Ian Roberts (physician)
Ian Roberts | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962 or 1963 (age 61–62) |
| Alma mater | |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Employer | FIA |
| Title | Formula One Medical Delegate |
| Predecessor | Gary Hartstein |
Ian Roberts (born 1962 or 1963)[1] is an English physician and anaesthesiologist. Since 2013, Roberts has served as Medical Delegate in Formula One.
Roberts graduated from the University of Leicester as a Bachelor of Medicine in 1986. He then served as the chief medical officer for Silverstone Circuit and the British Grand Prix. In 2013, Roberts replaced Gary Hartstein as the Formula One Medical Delegate. He gained recognition after rescuing Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, for which he was awarded the FIA President Award. He has responded to several further high-profile incidents.
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Roberts studied medicine at the University of Leicester from 1981 to 1986.[2] He previously served as the chief medical officer for Silverstone Circuit and the British Grand Prix.[3][2] He has a background in anaesthesiology, intensive care, and air medicine.[3] In 1995, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.[citation needed] He became a consultant in 1998 upon further specialist practice in neuroanaesthesia and intensive care.[4]
Formula One
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Following the departure of Gary Hartstein, Roberts was chosen by the FIA as the Medical Rescue Coordinator in Formula One, later taking the position of Medical Delegate from 2013 onwards.[3][5] He has been responsible for overseeing local medical personnel and assessing the track medical center, as well as serving as the primary physician in the medical car.[6]
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix
[edit]
Roberts gained recognition following an incident involving Romain Grosjean during the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. On the opening lap of the race, Grosjean collided with a barrier, splitting his Haas VF-20 in half and setting it on fire after a 67 g (660 m/s2; 2,200 ft/s2) impact.[7] Roberts, alongside medical car driver Alan van der Merwe, was commended for his work in rescuing Grosjean—who escaped with second-degree burns on his hands—by various media outlets.[6][8][9] Roberts was awarded the FIA President Award for his actions by Jean Todt.[5][10]
Notable incidents
[edit]Roberts has responded to two fatal incidents in his career:
- Jules Bianchi during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix[11]
- Anthoine Hubert during the 2019 Spa-Francorchamps Formula 2 round[11]
Other notable incidents Roberts has responded to include:
- Max Verstappen during the 2021 British Grand Prix[12]
- Zhou Guanyu during the 2022 British Grand Prix[6]
- Lance Stroll during qualifying for the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix[6]
Awards and honours
[edit]- FIA President Award: 2020[10]
References
[edit]- ^ Davis, Tony (16 June 2022). "I always expect the worst, says Formula 1's top trackside doctor". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ a b "Personalia 2009" (Document). Leicester: University of Leicester. 2009. p. 5.
- ^ a b c Cooper, Adam (16 January 2013). "Silverstone medical boss Dr. Ian Roberts lands F1 job". Autoweek. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ Thornton, Sarah (20 January 2023). "Safety in Formula 1 Motorsport: Part 2". Royal College of Anaesthetists. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ^ a b Francis, Anna (24 January 2025). "Inside the role of 'the fastest ambulance in the world'". Formula 1. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d Leporati, Gregory (15 November 2023). "Meet the Formula 1 medical-car team — the unsung heroes of a sport where drivers reach 200-mph speeds". Business Insider. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ "FIA concludes investigation into Romain Grosjean's accident at 2020 Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix and releases 2021 circuit racing safety initiatives". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Axon, Iain (30 November 2020). "I'm no hero, says F1 medic who helped save Grosjean". Reuters. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ Cooper, Adam (3 December 2020). "How F1's medical car team aided Grosjean's escape". Autosport. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ a b "Dr Ian Roberts receives FIA President Award". Motorsport UK. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ a b Clancy, Rebecca (6 December 2020). "English medic Ian Roberts recalls his part in Romain Grosjean's dramatic rescue". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ^ "British Grand Prix: Max Verstappen taken to hospital after Silverstone crash". BBC Sport. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2025.