John Surtees, whose son Henry died after an accident at Brands Hatch, said his son could have reached "the very top".

Henry, the teenage son of 1964 Formula One world champion John Surtees, was airlifted to hospital following the accident at the Kent race circuit on Sunday but died shortly after.

In a statement, Surtees said: "Henry had followed his heart from the time he first sat in a kart.

"He treated seriously the balance between motorsport and school, having just finished his A-Levels.

"The world beckoned and he was thriving on the freedom to concentrate on his motorsport.

"Despite bad luck in his motorsport, he had shown himself to be one with the possibilities of reaching the very top. Despite his young age he had shown maturity, technical understanding and speed.

"Most importantly he was a nice person and a loving son. He will be deeply missed."

Henry Surtees was struck on the head by a wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, which spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend during the second of this weekend's races at Brands Hatch, near Swanley.

He was knocked unconscious by the impact and his car collided with the barriers at the following Sheene corner.

A spokesman for Kent Police confirmed the 18-year-old had died.

He added: "Kent Police is not involved because it was a motor racing incident as opposed to anything suspicious.

"It appears it was a tragic accident."

The race was red flagged while Surtees was removed from the car and taken to the medical centre where he was prepared for his transfer to hospital by helicopter.

A spokeswoman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said it attended the incident at 1.30pm on Sunday and a man was airlifted to the Royal London hospital with head injuries.

Surtees claimed his first F2 podium finish on Saturday when he finished third in the weekend's opening race at Brands Hatch.

He secured a drive in F2 over the winter after a breakthrough year in 2008, when he contested the Formula Renault UK Championship and Winter Series, and made his debut in British Formula Three at the final round of the campaign, when he claimed a victory and a podium finish for Carlin in the National Class.

His father is famously the only man to have won world titles on both two and four wheels.

He claimed multiple 500cc motorcycle world championships before winning the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964.

The 75-year-old also fielded his own Team Surtees cars in F1, F2 and Formula 5000 in the 1970s.

 Three-time World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx also paid tribute to Surtees, adding that his death brought into sharp focus the ever present dangers in motor racing.

"Our sport can be cruel, but never crueller than when it claims a life," said Priaulx, who was at Brands Hatch yesterday contesting the eighth round of the WTCC season for BMW.

"It is a tragedy when this happens and yesterday we witnessed this at Brands Hatch.

"Henry Surtees was a fine young man on the verge of his career in the sport, who I had the pleasure to tutor when he was racing in Formula BMW.

"His death highlights the dangers that we face.

"My heart goes out to his parents, Jane and John Surtees. John is one of my motor racing heroes who has achieved so much over his life in the sport.

"As a driver and also a father of a son who may one day want to follow my footsteps into the sport, it is hard to imagine coming to terms with such a loss."

Motor sport's world governing body, the FIA, also extended its sympathies to the Surtees family in a statement released on Monday morning.

"Following yesterday's tragic accident, the FIA extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Henry Surtees," it read. "Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."