Biography

The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Automotive Industries page on X May 2024, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Eric Sidney Watkins OBE FRCS, commonly known within the Formula One fraternity as Professor Sid or simply Prof, was an English neurosurgeon. Born in Liverpool, Watkins enrolled at the University of Liverpool where he graduated in 1952. He later served four years in the Royal Army Medical Corps before specialising in neurosurgery in Oxford and later, in London. Watkins also acted as a race track doctor at weekends which he continued at Watkins Glen International when he was appointed a Professor of Neurosurgery at State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

At a meeting with Brabham team boss Bernie Ecclestone, he was offered the role as the FIA Formula One Safety and Medical Delegate, head of the Formula One on-track medical team, and first responder in case of a crash, a role which Watkins performed for 26 years. He helped to save the lives of many drivers including Gerhard Berger, Martin Donnelly, Érik Comas, Rubens Barrichello, Karl Wendlinger, and Mika Häkkinen.

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