David Purley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Purley
Nationality	British
World Championship Career
Active years	1973-74, 1977
Team(s)	LEC, Token
Races	11
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1973 Monaco Grand Prix


Last race	1977 British Grand Prix

David Charles Purley, GM (January 26, 1945 - July 2, 1985) was a British Formula One driver born in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. He participated in 11 Grands Prix, debuting on June 3, 1973. He scored no championship points.

After spending time in the British Army (he served with the Parachute Regiment in Aden), and then racing in various series with an AC Cobra and a Chevron, Purley raced in Formula 3 with some success including three wins at Chimay during 1970-1972.

In 1973 Purley hired a March and with backing from his family's refrigeration company, LEC Refrigeration, made a largely unsuccessful attempt at Formula One. Apart from a one-off participation with Token at his home grand prix in 1974, Purley stayed out of F1 for a few years, preferring to try his hand at Formula 2, driving Chevrons and Marches for eccentric Hong Kong-based millionaire Bob Harper, and Formula 5000, where he won the British Championship in 1976 in a Chevron powered by the Cosworth GA 3.4 litre V6 engine. He returned to F1 in 1977 with his own LEC chassis designed by Mike Pilbeam and run by Mike Earle, and it was this car in which he suffered serious injuries in pre-qualifying for the British Grand Prix. The remains of Purley's crashed LEC and its replacement can currently be seen at the museum at Donington Park.

David Purley in a March 731 F1 car rented from the works.

He is perhaps best known for his actions during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix, where he selflessly stopped his race and valiantly attempted (but failed) to save fellow GP driver Roger Williamson from his burning car. A picture taken by photographer Cor Mooij of Purley's anguished face after it was clear his attempts had failed won the Sports category of that year's World Press Photo. That same year David Purley was awarded the George Medal for his rescue attempt.

Purley survived a deceleration rate 173 to 0 km/h in 66.0 cm in a crash during pre-qualifying for the 1977 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This is equal to 178 g, which has been claimed to be the greatest g ever survived by a human^[1]. He suffered multiple fractures to his legs, pelvis and ribs. Purley recovered to race again although confined his activities to the minor Aurora AFX series of F1 races in Britain.

Purley died on July 2, 1985 when he crashed with a Pitts Special aerobatic biplane into the sea off Bognor Regis.

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	WDC
1973	LEC	March 731	Cosworth V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	ESP	BEL	MON Ret	SWE	FRA	GBR DNS	NED Ret	GER 15	AUT	ITA 9	CAN	USA			-
1974	Token	Token RJ02	Cosworth V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	ESP	BEL	MON	SWE	NED	FRA	GBR DNQ	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA			-
1977	LEC	LEC CRP1	Cosworth V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP DNQ	MON	BEL 13	SWE 14	FRA Ret	GBR DNPQ	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN	JPN	-