Sir Jackie Stewart reveals having suffered a stroke

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Sir Jackie Stewart is in the paddock at Silverstone this weekend, but the F1 legend has revealed that things got a bit complicated on the health front last month.

The three-time F1 world champion - who remains a regular presence in the paddock as an Ambassador for Rolex and Heineken - was in Jordan last month attending the marriage of Crown Prince Hussein when he suffered a mini-stroke.

The 84-year-old collapsed in his hotel room but somehow managed to alert his son Paul who was staying in another room. Stewart was transported by ambulance to hospital for a short stay before he was flown home.

"This was the night before the wedding," Sir Jackie told the Daily Mail.

"I got up in the night feeling strange. I just dropped. And then I can’t remember. I was unconscious for quite a long time.

Read also: Stewart takes the mickey out of Miami GP grid security staff

"I was taken to hospital in Jordan. My son Paul and his wife were there for the wedding, in a bedroom on a different floor.

"To this day I don’t know how I got to Paul’s room, but I must have been somewhat alert to get hold of him.

"They got me into an ambulance, but I have no recall of that either. His Majesty got the best doctors available for me.

"I wanted to get home as fast as possible, and the Crown Prince of Bahrain very generously gave his aircraft to fly me back to Europe.

"By then I was pretty much OK. I wasn’t walking very well though."

Stewart believes that his heavy agenda and incessant travelling from one continent to the other likely contributed to his health scare.

"I am now doing a lot of physiotherapy and I can walk almost completely perfectly," he said.

"Everything’s going well — I am going to Silverstone for two days this weekend."

Asked for his prediction on the outcome of this weekend's British Grand prix, the great Scot offered an unsurprising forecast.

"The combination of the Dutchman and Milton Keynes," he said. "Max is a remarkably talented man, and he hasn’t gone astray. He is a wonderful ambassador for our sport."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.