Dr Gary Hartstein,

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

(born 17 May 1955 in

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...

, United States), is Clinical Professor of

Anesthesia Anesthesia is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical or veterinary purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia (relief from or prevention of pain), paralysis (muscle relaxation), ...

and

Emergency Medicine Emergency medicine is the medical speciality concerned with the care of illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Emergency physicians (often called “ER doctors” in the United States) continuously learn to care for unsche ...

University of Liège The University of Liège (french: Université de Liège), or ULiège, is a major public university of the French Community of Belgium based in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French. As of 2020, ULiège is ranked in the 301 ...

Hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

and former FIA Medical Delegate for the

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

World Championship. After finishing his undergraduate study at the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

, Hartstein trained as a

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

during the 1970s. In 1983 he returned to his native

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, spending six years at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, specialising in anaesthesiology. In 1989 Hartstein returned to

and began working at

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has held ...

as part of the local medical team attending races. In 1990 Hartstein was assigned to the medical car containing Professor

Sid Watkins Eric Sidney Watkins (6 September 1928 – 12 September 2012), commonly known within the Formula One fraternity as Professor Sid or simply Prof, was an English neurosurgeon. Born in Liverpool, Watkins enrolled at the University of Liverpoo ...

and the two physicians immediately formed a firm friendship. Hartstein's work at the

Belgian Grand Prix The Belgian Grand Prix (French language, French: ''Grand Prix de Belgique''; Dutch language, Dutch: ''Grote Prijs van België''; German language, German: ''Großer Preis von Belgien'') is a motor racing event which forms part of the Formula O ...

continued until 1997 when the FIA, realising the need for an anaesthetist to assist Watkins, recruited him. For the next seven years Hartstein and Watkins rode together in the medical car at the start of most races. In January 2005

announced that he was to retire as Formula One Medical Delegate and Hartstein was selected as his successor. Since that time, Hartstein has been key in developing some of the FIA's new approaches and policies in terms of medical safety. Hartstein was the chair of the FIA Institute's Medical Training Working Group, which aims to standardize training and practices of motorsport doctors, based on the most up-to-date trauma training techniques. He was also, with Prof Gerard Saillant, behind the creation of the "FIA Institute Faculty" (FIMF), which will seek to consolidate the expertise of motor sport doctors and medical staff around the world, on the model of professional associations. In December 2012 Hartstein did not have his contract renewed as Formula One Medical Delegate. His successor was Chief Medical Officer of the British Grand Prix, Doctor Ian Roberts. In April 2015 Hartstein moved to Abu Dhabi to work as a consultant anesthesiologist.

References

External links

Official Twitter

Personal Blog: ''A Former F1 Doc Writes''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hartstein, Gary 1955 births Living people People from Staten Island University of Rochester alumni Albert Einstein College of Medicine alumni Belgian anaesthesiologists Academic staff of the University of Liège Formula One people American motorsport people American expatriates in Belgium Belgian sports physicians