Stirling Moss1950s Racing DriversStirling Moss is revered throughout the world of motor racing as well as in his native Britain despite retiring from the sport almost 50 years ago. Moss’ car racing career lasted just 14-years, and the 1950s were his heyday. But as well as adulation, it earned honours from the British establishment, an OBE and a knighthood. Born in London in 1929, Moss entered racing in 1948, driving a Cooper 500. Moss’s strong point was his versatility. He was equally competent as both a Grand Prix and rally driver. Just four years into his career Moss, along with co-driver John Cooper was able to achieve a second place finish in Monte Carlo Rally, driving a Sunbeam Talbot 90. In 1955, Moss won the Mille Miglia endurance race in Italy in record winning time, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, co-driven by fellow Briton Denis Jenkinson. Just a year
earlier he had become the first ever non-American to drive to victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring, averaging almost
98 mph on what were public roads. 1955 proved to be a crucial year in Moss’ motor racing career. He joined Mercedes Benz to link up with Grand Prix sensation Juan Manuel Fangio. Moss celebrated joining Mercedes in epic fashion, delighting his fellow countrymen and women with victory at the 1955 British Grand Prix, staged at Aintree, near Liverpool. The race proved to be a great contest between the Englishman and team-mate Fangio. The lead switched between them until lap 26. Moss held onto the lead for the next 64 laps, despite Fangio putting in a strong bid to snatch victory on the 90th lap. Despite his prowess in Grand Prix, Moss never took the World Drivers Championship, though he was runner-up on four occasions. However, he came tantalisingly close in the 1958 series. In the Portuguese Grand Prix that year fellow Briton Mike Hawthorn beat the Londoner by half a second to take the title. In the years following 1955 Moss had not driven for the Mercedes team. Following the tragedy at the Le Mans 24 Hours that year which had seen over 80 – including spectators -killed, the German manufacturer withdrew from motor racing. Subsequently Moss led the Maserati and Vanwall teams During the late 1950s and early 60s rear-engined cars were becoming the vogue in Formula One. Moss was to the forefront of the trend and in the 1958 Argentine he drove the Cooper-Climax, powered by a rear-engine, to its first ever victory. Motor racing is a very dangerous sport and in 1962 Moss was involved in an accident which almost took his life in the Glover Trophy at Goodwood. It left him in a coma. But after recovering consciousness he made the decision to quit racing. Related Articles |
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