This morning the news came through that Professor Sid Watkins, for many years the well-respected F1 medical delegate, had died. He was 84 years old. Watkins had been involved in F1 for 26 years, and had been instrumental in saving the lives of a legion of drivers, as well as pioneering further safety improvements.
Sid Watkins’ contribution to the sport is well-documented in his 1996 book Life At The Limit, a must-read for any F1 fan. The stories therein also give an inadvertent insight into the esteem in which the Doc was held, amongst drivers, teams and fans. His loss is one which will be keenly felt by everyone involved in motorsport.
