Rival Driver Stops Race to Save Competitor Trapped in Burning Car

When British racing driver Ollie Millroy became trapped inside a Ferrari that had burst into flames during a race in Shanghai, it was not a safety crew member who reached him first. It was his rival.

Dutch driver Loek Hartog immediately abandoned his own car and ran toward the burning wreck, risking his own life to help a competitor he had been racing against moments earlier.

A Crash Turned Into a Fight for Survival

The incident happened during a China GT Championship race at the Shanghai International Circuit in September.

Millroy’s Ferrari was involved in a multi-car crash and quickly caught fire. He was left trapped inside the vehicle as flames surrounded the car.

Hartog, who was nearby on the track, stopped his own car and rushed toward the wreckage.

He Put the Race Aside

Hartog first tried to reach Millroy through the driver’s side. When he could not free him, he grabbed a fire extinguisher and attacked the flames.

After reducing the fire, he was able to reach Millroy and pull him from the burning Ferrari.

At the time, there were no fire crews immediately beside the wreck, making Hartog’s intervention critical.

Millroy Suffered Serious Injuries

Millroy survived the crash but suffered multiple injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, a broken hand and finger, and a bruised or injured lung.

He later said he did not remember much of the moments surrounding the crash.

After waking in hospital, Millroy learned what Hartog had done and publicly thanked the young Dutch driver for saving his life.

“I Owe My Life to You”

Millroy described Hartog’s actions as an extraordinary act of bravery and said he would remember them for the rest of his life.

Hartog, however, has played down the praise. He said he simply acted on instinct and believed anyone in the same situation should try to help.

The two drivers had been competitors on the track. The crash transformed that relationship into something very different.

A Rescue That Sparked Questions

The dramatic rescue also raised questions about safety procedures at the event.

Millroy’s team later criticised the emergency response and announced that it would withdraw from future China GT events while concerns about rescue and medical procedures were reviewed.

For Millroy, however, the most important part of the story is much simpler: when he was trapped and unable to escape, another driver stopped racing and came to help.

Source: ABC News Australia and BBC World Service, September–October 2026.