SHANGHAI ;British motor racing driver Ollie Millroy stated he owes his life to rival Dutch driver Loek Hartog, who stopped his vehicle and dragged Millroy from a burning Ferrari during a China GT Championship event in Shanghai.
The incident occurred on the seventh lap of Saturday’s race following a multi-car collision. Millroy’s Ferrari burst into flames upon impact, trapping the 36-year-old driver inside as dense smoke engulfed the vehicle.
Hartog, 23, driving for Phantom Global Racing, pulled over immediately to intervene. Video footage shows Hartog approaching the burning wreck, tearing off a damaged door, using a fire extinguisher on the engine bay, and pulling Millroy clear of the cockpit.
“When I saw a car turning into a huge fireball far ahead, there wasn’t really a decision to make,” Hartog said. “I genuinely believed the driver might not be able to get out by himself. I stopped, got out and went towards the car. There was never a moment of doubt.”
Key details following the rescue include:
Millroy sustained five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken hand and finger, and a bruised lung. Writing on social media, he noted he was alive “entirely thanks to” Hartog’s heroism.
Millroy’s team, AAI Motorsport, voiced criticism over the event’s emergency response management and announced it will withdraw from future China GT Championship events.
Event organizers confirmed an investigation has been launched to evaluate safety management, trackside rescue procedures, and medical response protocols.
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