If there is a silver lining to the dark cloud of Justin Wilson’s death that has cast its shadow over motor racing, it came in a simple message from his brother.
Stefan Wilson, also an accomplished racing driver in the United States, revealed that his brother had signed up to an organ donation scheme, even at the relatively tender age of 37. The result was that six people have benefited, their lives saved by Justin’s thoughtfulness.
The loss of a young husband and father for Julia Wilson and the couple’s two daughters, Jane, aged seven and Jessica, five, must be unimaginable, but the respect in which her husband was held was raised high when the motor racing community learnt of Wilson’s act of selflessness.
“With #giftoflife @justin_wilson saved 6 lives today. He just keeps setting the bar higher. Keep Julia & the girls in your prayers #myherojw,” Stefan Wilson tweeted. His message was immediately relayed around the world almost 70,000 times.
Justin Wilson was never the most famous racing driver of his generation, nor would he have claimed to have been the best. But in death, the world of motor racing is learning of a man of generosity, humility and thoughtfulness.
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He was also never rich beyond wildest dreams, like Jenson Button, who he raced in karts, or Lewis Hamilton, who was a starry-eyed karter when he bumped into Wilson but is now Britain’s best-paid sportsman. Because of that, a trust fund has been established for Jessica and Jane. Donations can be sent to the Wilson Children’s Fund, c/o INDYCAR, 4551 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46222.
Motor racing now waits and watches to see what the outcome will be of Wilson’s appalling death on the banked oval of the Pocono Raceway last Sunday. He was hit head-on by the nosecone among the debris flying from the smashed car of Sage Karam, the 20-year-old IndyCar rookie.
The FIA, F1’s governing body, will renew tests next month on jet fighter-style cockpit canopies. Preliminary tests showed that the canopies can withstand substantial impacts, and it may be that Wilson would have survived had his IndyCar been fitted with one.
Drivers have doubts because they fear being trapped if their cars flip upside down but Charlie Whiting, F1’s race director, has no doubt that canopies are coming.
“I can definitely see the day when this will happen,” he told Autosport magazine. “We have put in a huge amount of time, effort and research into this project, which has not been easy - in fact bloody hard. But I can definitely see the day when this will happen.
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“Whether it will be as good at protecting a driver from an object coming towards him as a fighter-jet cockpit, I doubt that, but it will offer him protection. We have to persevere. We must make something, even if it’s not 100 per cent in terms of protecting the driver under all circumstances. But if it improves the situation it has to be good. There must be a way.”