The outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19, which took place in the first months of 2020, generated a world health crisis that is still as active today as it is difficult to counter. In that time Ben Hodgkinson, chief mechanical engineer of the Mercedes in Brixton, he abandoned the project inherent to Formula 1 to get to work in the design of the instrument CPAP, that is, a device capable of delivering air to keep the body airways open. This, which proved to be fundamental during the pandemic, thus avoided states of apnea in several subjects with breathing difficulties. For this reason, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom bestowed on Hodgkinson the British Empire Medal, one of the most prestigious accolades of the British Crown for the work done in the service of the community.
The 46-year-old, interviewed by Chronicle & Echo, he commented on the award reserved for him, maintaining an exemplary modesty: “I’m proud I did, but I don’t feel worthy like others – He admitted – what I did was work incredibly hard for about three weeks. There are doctors and nurses who have worked in these conditions, day and night, for months and months. I helped as much as possible and it was something I knew how to do. It was simply my duty. In my head I already had the device in mind, a small plastic block with three valves. I took it to the UCL labs and figured out pretty quickly how it worked. I have worked in Formula One for 20 years. You’re pushed hard and it’s stressful enough, but that it’s just about racing, it’s not life or death like in this case. In the few hours of sleep I stole, I felt guilty. I felt terrible leaving every morning. Luckily I didn’t need one of my devices, but while I was in bed, they kept sending me videos of them being used. It was very emotional. Identification – he concluded – it was completely unexpected. It’s an incredible thing ”. In recent months Ben Hodgkinson has been at the center of sports news for the transfer from Mercedes to Red Bull after 20 years of militancy in the Silver Arrows. The British engineer will be the technical director of Milton Keynes’ power units starting in the 2022 season.
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