McLaren's caring culture

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Remembering ‘Prof

Sir,

This photo is a treasured memory from the Portugal GP in 1992. I first had dealings with Prof in early 1980 when I was at Motor Race Consultants. I did something dreadful to my back trying to pick up a fridge and was on the ‘phone telling someone my woes when Derek Daly was passing the office. He told me about this marvellous chap who was helping everyone in Fl and he’d be more than

happy to give the Prof a call on my behalf. I crawled to the London Hospital where Sid rushed me to the top of the queue and told me that I’d ripped the muscles along the base of my back. He gave me an extremely painful injection, joking all the way. For the next three weeks I lay on my front on the office floor answering the ‘phone, but within two months I was fine. I’ll always be grateful to him and we had many funny conversations whenever I saw him subsequently. In 1996 I was waiting outside the `Stalag Luft’ chicken-wire Fl paddock for him to come out and sign Life at the Limit for me. He came rushing out, but made time to sign with a message. Suddenly we realised he was bleeding

all over the page. He jokingly cursed “must have cut it on Bernie’s b—-y barrier — so you’ve now got a sample of my blood!”

Such a big loss. Sue Weaver Sheen, London