British IndyCar Racer Justin Wilson Dies

British IndyCar driver Justin Wilson has died after being hit by a piece of debris during a race in the US.

The 37-year-old from Sheffield had been in a coma after sustaining a severe head injury when a car crashed in front of him on lap 180 of the Verizon IndyCar Series at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on Sunday.

A statement issued by staff at Indycar.com said they would focus on providing support for Wilson's family.

"This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motorsports community as a whole," said Mark Miles, the boss of IndyCar's parent company.

"Justin's elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility, which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock.

"As we know, the racing industry is one big family, and our efforts moving forward will be focused on rallying around Justin's family to ensure they get the support they need during this unbelievably difficult time."

His younger brother Stefan, himself an accomplished race car driver, tweeted: "Can't even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my Brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion!

"He never stopped giving & caring for others. Even at this time. He had pre-chosen to donate his organs to help others in need. #myherojw".

His death comes after that of another British driver racing in the IndyCar Series, Dan Wheldon, who died in 2011 after a 15-vehicle pile-up.

He was competing in the Las Vegas Indy 300 when his car was sent flying over another and burst into flames.

Wilson broke into Formula One in 2003 with the Minardi team and later drove for Jaguar. He was a road cycling and mountain biking enthusiast and also an ambassador for dyslexia, a reading disorder that challenged him as a youth.

He is survived by his wife, Julia, and two daughters.