Porsche Supercup Championship leader Sean Edwards died on Tuesday in a crash during a training drive in Australia.
Porsche Motorsport said on its website that the 26-year-old Edwards, the son of former Formula One driver Guy Edwards, was sitting in the passenger seat as an instructor in a private driver training session at Queensland Raceway when he was killed.
The car was being driven by a 20-year-old local driver when it crashed into a tire wall and caught fire. The driver was seriously injured and taken to the hospital.
“(Edwards) has for many years been one of the most popular and successful pilots in the Porsche one-make race series,” Mr. Kristen said. “Our thoughts are with his family and we want to express our deepest condolences to his relatives.”
The British Motor Sports Association issued a statement saying it was “shocked and saddened.”
“Sean was a hugely promising young racer who came through the junior formulas in Britain, before making a career in international sportscar racing,” the statement said. “He is leading the 2013 Porsche Supercup championship and had won both the Nurburgring and Dubai 24 Hours this year.”
Guy Edwards was one of the drivers who helped pull Niki Lauda from his burning vehicle during the 1976 Formula One German Grand Prix. Sean Edwards was recently involved in the production of the Ron Howard-directed movie “Rush,” which is about the 1976 F1 season.
Calls to the Queensland Raceway were not returned.
