Marshal killed in Canadian GP incident

The F1 world is mourning its first fatality in over a decade, after a track marshal was killed in the wake of Sunday’s Canadian grand prix.

Photographs depict the marshal, whose identity has not been revealed, holding the rear wheel of Esteban Gutierrez’s car steady as a recovery vehicle returned the Sauber to the pits.

"The worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up," read a statement issued by the governing FIA.

"As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle."

The marshal was airlifted to hospital but he died shortly afterwards.

"It’s terrible," race promoter Francois Dumontier is quoted by AP news agency.

"It tarnishes the superb weekend that we had. I am devastated to learn this. I don’t have any other words."

F1’s last fatality, in Melbourne in 2001, was also the death of a trackside marshal.

FIA statement in full

The FIA is sad to announce the death of a Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada circuit worker, at 6:02 pm.

The worker, a member of the Automobile Club de l’Île Notre Dame, was the victim of an unfortunate accident that occurred at the end of this afternoon’s Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada. The worker was helping to recover a car which had stopped during the race. The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up. As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle.

The worker was transported via helicopter to Sacre-Coeur Hospital where he was treated by the traumatology department of Dr Ronald Denis, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Dr Jacques Bouchard, Chief Medical Officer of the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, the worker succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

The FIA, l’Automobile Club de l’Île Notre-Dame and the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada want to communicate their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim. The identity of the worker cannot be revealed at this time.