The motorsport world is reeling after Dan Wheldon succumbed to injuries sustained during an Indy Car race in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The Englishman was involved in a multi-car accident on lap 11 of the event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in which a number of other drivers, including J.R. Hildebrand, Pippa Mann and Will Power, were also injured.

Initially delayed for two hours, the race was eventually cancelled - drivers taking to the circuit to complete five laps in Wheldon's honour.

The 33-year-old from Milton Keynes moved to the USA early in his racing career aware that he didn't have access to the necessary funding to enter Formula One. Nonetheless, from his earliest days in karting he raced alongside many of those F1 stars we are now familiar with including Jenson Button.

In the USA he began in the F2000 Championship Series subsequently progressing to the Toyota Atlantic series and the Indy Lights series. In 2002, he moved up to the IRL Indy Car series for two events with Panther Racing and in 2003 he joined Andretti Green Racing replacing Michael Andretti following his retirement. In his maiden season the Englishman won the prestigious Rookie of the Year award.

In 2005 he became the first Englishman since Graham Hill to win the Indy 500, going on to win the series and breaking the record for most victories in one season (under IRL sanction). Wheldon won the prestigious race again earlier this year when J.R. Hildebrand crashed in the final corner of the final lap.

Even non race racing fans were moved in the wake of Wheldon's Indinapolis win earlier this year, the Englishman, who was without a full-time drive, publicly dedicating his win to his mother who had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

To add to the irony on what is a truly awful day for our sport - and a stark reminder that motorsport is and always will be dangerous - following the accident Michael Andretti revealed that the Englishman had signed a multi-year deal to replace Danica Patrick at Andretti Racing.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was among the first to offer his condolences. "This is an extremely sad day," said the Englishman, who learned of the accident just hours after his amazing performance in Korea. "Dan was a racer I'd followed throughout my career, as I often followed in his footsteps as we climbed the motorsport ladder in the UK.

"He was an extremely talented driver," he continued. "As a British guy, who not only went over to the States but who twice won the Indy 500, he was an inspirational guy, and someone that every racing driver looked up to with respect and admiration. This is a tragic loss at such a young age. My heart goes out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time."

To his family, friends and fans, Pitpass and its readers offers its sincere condolences.