“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.”

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!

Lewis [Hamilton] is a hero in the UK. The British love Formula One. Sebastian (Vettel) is also not doing much for F1. People hardly recognize him on the street.

Our sport is ruled whether it’s for good and bad, or whatever, for technical things. There’s lots of teams out there that could and should have done better if they’d have had technical things. I suppose in the end that basically revolves around how much money they’re gonna get.

When people want to built new tracks, they want to look at Silverstone. We don’t want it built like that. It’s quite embarrassing.

I’ve never told anybody this, so I don’t know if maybe you shouldn’t print it, but I’ve made plans. I’m only going to continue doing this for another 25 years.

Both parties make decisions and choices based on what is right, what is best, what is valued most highly.

You have the right to your own ideas and opinions, to make your own decisions, and to have things go your way at times. Stand up for those rights.

When you’re making a critical decision, you have to understand how it’s going to be interpreted from all points of view. Not just your point of view, not just the person you’re talking to, but the people that aren’t in the room. Everybody else.

We must contemplate what the meaning of being “educated” is. Some people think a person with plenty of degrees is an educated one. But I believe a person who can judge a situation correctly and make timely decisions is more important.

Our fate is determined by how far we are prepared to push ourselves to stay alive – the decisions we make to survive. We must do whatever it takes to endure and make it through alive.

Don’t hate life and death or love life and death. Keep your every thought free of delusion, and in life you’ll witness the beginning of nirvana, and in death you’ll experience the assurance of no rebirth.

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.

Every society decides what its laws are, and it’s the people who make decisions with regards to these laws.