The round was overshadowed by the fatal accident suffered by Henry Surtees in second race. Surtees was hit on the head by a wheel from the car of Jack Clarke after Clarke spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend. The wheel broke its tether and bounced back across the track into the following group of cars and collided with Surtees' helmet.[1][2] The car continued straight ahead into the barrier on the approach to Sheene Curve, also losing a wheel, and came to rest at the end of the curve with its remaining rear wheel still spinning. This indicated that Surtees had lost consciousness, with his foot still pressing the accelerator. Surtees was extricated from the car and taken to the circuit's medical centre, where he was stabilised before being transferred to the Royal London Hospital. His death was attributed to severe head injuries, inflicted by colliding with the wheel
rather than the following crash with the barriers,[3] and was announced later that day.[4]
