British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami

Date: 5 Mar 1977
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami

Welsh racing driver Tom Pryce died on the tracks during the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami on 5 March 1977. The horrific accident left two people dead; a marshal Frederick Jansen Van Vuuren, who was running across the tracks to help another driver whose car had caught fire and Pryce himself. The marshal’s body was torn in half when it was hit by Pryce’s car and Pryce was hit in the head by the fire extinguisher that the marshal had been carrying. Pryce was partially decapitated by his helmet strap and died instantly. Pryce is the only Welsh driver to have won a formula one race and the only Welsh to lead a Formula one World Championship Grand Prix. A statue of him has been erected in his hometown of Ruthin in his remembrance.

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How we know this

01Bbc Tom Pryce [online] Available at: www.bbc.co.uk [Accessed on 1 March 2012]
02Grand Prix DRIVERS: TOM PRYCE[online] Available at: www.grandprix.com[Accessed on 1 March 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, March 1). British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0075581

South African History Online (2012) 'British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami', South African History Online, 1 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0075581 (Accessed: 24 August 2026).

South African History Online, British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0075581, (accessed 24 August 2026).

"British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami." South African History Online, 1 Mar. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0075581. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "British racing driver Tom Pryce dies in a freak accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami." South African History Online. March 1, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0075581.