Dr Watkins believes the current most dangerous form of motorsports is rally, with its side intrusions. Rallies have all kinds of natural hazards not found on a paved circuit, such as trees, cliffs, etc. Among the planned improvements are changing internal dimensions to move the driver further away from the roll bar, new seats, threshold testing and energy absorbing head protection.
Professor Watkins has written two books on motorsports safety,
Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One, and
Beyond The Limits.
SUSAN WATKINS, wife of Dr Watkins, is currently writing an authorised biography of Ecclestone. She has written 17 chapters already and has already called the yet-to-be written last chapter 'Houdini'. A previous, unauthorised Ecclestone biography was written - by a man purported to also write pornography - but most of the copies were bought up by Ecclestone, who had gone to court to have material removed.
Mrs Watkins has already written a book on Mary, Queen of Scots. Among the other titbits of research on Queen Mary unearthed by Susan Watkins was the fact that the brain can function for up to three minutes after decapitation.
Dr Watkins flew back to Europe after his speech, so he could be in Monaco for
FIA meetings later this week.
