F1 guardian angel's deep Senna regret

Today (Monday) marks exactly 20 years since Formula 1 doctor Sid Watkins announced his retirement from the sport. 

At that time, he was already distinguished, but above all, much loved. For who he was, but also what he meant to the sport. 

He raised the medical facilities and protocols in F1 to a higher level, and he was the man who knelt down beside the drivers to provide post-crash assistance and, if necessary, life-saving action.

The list of names who owe their lives in part to Watkins when he intervened to prevent a tragic injury is long. So is the list of names for whom his help was of no avail. 

The last driver added to that list was Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian died a day after Roland Ratzenberger lost his life during the horrific 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Ratzenberger's accident was the immediate cause of one of the most famous conversations ever held in F1.

Senna and Watkins considered each other friends, and the three-time champion was deeply affected by what had happened. Not only by the Austrian's crash, but also by previous crashes of Rubens Barrichello.

Watkins strongly advised Senna: "You have been the world champion three times, you are obviously the quickest driver. Give it up and we'll go fishing."

Senna dropped a long silence and came up with a response that, with the knowledge of only one day later, would prove all the more painful: "Sid, there are things I have no control over. I can't stop. I have to keep going."

A day later, Watkins knelt down next to Senna's cockpit. He had to resuscitate his own friend, but it turned out to be in vain. He later stated that despite not being a religious man, he felt Senna's soul leave his body.

Several years later, Watkins discussed what ended up being his final conversation with Senna, and how he wished he had riled the F1 legend up more. 

"Everybody asked me what my emotion was," Watkins said in 2001, as per BBC Sport. "My emotion was that I hadn’t bullied him enough. I so regretted that I hadn’t really bullied him."

Sadly, Watkins passed away in 2012, seven years after he retired from F1. A minute's silence was held before the start of that year's Singapore Grand Prix.