MAY 12, 2001

Ilmor boss Morgan dies in air crash

THE McLaren team suffered a tragic blow on Saturday when Paul Morgan of Ilmor Engineering, the company which supplies the team's Mercedes engines, died in an air crash.

In a statement, the team said: "All members of the West McLaren Mercedes team were deeply shocked to learn of the tragic death of Paul Morgan, the Managing director of Ilmor.

"Paul's friendship and contribution to our program will be greatly missed by everybody in the team. Everyone's first thoughts are with Paul's family and friends."

Morgan broke away from former employer Cosworth engineering with Mario Illien to form Ilmor which, based in Brixworth, England, began as a manufacturer of IndyCar engines.

The company joined Formula One in 1991 with Leyton House and Mercedes bought into Ilmor in 1993.

As head of production, Morgan left the engineering side to Illien but was a keen flyer and his loss will come as a great shock to the Formula One world.

Morgan, 42 and married with two children, was flying a World War Two propeller-driven South African Naval Fury plane, which flipped as it landed at Sywell Airport in Northamptonshire.

The single-seater plane crashed at 3pm on Saturday afternoon and flipped over onto the cockpit, trapping Morgan in the process and he was certified dead at the scene.