LEC Refrigeration Racing

In {{F1|1973}} David Purley hired a March 731 and with backing from his family's refrigeration company LEC Refrigeration, made a largely unsuccessful attempt at Formula One. Purley and the team made their debut in Monaco where the fuel tank broke. Purley did not make the restart at the British GP after he spun off. It was at the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix, however, where Purley carried out arguably his most memorable actions. Upon witnessing a crash which left fellow British driver Roger Williamson trapped in his overturned and burning car, Purley abandoned his own race and attempted to save Williamson, who was participating in only his second Formula One race. Purley later recalled that upon arriving at the scene, he heard Williamson crying for help as the fire began to take hold. Purley's efforts to right the car and extinguish the flames were in vain as he received no help from nearby track marshals or emergency workers, in spite of attempts to encourage them, and other passing drivers, to come to his aid; Williamson died from asphyxiation. Because the marshalls were not wearing fire resistant clothing and the passing drivers believed that Purley was attempting to extinguish his own car, having escaped a fiery crash unharmed; they had no idea that a second driver was involved. The team took their first finish at the German GP. Purley also finished in Italy.

File:LEC CRP1 Donington Grand Prix Collection in 2007.jpg

File:LEC Cosworth CRP1 at Goodwood 2014 003.jpg

LEC racing returned to Formula One in 1977 with their own LEC chassis designed by Mike Pilbeam{{cite web|last=Walton|first=Jeremy|title=Interview: Design on the Hills, Translated by Mike Pilbeam|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1978/44/interview-design-hills-translated-mike-p|work=Motor Sport magazine archive|date=June 1978|page=44|access-date=30 December 2019}} and run by Mike Earle. It was this car in which Purley suffered serious injuries in an accident during pre-qualifying for that year's British Grand Prix. He survived an estimated 179.8 g when he decelerated from 173 km/h (108 mph) to 0 in a distance of 66 cm (26 inches) after his throttle got stuck wide open and he hit a wall.{{cite web| author=Anton Sukup| title=David PURLEY Silverstone crash| year=1977| url=http://www.asag.sk/bio/purley.htm| access-date=31 July 2006}} For many years, this was thought to be the highest g-force ever survived by a human being. He suffered multiple fractures to his legs, pelvis and ribs.

The second CRP1 has been restored and has competed in historic Formula One racing alongside a modern replica built by WKD Motorsport.{{cite web|last1=Brown|first1=Allen|title=Lec CRP1 car-by-car histories|url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/lec/crp1/|website=oldracingcars.com|access-date=22 September 2017}}

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{{Formula One constructors}}

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Category:Formula One constructors

Category:Formula One entrants

Category:British auto racing teams

Category:British racecar constructors

Category:1973 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:1977 disestablishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Auto racing teams established in 1973

Category:Auto racing teams disestablished in 1977