Mark Webber and Dario Franchitti among the pallbearers
Thursday 10 September 2015 17:01, UK
Five hundred mourners gathered for the funeral of British racing driver Justin Wilson on Thursday.
Wilson died at the age of 37 on August 24 after he was hit on the crash helmet by a flying piece of debris during a race at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Mark Webber and retired IndyCar racer Dario Franchitti were among the pallbearers as Wilson's coffin, draped in the Union flag, was carried into St James the Great Church in Paulerspury, near the Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire.
Three-times world champion Sir Jackie Stewart and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also paid their respects to the IndyCar driver who competed in Formula One for Minardi and Jaguar in 2003 before racing in America for over a decade.
A poem written by Julia Wilson, the wife of the Sheffield-born racer, entitled 'Today I washed you away' was delivered by Reverand Graham Buckle.
"Please give me the strength to carry on, please know I will always be your wife," it read. "It is not fair that you had such a short life. I love you every minute, every hour.
"Today I start my journey alone. I love you to the moon and back, now, forever and always. I will see you soon but not yet. Always, your little babe."
Jonathan Palmer, the former F1 driver who took Wilson on as a protege, read an 11-minute eulogy in his honour.
"Today we have come together to say goodbye to a truly extraordinary man," said Palmer.
"A man who through talent and determination managed to be successful in his chosen career of motor racing but also a man whose wonderful character brought so much admiration and happiness to those around him.
"Justin was the innocent victim in a cruel twist of fate when he was hit by flying debris from an incident ahead. It still feels like a bad dream but tragically it is only too real."
After acting as a pallbearer, Webber said: "It was an honour for me to do that for the family because we are a family in many ways when it comes to motorsport.
"We know the dangers are always there. Motorsport has had good and bad patches when it comes to these tragic events and when it is really close to home then it hits you even harder.
"You think of the family and everyone who is going to be affected by this. Motorsport is a tight-knit family and when we need to get together in really tough times we do our best."
Wilson was cremated at a private ceremony before a reception was held at Silverstone where the flags flew at half mast.
