“[Maurizio Arrivabene is quite a character] but only for himself and not for Formula One.”

I won’t be threatened or intimidated by anyone and I’ve always been prepared to do what is necessary to defend my interests.

Forget what others whisper in your ears. Most of that is pure rubbish that obstructs the view to what really is important. Always make your own decisions. That is what makes us human.

I also would rather race than strut red carpets in Hollywood – and thank God this is not my job – but also the team principals should be more prominent.

Each new deal is another opportunity.

As I small child and hearing all the stories about him I, of course, looked up to him as some kind of miracle. Then I got to eight years old and suddenly I was taller than [Bernie Ecclestone].

Actually I think I have forgotten how it was back then. Or probably not – I didn’t qualify. There were only 16 cars in the race.

Don’t forget I started looking at China a long time before any of those races happened. I always thought go east, not west.

Waiters are like hookers, never around when you want them.

Under the engine cover, no one cares what’s in there. Nobody cares.

Women should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances.

I can’t remember a single occasion when I have been kind to a journalist.

If you’re going to take the attitude, I don’t think it will work, you will never do anything.

But when it comes to F1 I am a huge Lewis [Hamilton] fan because he is a super promoter of the sport. From a pure business aspect – sorry Nico if I have to say this – you are not so good for my business.

I have a lot of faith in justice systems around the world even though there were cases in the past where that faith wasn’t justified in some countries.

I have 100 percent confidence in the German judicial system.

[When I’ll be old I see myself] as a world champion, on a big farm with an Italian-style, big family with a whole bunch of grandchildren. And the foundations for that I have already laid!

A formula can be very simple, and create a universe of bottomless complexity.