▁with ▁the ▁award ▁presented ▁by ▁Martin ▁Bru nd le ▁at ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁L ords . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁Wat kins ▁had ▁stepped ▁down ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁FI A ▁Institute , ▁but ▁would ▁continue ▁in ▁an ▁honor ary ▁role . ▁The ▁day ▁after ▁ret iring , ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁FI A ▁Academy ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁for ▁Motor ▁Sport ▁at ▁the ▁official ▁FI A ▁G ala ▁prize - g iving ▁ceremony ▁in ▁Dub ai . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁each ▁year ▁the ▁Mot ors port ▁Saf ety ▁Fund ▁organ ises ▁the ▁Wat kins ▁L ect ure , ▁which ▁takes ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁Aut os port ▁International ▁Show ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Ex hib ition ▁Centre ▁in ▁B irmingham . ▁These ▁lect ures ▁usually ▁focus ▁on ▁mot ors port ▁safety ▁related ▁matters , ▁and ▁have ▁been ▁delivered ▁by ▁guest ▁speak ers ▁such ▁as ▁Max ▁Mos ley ▁and ▁Ross ▁Bra wn . ▁Wat kins ▁himself ▁delivered ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁lecture ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Wat kins ▁wrote ▁or ▁co - author ed ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁books ▁on ▁racing ▁safety , ▁including ▁Life ▁at ▁the ▁Lim it : ▁Tri umph ▁and ▁T rag edy ▁in ▁Formula ▁One . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Wat kins ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁Susan , ▁a ▁historian ▁and ▁bi ograph er ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁six ▁children ; ▁four ▁sons ▁and ▁two ▁daughters . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁passion ▁for ▁sm oking ▁cig ars , ▁drink ing