Formula One Race Director Charlie Whiting is to be the guest speaker at the Motorsport Safety Fund’s annual Watkins Lecture, at Autosport International in January.

Charlie Whiting began his motorsport career preparing saloon and rally cars before moving on to join Hesketh Racing in the late 1970s.

After Hesketh’s demise, he joined Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team, becoming chief mechanic during the years when Nelson Piquet took two F1 World Championships, and then chief engineer.

He became FIA Technical Delegate for Formula One in 1988 and Race Director and Safety Delegate in 1997. He is also permanent starter and head of the F1 technical department.

The lecture, named after the late Professor Sid Watkins, who spent many years as FIA Formula One Safety and Medical Delegate, takes place at Autosport International at the NEC, in Birmingham at 11.15am on Friday 10 January 2014.

Admission is free but by ticket only.