by Our Sports Desk

LEWIS HAMILTON joined the flood of tributes for Sheffield-born IndyCar driver Justin Wilson yesterday, after he died from injuries sustained in an accident on the track on Sunday, labelling the driver motor racing’s “ultimate gentleman.”

The former Formula One driver was struck on the crash helmet by debris after American rookie Sage Karam slammed into the concrete wall at the oval track at the IndyCar race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on Sunday.

Wilson was airlifted to hospital but died on Monday.

The debris, reported to be part of the nose cone of Karam's car, catapulted high up into the air after hitting the helpless Wilson on the head and the racer was knocked out instantly.

Wilson was left in a coma fighting for his life after being airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, but it was a battle which he would lose. The grave news that the sport feared came through in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

It meant the motor racing community was once more mourning the death of one of their own. Jules Bianchi, the talented French Formula One driver, succumbed to the devastating brain injuries he sustained at last October's Japanese Grand Prix only 37 days ago.

“I woke up this morning feeling positive in my heart until I read the news,” said Hamilton, who is on course to become a triple world champion after winning Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

“I am so devastated to hear of another passing of a great man and driver. I’d met Justin Wilson a few times growing up and he was the ultimate gentleman.”

Wilson, popular throughout the motor racing paddock, leaves behind a wife Julia, whom he married in 2006, and two daughters, aged seven and five. Julia was at his bedside after flying in from the family home in Colorado, Denver when he passed away.

A family statement read: “With deep sadness, the parents of Justin Wilson, Keith and Lynne, his wife Julia and his brother Stefan share the news that Justin passed away today after succumbing to injuries suffered during the Verizon IndyCar event at Pocono Raceway on Sunday August 23. Justin was a loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers.”

Wilson won the Formula 3000 title in 2001 before boldly raising £1.2 million through a crowd-funding scheme to secure a seat with Minardi for the 2003 Formula One season.

He competed in 11 races for them before taking part in the final five grands prix of the campaign for Jaguar. On Tuesday, the flags at Red Bull Racing — the team which emerged from Jaguar’s ashes in 2005 — flew their flags at half-mast in honour of the Englishman.

He started 174 IndyCar races in a career that spanned more than a decade. He won on seven occasions — the most recent in 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway — and had eight pole positions to his name. Wilson, also an ambassador for dyslexia, was winding down his career when Sunday’s tragedy hit.