Yesterday, at the FIA's British Grand Prix Thursday press conference, Jackie Stewart called out for Damon Hill to make up his mind, once and for all, whether he is retiring from Formula One or not.

Asked about Hill's retirement, Stewart said: "Well, I don't know if Damon Hill is retiring, and I don't even think you know! I am not even sure if Damon knows if he is retiring. To some extent it has been unclear, because when I spoke to him before Magny-Cours he said he was going to retire. But when I spoke to him again here, last Friday, I did not get that impression. At that point, in testing, the car was going very well and [Damon was saying], 'just as I am thinking of retiring, the car has come right and it feels great.' There is an on/off switch there which I cannot understand.

"From my point of view, retirement was very easy. You can't be a little bit pregnant: either you're pregnant or you're not pregnant. And either you're retiring or you're not retiring. That is a big decision for any sportsman to make. You have to be very conscientious when leaking [information about] what you might do and what you have actually decided to do.

"I think it is time [for him] to retire. He is 38 years of age and obviously getting more aggravation out of it than satisfaction. As long as that aggravation has been going on long enough, he has to think about the next phase of his life. He is going to live to at least three score years and ten. I was lucky: I retired at 34 and built up a whole new life for myself. I got just as much fulfillment out of that [as I did from racing], and I hope Damon enjoys that same privilege.

"All sportsmen have to retire at some time or another: the question is when you do it, and how comfortable you are that you're going to stay retired. That is the big issue, and you must be sure. If Damon is unsure, then he is quite right to stay out until his mind is made up and he can announce it."