Organizers of the China GT Championship are reviewing safety protocols after the incident highlighted the lack of safety marshals on site.
Written for “Racing Driver Saves Rival” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 6765 · logged 2026-09-07
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The wife of the British racing driver whose Ferrari burst into flames says she cannot believe he is not dead – and credits his rival who rushed to his rescue for keeping him alive.
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who → see → him
Ollie Millroy, 36, had been racing in a China GT event at Shanghai International Circuit when two cars smashed into his Ferrari while navigating a bend.
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cars → race → bend
In video footage of the incident, Millroy's vehicle is seen spiralling off the track while aggressive flames and huge plumes of smoke billow above it.
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flames → see → it
Rival Dutch driver Loek Hartog is then seen pulling up beside the wreckage before hurriedly unbuckling his seat belt and jumping out – sacrificing his chances of winning in the process.
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Hartog → see → process
Millroy's wife Fern is at his hospital bedside in Shanghai and this morning gave an update on the father-of-three's condition while crediting Hartog with saving his life.
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wife → give → life
'Surgery went well yesterday,' Fern wrote.
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Fern → go → ?
'It took several hours, main work being his right hand.
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work → take → hours
He now has metal along the entirety of his clavicle right side, metal inside his right hand, six broken ribs supported with a compression wrap and on high flow oxygen whilst his lung recovers.
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lung → have → oxygen
Ollie Millroy's wife was amazed to see him alive after his fireball crash in Shanghai
The driver almost lost his life after a crash in the China GT sent his vehicle up in flames
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crash → see → flames
Millroy was trapped and rescued from his burning car by Dutch driver Loek Hartog
'Tried to come off the oxygen but his O2 level was just too low.
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level → trap → oxygen
He is in great care at this fantastic hospital in Shanghai and we can't thank the staff here enough.
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we → thank → staff
'I still can't believe he's alive, purely down to our real life superhero Loek Hartog.'
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he → believe → superhero
Ollie and Fern married in October 2021 and have three young children.
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Ollie → marry → children
Through a camera near the driver's seat of Hartog's car, the 23-year-old can be seen desperately rummaging through the Ferrari's remains in a bid to free Millroy, who had become trapped in the fireball.
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who → see → fireball
Hartog today wrote: 'Overwhelmed by the support from everyone over the past two days.
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Hartog → write → days
I feel incredibly lucky to be part of a racing community that looks after each other the way this one does.
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one → feel → other
It really means a lot.
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It → mean → lot
I'm travelling back home now and honestly can't wait to be there.
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I → travel → ?
I'm feeling good for now, but there have naturally been a lot of thoughts running through my head over the past few days.
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I → feel → days
Ollie and Fern have been married since October 2021 and have three children
Fern hailed Millroy's rival Loek Hartog and credited him with saving her husband's life
'
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Fern → marry → life
Most importantly, I want to make sure those thoughts and everything we've experienced are directed towards something constructive.
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we → want → something
In Ollie's words: making sure that no two people ever have to go through the same thing again in the future.'
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people → make → future
From hospital, Millroy thanked the Dutchman for 'saving his life'.
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Millroy → thank → life
He wrote: 'I am still alive tonight, entirely thanks to one man.
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I → write → man
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.
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Hartog → stop → 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.
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I → remember → life
'One day I will tell our three kids this story and Loek will be the biggest superhero in history in their eyes too.
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Loek → tell → eyes
I'm laying here tonight with five broken ribs, broken collar bone, broken hand and finger and a bruised lung, but it could have been much worse.
uncertain
it → lay → ribs
Hartog has been hailed as a 'superhero' for his 'selfless act' in saving his rival
'
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Hartog → hail → rival
I owe you my life for your selfless act today.'
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I → owe → act
Hartog, meanwhile, posted on his own social media: 'When I saw a car turning into a huge fireball far ahead, there wasn't really a decision to make.
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car → post → fireball
'From what I had seen, I genuinely believed the driver might not be able to get out by himself.
uncertain
driver → see → himself
I stopped, got out and went towards the car.
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I → stop → car
There were moments where I didn't know I would actually be able to get Ollie out.
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I → be → Ollie
But this isn't about what I did, and I'm sure many people in the same position would have reacted exactly the same way.'
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people → react → position
