Tom Pryce

Tom Pryce (11 June 1949 – 5 March 1977) was a Welsh racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1974 to 1977. He is best remembered for winning the non-championship Race of Champions in 1975 and for his tragic death during the 1977 South African Grand Prix.

Pryce began his racing career in Formula Ford in 1970 and quickly progressed through Formula Three, winning the 1972 Formula Three support race at the British Grand Prix. He joined the Formula One grid in 1974 with the Token Racing team before moving to Shadow Racing Cars later that year.

Driving for Shadow, Pryce achieved his best Formula One results, including a podium finish at the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix. He also displayed remarkable skill in wet conditions, often outpacing more experienced drivers. His career was cut short when, during the 1977 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, a marshal ran across the track to attend to Pryce's teammate Renzo Zorzi, whose car had caught fire. Pryce struck the marshal, Frederick Jansen van Vuuren, at high speed. Van Vuuren died instantly, as did Pryce, who was struck in the head by the fire extinguisher the marshal was carrying. The Shadow car continued down the track and collided with Jacques Laffite’s Ligier, bringing both cars to a halt.

Pryce's death was a significant loss to motorsport, ending the promising career of a driver widely regarded as one of the sport's rising stars. He is still remembered as a talented and courageous competitor.