On the 179th lap of the race, leader Sage Karam lost control of his car in the first turn after hitting a bump in the tarmac. Karam’s vehicle struck the outside wall with significant force, causing the nose cone to detach and ricochet along the racing surface. As trailing drivers maneuvered through the debris field, James Jakes slowed his car. Wilson, driving the No. 25 Andretti Autosport entry, turned right to avoid Jakes, at which point the nose cone from Karam’s car struck Wilson’s helmet.
The impact knocked Wilson unconscious immediately. His car veered left, exited the track, and struck the inside wall and SAFER barrier before sliding to a halt. Track safety crews extricated the unresponsive driver from the vehicle, and he was transported via medivac helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Wilson was listed in critical condition and reported to be in a coma with a severe head injury. He was pronounced dead at 17:37 local time on 24 August 2015. An autopsy performed on 26 August by the Lehigh County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
An inquest held on 9 March 2016 at Northampton General Hospital concluded the death was "accidental." During the proceedings, a statement from Wilson's father, Keith, described the crash as a "freak accident" involving a large, heavy piece of debris striking Wilson while he approached the scene at speeds exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h).
At the time of the accident, Wilson was a prominent leader in the IndyCar safety and promotional association. Following the death of Dan Wheldon in 2011, Wilson had increased his lobbying for improved safety measures, particularly regarding airborne crashes and the protection of spectators from debris. He was known among peers for his technical shrewdness and analytical approach to race car performance.
Wilson’s career leading up to 2015 included:
Junior Career: Winning the inaugural Formula Palmer Audi title in 1998 and becoming the first British driver to win the International Formula 3000 Championship in 2001.
Formula One: Competing for Minardi and Jaguar in 2003, a seat he secured through a unique public investment scheme.
American Open-Wheel: Finishing as runner-up in the Champ Car World Series in 2006 and 2007, and securing the first open-wheel victory for the Dale Coyne Racing team at Watkins Glen in 2009.
Endurance Racing: Co-winning the 2012 24 Hours of Daytona for Michael Shank Racing.
Following his death, Wilson’s organs were donated to save the lives of five people. The racing community established the Wilson Children's Fund to support his widow, Julia, and their two daughters.
In July 2016, the Montreal Corner hairpin at Snetterton Circuit was renamed "Wilson Corner" in his honor, featuring a memorial board with his rainbow-colored helmet design. On-track tributes included Oriol Servià driving Wilson’s No. 25 car at the 2015 season finale in Sonoma, and Wilson's brother, Stefan, competing in the 2016 Indianapolis 500 using the same car number.
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