Life at the Limit
by Professor Sid Watkins

Paperback - 258 pages; ISBN: 0330351397

by Mark Jackson

Although this book has been around for a some time now (it was first published in 1996) Life at the Limit by Professor Sid Watkins is not well known, even among racing enthusiasts, and that's a great shame. Watkins, FIA's Formula One doctor, has put together a terrific account of the sport spanning the years 1978 to 1994.

Watkins attended some of the worst tragedies Formula One has suffered and has always worked to prevent the next one. His tenure, which continues to present, has seen the sport relegate its most macabre period to history. Times when death, dismemberment and permanent injury were just part of the game are long gone and this book documents the struggles to create the level of safety the enjoyed today.

This is an entertaining read. Do not be frightened off thinking the book contains descriptions of death and injury. There are accounts of rescue attempts, some unsuccessful, but the book is peppered with humour and human interest. One of the book's strengths is it's informal language. Watkins captures the reader with an unpolished but cozy style. Whether humourous, tragic or infuriating, stories are related with intimacy and a large helping of opinion. The sport's personalities and facilities are spared neither adoration or disdain. Didier Pironi immediately pops to mind as the recipient of several swipes, including this one: "Pironi had received a mild crack on his head, but this had not improved him."

I was both fascinated and appalled by the resistance Watkins sometimes met. Believe it or not, he and other safety campaigners sometimes hit a wall, so to speak. Money was occasionally the issue, but quite often it was individuals who were simply set in their ways.

Life at the Limit is humourous, entertaining and hard to put down. Definitely recommended.

Mark Jackson is a Toronto based publicist and photographer