Millroy is alive because Loek Hartog stopped, fought the flames and freed him from a burning Ferrari, and the two drivers will reunite in China this week to discuss safety improvements. The 36-year-old Briton remains hospitalised after being struck by two cars during a China GT Championship race at the Shanghai International Circuit 11 days ago, his car erupting in flames before hitting the barriers.
Millroy, who suffered several fractures and a punctured lung, says he has no memory of the moments immediately before the impact or of about an hour afterwards, and that gap is causing psychological strain as he tries to reconstruct the crash. From his hospital bed he praised Hartog, saying, "He acted instantly and he did everything right." Millroy described watching the footage back as feeling unreal and called his survival "a miracle."
Hartog, 23, a Dutch driver who races Porsches for various GT teams, stopped immediately when he saw the wreck and spent about 59 seconds working to extract Millroy. He said he first checked whether Millroy was trying to get out and then cleared space around the car before using an extinguisher to keep flames at bay and get inside to remove him. "I wish it were sooner," Hartog said.
Millroy and Hartog formed an emotional bond after the rescue. Millroy recalled the first time Hartog spoke him through the events in hospital, the pair crying together when Hartog explained what he had done and how different the result could have been. Millroy added that he intends to return to racing eventually, but recovery comes first.
Millroy’s wife Fern has stayed beside him since hours after the incident, while the couple’s three children are being cared for by her sister. Fern said she wants the reunion with Hartog so she can thank him properly and described the rescue as profoundly significant for their family.
Organisers said they will review the incident and reassess competition organisation, emergency response and medical support. The drivers plan to meet in China this week and expect to work together on safety issues, using their experience to highlight where trackside response and rescue procedures can improve.
