“The greatest F1 driver who never became world champion”, he was often called. During his lifetime, he drove a total of 497 races in many automotive dispicplines, of which he managed to win 194. Although he managed to win 16 Formula One Grands Prix, he never became a world champion.
Sir Stirling was a driver from a long lost era when safety on the track was at the very edge of life, often beyond it. He was a typical example of when professional racing drivers were also gentlemen. Stirling Moss competed in almost every discipline of motorsport; from endurance racing and rallying, to hillclimb racing and the touring car championship. Despite the fact that he never won the Formula One World Championship, few would dispute the claim that he was the most outstanding racer of his era.
So we can argue at length about the greatest driver of all time. Fangio? Clark? Senna? Schumacher? Tough choice, but no one was quite as versatile as Sir Stirling. And no one was likely to inspire such affection among racing fans. Until his last days. On 12 April 2020, a true legend left us forever.
When a collector’s collection of his favourite vehicles was recently created, he listed the twelve racing specials he was most remembered for. Let us now remember Sir Stirling Moss. A legend who left an indelible mark on motorsport history: