THERE are few interviews I have ever conducted in my journalistic career quite as bizarre as the one with former Formula 1 World Champion Jackie Stewart.
The story may lose something in translation into print, but it has to be told.
It was sometime in 1996 and I had been running a short campaign at The Scotsman to support female race ace Sarah Kavanagh’s breakthrough into Formula 1.
I had already spoken at length with Sarah, her manager and her sponsors; and the day before had managed to tie down F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone for a few words.
Meanwhile, I had made a few bids for a telephone interview with Jackie Stewart or his son Paul.
Then the call came.
“Hello, is that Mr Oooterside?” said the voice at the end of the phone.
Before I could answer, I was deafened by a “Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.” The unmistakeable noise of a Formula 1 racing engine.
“Sorry, we are on practice,” said the voice again.
Then another: Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“Hello, Mr Stewart, it is Nic Outterside. I would like to ask you about Sarah Kavanagh,” I replied.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“It’s not a good line,” said Jackie Stewart.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“Sarah who?” he added.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“Sarah Kavanagh,” I almost shouted back.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“We are in Spain testing a new engine,” replied Jackie.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“Well, do you think Sarah is good enough to make it in Formula 1?” I asked.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“Yes, but I think you ought to speak to Paul,” came the answer.
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“He’ll be here in a while.”
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
“What’s the weather like back home?”
Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr.
You will get the drift by now.
I interviewed Jackie Stewart for a full 15 minutes and his son Paul for a further five minutes.
When the phone call was over, I looked at my shorthand notebook.
Deafened by the interruptions of “Whooooorrrrr roooooshh errrrrrrrrr”, the only things I had established were that Jackie Stewart was testing a new F1 engine with his son Paul, somewhere in Spain; they had both heard of Sarah Kavanagh; the weather was warmer in Spain than in Scotland and they were travelling onto France later in the week… the rest of the interview was lost somewhere in translation.
No Time to Think 