02/03/2011
NEWS STORY
Three-time world champion Jackie Stewart was taken to hospital today after taking ill on a flight to London.
It is understood the Scot suffered chest pains during a flight from Geneva and on landing in London was rushed to nearby Hillingdon Hospital.
"He did pass out and as a precaution he was taken to hospital to be looked at," his son Paul told the BBC. "I've just spoken to him in hospital. He seemed absolutely fine but obviously something happened and we need to establish what. I should think he'll just be checked over and hopefully it will be nothing more sinister than that."
Stewart, who after retiring from the sport in 1973 - the year of his final title win - went on to become a global ambassador for Ford before setting up his own Formula One team with his son.
Having sold the team to Ford, the Scot worked with Jaguar Racing and Williams, recently being confirmed as a "partner" to the Lotus Renault GP team.
A vigorous campaigner for higher safety standards in F1, having raced in the series during one of its darkest periods, the late 60s and early 70s, Stewart successfully underwent surgery in 2002 to remove a pre-cancerous tumour.