Sir Jackie Stewart has revealed that Allan Moffat shared his dementia diagnosis with the three-time world champion before the four-time Bathurst winner had spoken publicly about it.
At the 2023 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, Stewart said that Moffat had confided in the three-time world champion following his diagnosis of early stage of dementia in 2016. Stewart’s wife, Helen, was diagnosed with the illness in 2014.
“He admitted to me that unfortunately he’s got dementia … Of course, so has Helen, my wife. He’s now had it for quite a long time, both [diagnosed] at the same time as Helen and I think, which is close to 70 years [old].”
“Most people don’t know they’ve got it. But I shared that with him … because of Helen,” Stewart said.
Moffat, now 83 years old, shared an update on his illness last month in a bid to raise awareness of the disease and drive support for Dimentia Australia, which both he and Stewart became ambassadors of in 2020.
“By speaking up about my experience with Alzheimer’s disease [the most common form of dementia], I can encourage others to seek support and know that they are not alone if they have concerns about themselves or a loved one,” Moffat said at the time.
Moffat only publicly confirmed that he had the illness in 2018, but had not shared the challenges of the illness until he allowed television cameras into his nursing home, having gradually wound back public appearances and racetrack attendance.
“Allan, of course, I’ve known for many years [from] when I started going down to Australia for touring car racing with the Ford Motor Company. Allan was very much in deal involved with Ford, and so was I, so we became friends for a great many years.”
“He was a great racing driver – I raced for him and with him at the Ford Motor Company and for Allan, I’m very sorry he’s got the illness, but I wish him all the very best.”
Sir Jackie founded Race Against Dementia in 2016 to fund research into the prevention and find a cure for dementia.
CLICK HERE to access Dementia Australia’s website
CLICK HERE for Moffat’s Up Front With Foges interview from 2017, in which he reflects on his career as one of the greats of Australian motorsport.
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