My ordeal branded a dunce, by race ace Jackie
MOTOR racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart has revealed he was branded a “dunce” at school and grew up feeling inadequate because he did not know he was dyslexic.
The three-time Formula One world champion said his school days were a “disaster” and he was not diagnosed with the learning disorder until he was in his 40s.
Sir Jackie, 81, dubbed the Flying Scot, was unpopular with his classmates and had few friends because he could not read. Born at Milton in Dunbartonshire, he said: “When I went to Hartfield primary school, I was in a class of 54 and considered to be among the dunces.
“Dunces are not popular, so I didn’t have many friends there.
“I supposed that everyone was right and I was just a dummy, whereas the truth was that I just could not read what was in front of me because of my dyslexia.” Sir Jackie left school at 16 but coped “much better” living in his beloved village than he would have in a city.
He never wanted to forget his roots – and he dubbed his former London home, shared with fellow Scottish racing driver Jim Clark, the “Scottish Embassy”.
Tartan designs were painted on to his crash helmet in his racing days.
He said: “I don’t know how kids in cities cope, but for me I just accepted that I was no good at education and compensated by getting into sport.
“I played a lot of football. Then I got into shooting and fishing and doing odd jobs with my dad.”
Sir Jackie added: “I was a bit unhappy with the way school turned out and wanted to prove something.”
The four-time Monaco Grand Prix winner, who also represented Scotland in shooting, retired from racing in 1973.