British racing driver Piers Courage, the 28 year old heir to a huge brewery fortune, died in his blazing formula one car on Sunday (21 June) during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

His Italian built Tomaso Ford spun off the back on the 23rd lap of the 80-lap race, crashed into some trees, then burst into flames.

Courage, who leaves a widow and two sons, had been racing for nine years, and had never had a victory.

Firemen tried desperately to free him from the wreck but were driven back by heat and flames so intense that the adjoining woodland was set on fire.

Courage is the second racing driver to die in a high speed crash this month. New Zealand Bruce McLaren was killed on June 2 when his car hits a trackside bank and disintegrated during a test run on Britain's Goodwood circuit.

The Dutch Grand Prix was the fifth race in the world championships and 20 drivers took part. Jochin Rindt of Austria took an early lead which he never lost. He beat Jackie Stewart of Britain and Jackie Ickx of Belgium was third.