David Purley

Edited by Coral, 02 July 2010 - 11:24.

Yeah I totally respect that it’s up to the friends and family of David to decide if they would like a book written or not. My curiosity just gets the better of me and I always want to find out everything I can when I take an interest in something! Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing really?! It’s strange how something that happened so many years ago can have such an impact on someone like me who wasn’t even born when it happened. I wasn’t aware David had a son, wonder whether he inherited the racing genes!

Haha wow I would love to read your book!

Watch this space. I'm not sure how I'll get it published, as I'll probably get my ar$e sued off; the stories I have about Messrs Purley, Hunt, Walker, Kreissky, Sutcliffe, Maskell, etc will make your hair curl ;) ....

Particularly Kreisky no doubt....!

Watch this space. I'm not sure how I'll get it published, as I'll probably get my ar$e sued off; the stories I have about Messrs Purley, Hunt, Walker, Kreissky, Sutcliffe, Maskell, etc will make your hair curl ;) ....

Edited by charles r, 02 August 2012 - 12:55.

Edited by f1steveuk, 03 August 2012 - 12:47.

Isn't it high time there was a definitive book on David Purley? I know Steve W had plans, but I think they were shelved due to family reservations. It would be one hell of a story; not to say film...

While Purely tried in vain to rescue his friend: a track marshal attempts to put out the fire by kicking some dirt from the side of the track onto the flames

Yes, but the Courage fire - like the JS 1968 Honda fire - was a magnesium one wasnt it ? And water only makes it worse.

Yes, but the Courage fire - like the JS 1968 Honda fire - was a magnesium one wasnt it ? And water only makes it worse.

Shovelling sand was probably all they could do ?

Does anyone have a picture of Purley in the Shadow DN9B during the last two 1979 Aurora F1 events? This beside the shot of Mr. Sukup's site: http://www.asag.sk/bio/purley_79_1.jpg

Yeah I totally respect that it’s up to the friends and family of David to decide if they would like a book written or not.

Curious where the "tried to rescue his friend" portion of the story came from, probably the press.

While on the subject of friends, the thing that was quite apparent from very early on in my research, David and Roger were not friends, indeed from what family and close friends did say, they had hardly really spoken to each other. Curious where the "tried to rescue his friend" portion of the story came from, probably the press.

Maybe simply an assumption based on David's obvious distress.

"what you did"

In this shot David has borrowed his friend's Bell helmet, the friend being John Watson.

While on the subject of friends, the thing that was quite apparent from very early on in my research, David and Roger were not friends, indeed from what family and close friends did say, they had hardly really spoken to each other. Curious where the "tried to rescue his friend" portion of the story came from, probably the press.

Hello all,

I'm Iris and I'm from the Netherlands. I've been a fan of F1 since 2001 and it's only recently I found out about the tragedy that happened at Zandvoort in 1973. It really made a big impact on me, and since I've seen the footage I've been reading about things online. It is really terrible to see the footage, but somehow it's also a really incredible moment where one driver stops and runs across the track to the burning wreck and tries to singlehandedly turn it over. I learned that this man was David Purley and to me he's a true hero.

Reading online, I also came across this topic and the above post struck me. I would like to join in this discussion. It's something I've been wondering about, much like I've been wondering about why it took the fire engine so long to come round, why those marshalls didn't do anything, why they thought it was Purley's car on fire etc. I still believe, though, that if those marshalls just followed the lead of David, who was so desperately motioning for them to help him, they could've succeeded in saving Roger's life.

Back to the quoted post by f1 steveuk; first thing to say of course is whether they were friends or not, David abandoning his own race, risking his career and his very life to save another man, is truly amazing. (He was SO close to the racing line when he tried to extinguish the fire, you can see. And of course the fire was so hot we cannot imagine). What I've read online was mostly was that they were friends, but then people contradicted that by saying "they barely knew each other". But the thing is, in the documentary "The Lost Generation" by David Tremayne, there's a continuation of that interview with David one day after the race, y'know the one where he's asked "why do you think it took the fire engines so long to get here?" and he says "it's gotta be looked into". From that same scene on the same day, there's more footage:

Interviewer:

If you were prepared and able to try and turn the car over, why did nobody come to your help?

 

David:

We must remember that I just climbed out of a racing car; my blood was up... he was a very good friend of mine.

Perhaps it's understandable that people won't come near a burning car, but I think we could've done something more for Roger.

 

As David said himself that they were friends, very good friends even, then how could they have barely known each other? That's what puzzles me. Also, in the 2004 Dutch TV documentary "Andere Tijden", photographer Cor Mooij (who shot the World Press Photo series) said that Roger was a friend of David, that David never strayed from the wreck of Roger's car at any time, and that he was the one who covered the wreck with Roger in it with a blanket.

So this remains a questionmark for me, but the images of David doing everything to save Roger, I will never forget.

David would have been 71 today. For whatever reason, his character has been on my mind as of late. A hero all-around.

GM George Medal and Great Man.  By the way the Oulton Park program mentioned earlier is on YouTube :

This may be posted already - David winning in the F3 Ensign at Lydden, 1971. The entry includes Roger Williamson, Tom Pryce, Alan Jones, Rikki von Opel etc.

John, you really are finding all manner of gems!    (10 out of 10!) - according to the the Formula 2 Register site, this is what happened (2 heats and a final): http://www.formula2.net/F371_GB47.htm

Must have been a wonderful afternoon.

John, you really are finding all manner of gems!    (10 out of 10!) - according to the the Formula 2 Register site, this is what happened (2 heats and a final): http://www.formula2.net/F371_GB47.htm

 

Must have been a wonderful afternoon.

It was a pleasant surprise finding footage of F3 at the 'world famous' Lydden! I had a look at Stefan's site too and, without an M News or Autosport to hand, I'm guessing that Alan Jones and Roger Williamson had a coming together while battling for the lead, that Jones retired, and that Williamson was badly delayed, finishing two laps down.

Doesn't David Purley look happy! And no fist-pumping or podium histrionics.... And is that a box of the sponsor's best cigars?? 

According to Autosport Williamson took the lead at the start closely challenged by Purley and Jones. On lap 5 Jones tried to go inside Purley at the hairpin and the pair made contact; Purley spun and Jones's Brabham bent a front top link. This left Jones with an evil-handling car and he retired on lap 7, leaving Williamson well ahead of Purley, Hull, von Opel and Yeates. Williamson's engine then developed a misfire, and it finally died completely at Devil's Elbow on lap 11. He got out, replaced a detached distributor wire and rejoined two laps down. This left Purley with a comfortable lead, and after quite a fight von Opel managed to wrest second place from Hull on lap 16.

And thank you John! Any footage of the Chimay hat trick would be wonderful...!

Edited by charles r, 05 October 2016 - 18:17.