Sir Stirling Moss OBE
Peter Snowdon | Published on 8/11/2020
It is with great sadness we learned early this morning that British motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss has died at the age of 90 following a long illness.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time, even though he did not win the World Championship.Moss retired from public life in January 2018 because of ongoing health problems.
"It was one lap too many, he just closed his eyes," said his wife Lady Moss.Sir Stirling was the first to win at World Championship level for both Cooper and Lotus, on both occasions in cars run by Rob Walker’s private team. It was in Rob’s Lotus Type 18 that Sir Stirling produced two of his most virtuosic drives in the 1961 Monaco and German Grands Prix to defeat the significantly more powerful Ferraris. In sports car racing Sir Stirling was peerless, even when up against Fangio. His victory in the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR in the 1955 Mille Miglia has to be regarded as one of the greatest achievements of all time by a British driver. That year he also won the RAC Tourist Trophy at Dundrod and the Targa Florio to secure the World Sports Car Championship for Mercedes.Four years later, he played a major role in securing the same Championship for Aston Martin, his performances in the DBR1/300 in the Nurburgring 1000K and the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood ranking among the finest and most memorable of his stellar career.A keen historic racer well into his 80's Moss attended many AMOC events.The AMOC offers its most sincere condolences to Lady Susie Moss, their son Elliot and to Allison, Sir Stirling’s daughter by his earlier marriage to Elaine, on their loss.