Jackie Stewart taken ill on flight from Geneva

Three-time world Formula One champion Sir Jackie Stewart has been hospitalised after complaining of chest pains on a flight from Geneva to London. The 71-year-old was returning from the Geneva Motor Show.

A special request was made for a priority landing at Heathrow airport so that Stewart could be met by paramedics and taken to Hillingdon hospital.

His son Paul admitted that the F1 great had passed out at one point but had now regained consciousness and would be undergoing tests to work out what the problem was.

Some reports claim that the pilot had asked for medical attention over the tannoy from passengers on the British Airways flight, whilst it has also been reported that Stewart had got up to visit the toilet and failed to return.

BA statement

Flight BA727 arrived at Terminal 5 at 12.40pm on Wednesday and a British Airways spokesman released this statement: “Our flight crew requested a priority landing so that a male passenger could receive medical attention immediately on arrival. Our cabin crew cared for the customer during the flight. We wish him well.”

Stewart is respected as one of the greatest motor racers in history, and the most successful British F1 champion, with three titles to his name. Over his career he won 27 Grand Prix. After briefly owning Stewart Ford Racing between 1997 and 2009 with his son Paul, Jackie Stewart has continued to be one of the faces of the sport across the world.

Only days before he collapsed he was writing comment pieces on the future of the sport and making press and promo appearances at the world’s biggest motor show. As well as his racing, Stewart is known as the man behind ‘modern racing’ for his work in making the cars and tracks safe after arriving in a sport that had claimed the lives of many greats before him.