Sir Jackie rushed to hospital 02 | 03 | 2011
SCOTS RACING legend Sir Jackie Stewart was rushed to hospital in London this afternoon after suffering chest pains on the flight back from the Geneva Motor Show.
The 72-year-old triple Formula One world champ, who received first aid from air stewardesses before the BA flight landed at Heathrow's Terminal 5, was met by paramedics before being taken by ambulance to nearby Hillingdon Hospital.
But fears for the life of the racing Scot, who won 27 Grands Prix, abated after I spoke with his son Paul.
"I've just spoken to Dad in hospital by phone," the former boss of Paul Stewart Racing, said this afternoon. "Thankfully, he seemed absolutely fine but it's clear that something happened and we need to establish what.
"He had a little scare on the flight and passed out. He told me he feels a bit, shaken but he also told me he's absolutely fine. I should think he'll just be checked over and hopefully it will be nothing more sinister than that, but I'm on my way to see him right now."
The pilot had asked passengers if there were any medical personnel on the plane, explaining there was a medical emergency.
Journalists on the plane accompanying Sir Jackie from the motor show reported he got up to go to the toilet during the flight but never returned to his seat.
He was sitting up with his wife Helen and was conscious as the plane landed.
Sir Jackie was travelling on BA727 from Geneva, which landed at Heathrow at around 12.40pm.
Stewart, who his debut with BRM in 1965, teamed up with legendary team manger Ken Tyrell and the pair clinched the drivers' title with French outfit Matra in 1969, before repeated the success with Tyrell's own team in 1971 and 1973.
In addition to his victories on the track, Stewart successfully campaigned for the introduction of new safety standards, such as full-face helmets and larger run-off areas to protect his fellow drivers.
The iconic Scot returned to the sport in 1997 as founder and figurehead of the Stewart Grand Prix team before the team was sold to Ford in 2000. In 2004 the team established by Stewart evolved from Jaguar into Red Bull, the current constructors and drivers' champions.
A statement from Sir Jackie's office issued at 3.30pm further eased the concern: "Sir Jackie is in Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge, after a physical setback on his flight back from Geneva early this afternoon. He is fully conscious and having precautionary medical checks, but we are expecting him to make a sull recovery."
We at Scotcars, and I know everyone else in Scotland, plus those with a keen interest in motorsport around the world, will wish JYS a full and speedy recovery.
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Jim McGill