Sir Stirling Moss, one of Britain’s greatest ever racing drivers, has died at the age of 90.
Confirmed this morning (12 April) by his wife Lady Moss to the Daily Mail, Sir Stirling had been enduring a long illness and was being cared for by his wife at their Mayfair home.
Sir Stirling Moss obituary: the life and times of a motorsport legend
Although he never won the Formula 1 world championship, Sir Stirling was still considered one of the sport’s all-time greats. His versatility saw him compete in multiple different formula throughout the 1950s and 1960s, winning 212 of the 529 races he competed in until his full-time professional career was ended after a serious crash at Goodwood in 1962.
In his F1 career between 1951 and 1961, Sir Stirling finished runner-up in the championship four times and third place three times. He also racked up a total of 16 wins, including the 1955 British Grand Prix where he beat his Mercedes team mate Juan Manuel Fangio to the victory.
Sir Stirling is still regarded as perhaps the best driver to never win the Formula 1 title, yet Sir Stirling's success went far beyond F1 and he is considered one of the sport's greater all rounders. He won the gruelling Mille Miglia in 1955 in a Mercedes 300 SLR, scored a class victory at Le Mans in 1956 in an Aston Martin DB3S, and finished second in the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally in a Talbot Sunbeam..
Following his full-time retirement, Sir Stirling continued to compete occasionally in rallies and endurance events, and even attempted a full-time racing comeback in the British Touring Car Championship in 1980.
Sir Stirling only retired from the public eye two years ago - even after breaking both his ankles in an accident at his home in 2010 - and until that retirement he had been a regular at motorsport events in the UK and further afield, including historic races and appearances at the Goodwood Festival of Speed where he was often reunited with some of his most iconic machinery.
"He died as he lived, looking wonderful," Lady Moss told the Daily Mail. "He simply tired in the end and he just closed his beautiful eyes and that was that."
READ MORE
Sir Stirling Moss obituary: the life and times of a motorsport legend
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Sir Stirling Moss: celebrating his epic Mille Miglia victory
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What a man !
A true legend and a lesson in humbleness for current drivers
What struck me about Stirling was his humility, eloquence and sportingness while also very rarely, if at all, spitting out his dummy or having an inflated ego, something which has sadly been all too common in Formula 1 for many years now. As for his driving, he achieved that rare feat at being excellent in many disciplines of motor racing, especially in Formula 1 and Sportscars, and mostly at the same time too which is remarkable. He should have been Formula One World Champion.....runner up on 4 occasions with 16 GP wins in 66 starts. And a Sebring 12hrs, Reims 12hrs and Mille Miglia winner and 2nd at the Le Mans 24hrs twice. A truly great F1 and sportscar driver, not many drivers can be seen as both.
Sir Stirling Moss
I have been dreading this day, although he has looked increasingly frail lately (entitled to at 90 years of age), considering that he very nearly killed himself all those years ago, he has quite an amazing extended driving career - literally up until just a few years ago!
Doesnt make it any easier to bear though - much missed but never forgotten.