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Formula 1 pays tribute to Sid Watkins

Formula 1's leading figures have paid tribute to former F1 medical chief Professor Sid Watkins, who died on Wednesday

Watkins, who was 84, spent 26 years in his role - transforming safety standards in F1 and continuing his efforts as part of the FIA Institute even after he stood down from his full time position at the end of 2004.

The impact that Watkins had on the sport was never underestimated - and team chiefs and drivers were all keen to pay their tributes to the great man.

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JONATHAN PALMER

"I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Prof Watkins. Sid made a huge contribution to F1 racing, particularly in the 80s and 90s. He was very concerned with the safety and welfare of drivers and apart from being a top neurosurgeon, was also a friend and confidante to so many in the paddock. Sid's professional expertise and judgement commanded enormous respect and inspired drivers with confidence, whilst he was also very amusing company with a very pragmatic view on things! As a fellow doctor we had a close relationship, particularly as my neurosurgeon brother James was Prof Watkins' junior doctor at the London hospital in the eighties. Professor Sid Watkins was a larger than life character whose skills and passion for motorsport lead to a remarkable prominence for a chief medical officer within F1."

COLIN HILTON - MOTOR SPORT ASSOCIATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE

"With the work that he undertook over the past 50 years, it is quite possible that Sid Watkins has had a greater impact on modern day motor sport than any other person. Every driver in the sport owes Sid an enormous debt of gratitude for the safety advances that he introduced in Formula 1 and latterly through the FIA Institute that have made their way down throughout the rest of the sport.

"Sid began his involvement in UK motor sport as a member of the Royal Automobile Club's Motor Racing Medical Panel. In 1997 he was awarded the Prince Michael Centenary Award of Merit for his services to the sport and has always remained an honorary member of the MSA Medical Panel.

"Yet as well as being extremely knowledgeable and dedicated, Sid was also incredibly entertaining and engaging, something he demonstrated every year at the Watkins Lecture. He will be sorely missed and our thoughts are of course with his family and close friends at this time."

ROSS BRAWN

"Everyone at the team is very sad to hear of the passing of Professor Sid Watkins. Thanks to his commitment and passion, Formula One became a far safer sport during the thirty-three years of his involvement. It was a pleasure and an honour to have known and worked with him, and we extend our thanks and gratitude for all of his hard work to make the sport we love as safe as possible. That Sid was able to undertake such a challenging task with huge professionalism, humour and a positive demeanour helped all of us deal with the demands of motor racing. Our condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."

ADRIAN NEWEY

"Professor Sid Watkins became a very good friend over the years. He was one of the great characters of the sport, who quietly changed the nature of it with the advancement of safety. He was very passionate about motor racing in every respect and tried to ensure the health of it at all levels, including club level and national racing. He will be sadly missed."

CHRISTIAN HORNER

"It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Professor Sid Watkins. His contribution to the safety of Formula One has been enormous. Many drivers and personnel within Formula One owe him a great deal. Above all, he was a genuinely nice person and one of life's real characters. I would like to pass on my sincere condolences to his family."

SIR FRANK WILLIAMS

"Sid Watkins gained the respect and admiration of all the drivers throughout his time in Formula One. I know a number of them, throughout their time as racing drivers, looked to Sid for many different kinds of advice, in addition to his medical expertise. Perhaps most significant in my mind is that Sid was held in high regard by Bernie Ecclestone.

"He was in all respects a very special human being. In particular, his dedication to the safety of the drivers required endless persistence to achieve the safety standards and level of medical care that were necessary to save drivers' lives.

"My own endorsement of Sid's abilities goes without saying. He took splendid care of me when I spent 11 weeks in his hospital post-injury. After that I emerged as a human being who, if not fully mobile, could continue with a perfectly normal and healthy lifestyle. I remain forever grateful to him."

GPDA

"All Formula 1 drivers of the Grand Prix Drivers Association would like to extend their most sincere condolences to the family of Professor Sid Watkins. Thanks to his enormous efforts throughout more than two decades Formula 1 achieved its present safety standards. His contribution to Formula 1 with the improvements in the standards of safety and medical intervention in motor sport has been invaluable. He helped to save the lives of many Formula 1 drivers by modernising the medical intervention. Due to his work many serious injuries have been avoided since.

