Saillant, who is also deputy president of the FIA Institute and one of France’s leading orthopaedic surgeons, was given a mandate by the FIA President to introduce the new structure.

He said: “When Max Mosley contacted me, the task he gave me was clear: to improve a system that was already performing to an exceptionally high standard, and to ensure its durability for years to come.”

Saillant focused on two distinct areas. Firstly, a reappraisal of the role of the medical representative at world championship events. Secondly, a revision of the operational procedures to suit the specific characteristics of modern motor sport.

With an initial focus on the FIA Formula One World Championship, Saillant’s first appointment has been to bring in Jean-Charles Piette as the new Medical Delegate. A high-level medical specialist, Professor Piette has worked at the famous Pitié Salpêtrière hospital in Paris throughout his career.

Saillant said: “Jean-Charles possesses excellent knowledge of a wide range of medical disciplines. He has always been a Formula One enthusiast, and has the perfect profile for the demands of this role.”

Piette’s responsibilities include supervising obligatory safety exercises for the extrication teams and emergency services, overseeing of anti-doping activities, and working with the Chief Medical Officer, the Race Director and FIA Safety Delegate in the management of medical procedures and emergency plans.

At international events, the permanent Medical Delegate works hand in hand with the national Chief Medical Officer. For the FIA Formula One World Championship, both doctors are based in Race Control. This allows them to work closely with the Race Director in coordinating the emergency response in the event of an accident.

The primary medical car is assigned to Dr. Jacques Tropenat, a former driver at the Le Mans 24 Hours and who in the new structure will also assume the role of Deputy Director to Dr. Jean-Jacques Issermann, the FIA Director of Medical Affairs.

Alongside Tropenat, former F1 Medical Delegate Dr. Gary Hartstein, a resuscitation specialist, is responsible for supervising the procedures employed by local doctors in the event of medical intervention.

Tropenat and Hartstein are on constant alert as soon as the track is in use, whether it be for practice, qualifying or the race. They both sit in the medical car with the engine running at all times, and can intervene at a moment’s notice. This car also follows the F1 and GP2 fields during the first lap of the race, fully prepared for rapid intervention in the event of an accident.

In a new position for this season, Issermann, who has led major work for the FIA on driver safety over the last twenty years, will take on a further role as FIA Permanent Medical Inspector. He will be responsible for examining the specialist disciplines of the hospitals closest to circuits hosting world championship events and to check medical intervention and extrication procedures. This role is seen as crucial to the successful running of any event.

Saillant is also planning for the future. He said: “We must anticipate future developments and improve the successful systems we have introduced in recent years.”

As such, several medical projects are in progress. One such project is the creation of an electronic medical database for every driver.

“Eventually, every driver will have their own electronic file,” said Saillant. “It will comprise their medical history and all the information needed to ensure effective treatment in the event of injury.”

And this is just one of many planned developments which aim to improve the medical infrastructure across the entire F1 paddock. Saillant’s goal is to ensure that trackside facilities allow for the highest levels of medical practice at every event in the championship.

Like the Formula One championship itself, the FIA’s medical operation will continue to be at the cutting edge of modern technology.