Career
Born in Milngavie near Glasgow, Birrell left school when aged 15 to start an apprenticeship with a Business Service Management dealer. He began in Formula Vee late in 1967, competing at Ingliston where he led for much of the race before finishing second to Nick Brittan, the leading Formula Vee driver of the time. He moved south and transferred to Formula Ford in 1969, racing against drivers such as Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt.
He progressed to Formula 3 and Formula 2 in 1970, racing private Brabhams and a Lotus 69.
By 1973 he was being slated to replace his fellow Scot Jackie Stewart at Tyrrell Racing in Formula One. A promising career was ended when he died of unsurvivable injuries in an accident during qualifying for the F2 Trophee Doctorate"Europe race at Rouen when a front tyre failed at the notorious Six Freres corner, Birrell"s Chevron B25 being thrown into a poorly secured crash barrier.
The rail was lifted by the force of the crash, the Chevron passed beneath it, and Birrell was decapitated.