The grieving partner of former Formula 1 mechanic Nigel Stepney has claimed he loved her and their daughter too much to leave them.

Mr Stepney was hit by a lorry and killed after stopping his van on the hard shoulder of the M20.

Although the HGV driver described seeing him “dive” in front of his vehicle and a police investigation concluded the death was a suicide, a coroner said she could not say for certain Mr Stepney, 56, intended to take his own life.

Now Ash Naidoo, his partner of nine years and mother of their daughter Sabine, seven, has slammed the police’s findings and praised coroner Rachel Redman for not recording a conclusion of suicide.

She said: “An open verdict was recorded at Nigel’s inquest. It was the right verdict.”

Ms Naidoo said she was “saddened” HGV driver Jan Byl was not at the inquest as she had “so many questions” to ask him about the night in May when her partner, from Colchester in Essex, died.

She continued: “Nigel had everything to live for. He was very proud to have helped establish JRM as a serious team in circuit–based motorsport and was actively working on other exciting projects with his colleagues.

“I am very concerned to highlight Nigel’s true personality for the sake of our daughter.

“He was a very fierce character who loved his life and loved his daughter too much to abandon her.

“Nigel was a wonderful partner and a hands-on dad who was besotted with his little girl, who idolised him in return.

“Sabine should be able to remember him as the big, talented, passionate man he was, who adored her so much and would have done anything to stay with her forever. Sabine and I are slowly coming to terms with what has happened.

“We are surviving thanks to the incredible love and support we are receiving from family, friends and JRM.”

Mr Stepney, who once worked with Michael Schumacher and enjoyed a successful career before being found guilty of sabotage, industrial espionage and sporting fraud, also leaves children Laura, Cassandra and Joshua from a previous relationship.