Hello Monaco #12 Summer–Autumn 2021 | Page 38

WORDS OF WISDOM IN MONACO hand . I couldn ’ t write a letter to the Queen , I had to get it typed .
But when you are dyslexic you find something you are good at . Steven Spielberg is dyslexic , Harrison Ford , George Lucas are dyslexic , Einstein was dyslexic , Leonardo da Vinci was dyslexic . But these people think outside the box .
: You made a name in target shooting ...
Sir Jackie Stewart : I started after leaving school . I shot for Scotland and then for Great Britain , I did that from the age of 14 until 24 . And when I was 24 I got married . Wives are very expensive ! Shooting was an amateur sport . I had to be a Grand Prix driver to afford a wife ; I had to be a world champion to afford a wife .
: But you did it !
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Sir Jackie Stewart : Yes , and I ’ ve kept the same wife .
: You were granted a noble title . Does it help you in your life ?
Sir Jackie Stewart and Olga Taran , May 2021
circuit where the mind has to be more focused than with any other circuit . To win a Grand Prix here it ’ s different to winning any other Grand Prix in the world .
: How do you feel about the new generation of drivers ?
Sir Jackie Stewart : The driver now is the same type of animal . They are responsible , very glamorous , very exciting and girls love them .
Now you have to start in karting . Lewis Hamilton started at the age of 8 . And then you go through different formulas . Today ’ s racing driver was a racing driver from just a puppie .
Now we are getting girls into carting and I hope to see in the near future girls in Formula 1 . Can you imagine how much money a girl in Formula 1 will make with lovely clothes ? I want to be her manager !
: You are famous as a safety race advocate . You did a lot , but you were criticized , why ?
Sir Jackie Stewart : We closed the Nürburg race in Germany , for example . It was the most wonderful track in the world , 187 corners , but there was no safety . No barriers , there were trees , telegraph posts ... No ambulance , no firemen … I had a crash there . After all , other tracks improved their safety precautions .
: Sometimes difficulties make us stronger and help us to look at our life from a different side . I know that you were diagnosed with dyslexia . How has it changed your life ?
Sir Jackie Stewart : When I was a child at school I was a disaster . I left school at the age of 14 with no education . If you give me a million dollars I couldn ’ t recite the alphabet , I can ’ t read , I can ’ t write , I can ’ t do a letter by
Sir Jackie Stewart : You cannot be a bad ambassador for your country ! I had various medals before I got a knighthood in my particular case . I was completely retired from Grand Prix racing when I was given the title Sir Jackie Stewart .
: In 2018 you set up the charity Race Against Dementia . Why is it so important for you ?
Sir Jackie Stewart : Do you see the broken ‘ D ’? My wife unfortunately has dementia . There is no cure for dementia , currently . For over 40 years there has been no cure . Statistics now tell us that for everyone born today , 1 in 3 is going to have dementia . Terrible illness , much sadder than all the illnesses I ’ ve ever known .
So I started ‘ A Race Against Dementia ’ ( www . raceagainstdementia . com ). We support and pay for the education of talented young scientists and doctors from all over the world who specialize in the study of this terrible illness . And of course even a small donation will help us a lot .
My biggest challenge in my whole life is now to find a cure for dementia . Motor Racing was easy compared to this .
: Thank you very much and I really wish you good luck in your race against dementia . I hope you will find a cure for your wife and for other people !
Sir Jackie Stewart : Thank you !
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