"All our thoughts are with his family in this sad moment. Professor Sid Watkins' charisma and spirit will always be with us at all circuits around the world. We miss the great Professor and friend he was to many of us."

FIA PRESIDENT JEAN TODT

"This is a truly sad day for the FIA family and the entire motor sport community. Sid was loved and respected in equal measure by all those who knew and worked with him. We will always be grateful for the safety legacy that he has left our sport."

GERARD SAILLANT, FIA INSTITUTE PRESIDENT

"Sid was a true gentleman of our sport and always a pleasure to work with. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him, from doctors and drivers to officials and fans. Sid's influence will live on for many years to come."

LOTUS BOSS ERIC BOULLIER

"I rarely had the pleasure of meeting Sid Watkins, but anyone connected with Formula 1 - or indeed motorsport in general - will know what an impact he has had on the sport. Drivers of many past and future generations owe him a lot; his passion and dedication have changed the face of safety in motorsport and saved a lot of lives in the process. We have lost a true great of Formula 1; I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to his family at this difficult time"

FORMER MCLAREN TEAM BOSS RON DENNIS

"Today the world of motor racing lost one of its true greats: Professor Sid Watkins. No, he wasn't a driver; no, he wasn't an engineer; no, he wasn't a designer. He was a doctor, and it's probably fair to say that he did more than anyone, over many years, to make Formula 1 as safe as it is today.

"As such, many drivers and ex-drivers owe their lives to his careful and expert work, which resulted in the massive advances in safety levels that today's drivers possibly take for granted. But, more than that, Sid was a dear friend of mine, and I'll miss him bitterly.

"To his widow Susan, and to his family, I extend my sincerest condolences. He was a truly great man, and the world of motor racing simply won't be the same without him."

NICO ROSBERG ON TWITTER

Thanks Sid Watkins 4 having helped make our sport as relatively safe as it is today.All of u from Sid's family can be very proud!

MARTIN BRUNDLE ON TWITTER

Motor sport has lost a true visionary +character with death of Prof Sid Watkins, 84. Great man, funny too. Saved my left foot being amputated.

Sid W would often prescribe 'a stiff whisky and aspirin' unless your leg was hanging off. His way of saying 'just put up and get on with it.'

Sid was the 'go to' man for health in Motorsport. He helped, saved, or made more comfortable, numerous people who never sat in a racing car.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO ON TWITTER

It was Sid Watkins that saved my life in Imola 94. Great guy to be with, always happy...tks for everything u have done for us drivers. RIP

JENSON BUTTON ON TWITTER

Rest in Peace Sid Watkins...Motorsport wouldn't be what it is today without u. Thank you for all you've done, we as drivers are so grateful.

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." ~Albert Einstein. RIP Professor Sid Watkins.

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN ON TWITTER

Sad to hear professor Sid Watkins has past away, one of the true greats in motorsport. R.I.P

LEWIS HAMILTON ON TWITTER

It's a sad day, with the loss of professor Sid Watkins. Without his incredible contribution to the sport, our lives as drivers would be a risk. My condolences go out to his family.

DAVID COULTHARD

Sid Watkins was one of the best men I have met in my life, totally selfless and the world has lost a great.

ROBERT REID - WRC champion co-driver with Richard Burns, FIA World Rally commission vice president

Every driver and co-driver in the sport has reason to be hugely grateful to Prof Watkins. He was absolutely selfless in his dedication to raising safety standards across the whole spectrum of motorsport, not just in racing, and you couldn't hope to meet a nicer and more charming individual.

After the death of Mark Lovell and Roger Freeman in America, Richard Burns asked to meet Max Mosley, who was FIA President at the time, to see what could be done to improve safety. Max brought Sid along to that meeting, and it all went from there.

Then when Richard became ill, Sid was the first person I called. He arranged for the best possible medical care for Richard, who was looked after by one of Sid's proteges: Peter Hamlyn, who is of course an extremely eminent neurosurgeon himself.

On a personal level, Sid was extremely kind to Richard: he invited myself and Richard to his house in Scotland for a weekend after Richard became ill, so that he could keep an eye on Richard personally and allow him to get away from it all.

Sid was a very special person. It's hard to say whether or not the FIA Institute would have happened or not without him, but even if it had, it certainly wouldn't have been the same.

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