In an interview for the Stephane Ratel Organisation (SRO) the organisers of the FIA GT Championship and ahead of this weekends UK round as the RAC Tourist Trophy at Silverstone Stirling reveals the first time he clinched the Tourist Trophy crown, how he’s delighted the Trophy is running with the FIA GT Championship and how he hopes to see more driving stars getting behind the wheel of GT machinery in the future.

Sir Stirling Moss is arguably the most famous and naturally gifted British racing driver of all time. But for all of the success, fame and glory that he gathered in his racing career which took in 497 races, 194 of which he won, The Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, which takes places at Silverstone on Sunday May 3rd as the opening round of the FIA GT Championship, has a very special place in his heart.

During his career he would go on to win the TT seven times, but it was his first win that he is most happy to talk about today. “I’ll never forget my first one,” said Sir Stirling “I was only 18 at the time and no one would lend me a car to compete, they all thought I went too quickly for my experience. Then Tommy Wisdom offered me his car, he was a press guy, and he had been able to get a Jaguar XK120, as they were all going to America at the time.”

“On the day of the race it was pouring with rain, and of course the Jaguar factory team were there, and I managed to beat them. And that night Bill Lyons signed me up to lead the team the following year. So the Tourist Trophy was a very big milestone for me.” It was a good move for Jaguar as well; Moss went on to win the Trophy again for Jaguar the following year.

Sir Stirling is delighted that the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy is back as part of the FIA GT Championship and is equally thrilled that the Trophy is regaining some of its lost lustre. “The Tourist Trophy always was always a very important race and so now hopefully it will get more important again, as part of the FIA GT Championship - it is such a historical thing. It was one of the first events ever run, way back in 1905.”

“Out of all the supercars I drove, Aston Martin DBR1, Mercedes 300 SLR, Ferrari 250 GT (pictured below), that first Jag XK120 would be my favourite because it was such an important race for me. I was a guy who’d done nothing in international motor racing and it gave me such a great start.”

Although the FIA GT Championship is liberally peppered with former F1 drivers, Moss still believes that as the Championship continues to grow then perhaps some of the current generation of drivers could compete in the series. “I would love to see some of the F1 drivers driving these cars. Formula One at the moment is the most important series but there is no reason to my mind why they shouldn’t take part in other events. It would be a wonderful thing for motor racing, for people to go along and see their favourite driver, whether it be Lewis, or whoever, driving a more recognisable, non-F1 car. It would really be a good thing.”

First appeared in the Daily Express on 2nd May 2009