Professor Sid Watkins
Professor Sidney
Watkins Honoured
Formula One medical supremo Professor Sidney Watkins has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (2002) for his services to Grand Prix racing and Motorsport.
The Briton Watkins, one of the world's top neurosurgeons, has been involved in Formula One for the past 24 years, acting as Chief Medical Officer and overseeing major improvements in on-site medical facilities around the world. He has also been behind F1's vast improvements in safety, and was eight years ago appointed Chairman of the FIA's Expert Advisory Safety Committee, which looks at all aspects of safety in Formula One.
As the head of the F1 Medical Department, he travels in the Medical Extrication car at every F1 race and is first on the scene to administer medical treatment to drivers after accidents. He built up close friendships with drivers Ronnie Peterson and Ayrton Senna and witnessed their deaths after major track accidents.
Outside of Formula One Professor Watkins has been an influential figure. He established the Brain and Spine foundation, and his research work has led to major improvements in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, intractable pain, and cerebral palsy.
Congratulations and our very best to you, Professor!
Note: David Watkins, our Webmaster from Perth, WA sent us this little note to add to this story. "I may have mentioned it before I'm not sure but Professor Sid Watkins (Eric Sidney Watkins) is a 2nd cousin of mine. You can see the few details I have on him in my family tree. David Watkins Family Tree
He appears to be a very private person. Dad actually knew his sister Sylvia (who passed away this year). There is a good story here of his father who was a coal miner the same as my grandfather was and they lived in Ruardean, Gloucestershire. In the depression years of the 1930's both went north looking for work. Grandad went to Manchester and Sid's father Wallace went to Liverpool. He started a small business there repairing bicycles and then had a shop selling them, from there he went into the Motor repair business and ended up with three repair shops and became a fairly wealthy man."
