مجلة اوتو النسخة العربية

AUTO/FOCUS FOCUS
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER /
SAFETY / IN NUMBERS
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER /
SAFETY / IN NUMBERS
FOCUS AUTO/FOCUS
THE
GRATEFUL
LIVING
From racing drivers to doctors to film makers, many people have many reasons
to be grateful to Professor Sid Watkins, Formula One’s doctor, pioneering
neurosurgeon and founding president of the FIA Institute, who passed away
in September 2012. He is much missed by all who knew him and on whose lives
and careers his impact was so profound
Rubens Barrichello
Former F1 driver and record-holder for the most
grand prix starts in the history of the sport
Thanks to Sid
Watkins’ expert
attention,
Barrichello’s
F1 career lasted
17 years longer
than it would
otherwise have
done following
his massive off
during practice
at Imola, 1994
Sid was a very special friend. I was close to Ayrton
Senna and from the first moment I arrived in
Formula One, Sid took me as a friend as well. I
always felt I was in good hands with Sid, and I
think that all the drivers felt the same way.
We knew that if we were in an accident the first
person there would be Sid and that he would look
after us. Things are pretty stressful after a big crash
and having Sid on hand was a reassuring as well as
calming influence. He was like our guardian angel,
but with a cigar and a sense of humour. Away from
the racing, he was a very funny guy, always telling
stories and jokes.
Of course, I had a particular reason to be
thankful because at Imola in 1994 he saved my
life. Beyond that I’m also sure there were other
occasions when the safety changes he helped to
bring about meant that accidents I was involved
in had less serious consequences than might have
been the case. We’ll never know for sure, of course,
but I do know one thing for certain – at Imola his
intervention was crucial.
I don’t really remember the accident, but I was
going very quickly through the Variante Bassa on a
fast lap when the car went sideways. After I braked
I have no memory of what happened, but I have
seen the video. The car lifted over the kerb and
flew into the barriers, then somersaulted.
It was a really big impact and I swallowed my
tongue. So I couldn’t breathe and was suffocating.
In such circumstances you have only a few minutes
before the brain begins to die from lack of oxygen.
Sid arrived at the scene very quickly and began
to work on me. It wasn’t easy because he had to
get my helmet off and it took some time to do that.
He told me later that I’d ‘died’ for six minutes,
which was right on the limit. But he managed to
sort it out and I was able to breathe again.
The first thing I do remember was waking up in
the Medical Centre and Ayrton Senna was looking
over me. It felt good to be alive. I had a bruised
hand and a little bit of a break in my nose, but
that was it. It was amazing. When I saw the video
I realised just how fortunate I’d been and what the
Prof had done for me.
The cars and circuits were improved after that
because Sid and others realised that things had to
change. The cars became a hell of a lot safer, which
saved more lives too, because the changes meant
that we could survive accidents of incredible
violence. We’re all very thankful for everything
Sid did for us. And I will miss him greatly.
PHOTOGRAPHY: JON FEINGERSH/GETTY IMAGES
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‘ SID WAS OUR
GUARDIAN
ANGEL –
BUT WITH A
CIGAR AND
A SENSE OF
HUMOUR’
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
24/84
25/84