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| - Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.937,0.937,0.937) id:linemark value:gray(0.8) id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas PlotData = mark:(line,linemark) from:start till:63 color:yellow shift:(20,-5) text:Ronnie Peterson (Laps 1-63) from:63 till:end color:purple shift:(20,-5) text:Jackie Stewart (Laps 64-72) A few weeks after the race, Purley received the George Medal for his attempts to save Williamson.
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| abstract
| - Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.937,0.937,0.937) id:linemark value:gray(0.8) id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas PlotData = mark:(line,linemark) from:start till:63 color:yellow shift:(20,-5) text:Ronnie Peterson (Laps 1-63) from:63 till:end color:purple shift:(20,-5) text:Jackie Stewart (Laps 64-72) The XXI Grote Prijs van Nederland, otherwise known as the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix, was the tenth round of the 1973 FIA Formula One World Championship, staged at the Circuit Park Zandvoort on 29th July 1973. Unfortunately the entire weekend, which would result in Jackie Stewart breaking the record for most race wins, would be overshadowed by the death of rookie racer Roger Williamson. Qualifying had seen a huge upset that would affect the top of the Championship standings, as Emerson Fittipaldi crashed heavily and badly bruised his ankles, meaning it was doubtful whether he would start at all. The Brazilian would ultimately make the race start, starting from a lowly sixteenth place grid slot, while title rival Stewart grabbed a front row slot, having been beaten to pole by Fittipaldi's teammate Ronnie Peterson. At the start of the race Peterson managed to escape into an early lead, while Stewart had to fend off a fast starting Carlos Pace. François Cevert also got a strong start but fell to fourth, while James Hunt leapt ahead of the two McLarens to join the Stewart chase. Fittipaldi, meanwhile, managed to complete the opening lap, but would race no further due to the pain from having to use a very heavy Lotus clutch. Then, on lap eight, the fateful incident occurred. Running around in the middle of the pack, Williamson was charging down the sweeping run to the tunnel when his car refused to steer, sending him straight into the Armco barriers which then collapsed and caused the March to roll over. Williamson was then trapped in the car as it scraped along the ground, while a fuel leak caused the entire car to ignite, with the Brit unable to escape. Seeing his friend engulfed in flame and upside down, David Purley slammed on the brakes and went to Williamson's aid, immediately grabbing a fire extinguisher from a nearby marshal. Unfortunately the marshals were unprepared, and once the fire extinguisher expired there was little Purley could do, having to be dragged away from the burning car by the less than helpful marshals. The fire engine did arrive at the scene, eight minutes after the initial impact, in which time Williamson had died from asphyxiation. As a white sheet was drawn over the wreckage, with Williamson's body still in the car, the race continued unabated, Peterson still out front with Stewart unable to close. Pace began to tumble down the order as his Firestone tyres faded, while Hulme went out with an engine failure. Peterson looked set to claim victory until the 67th lap, when his ever fragile Lotus broke its gearbox and left him on the sidelines. Stewart therefore inherited the lead and duly completed his twenty-sixth win, thereby overhauling the record set by the late Jim Clark, Stewart's friend and countryman. Cevert claimed second ahead of surprised Hunt, who fended off Peter Revson throughout, while Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Gijs van Lennep completed the scorers. A few weeks after the race, Purley received the George Medal for his attempts to save Williamson.
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