SIR STIRLING MOSS O.B.E
Family History
Sir Stirling was born on the 17th of September in Kensington, London.
His father was a dentist but had been an amateur racing driver, winning events at Brooklands in the 20's and driving in the Indianapolis 500 in 1924 where he finished 11th. His mother had been an ambulance driver in the first World War and she, with his Father, competed in Rallies and Trials in the 30's. She was very successful in these and won the Ladies Experts Trial in 1935.
Education
Sir Stirling was educated at Clewer Manor Junior school and later at Haileybury and Imperial Service College.
Introduction to Motor Racing
In 1948 he bought a new Cooper 500cc Formula 3 car with money he had won in horse shows and gymkhanas. In his first hill climb, at Prescott, he was fourth. Out of his next fourteen starts, he won eleven of them.
In 1949 he was offered his first professional contract with the new HWM team and raced all over Europe. In Sir Stirling's era, a top driver would drive in all types of races, from GP to Formula 2, Formula 3, Sports cars and saloons.
He would compete in over 50 races a year, racing every week.
Break in Motor Racing
Moss’s big break came in 1950, when he was offered a drive in the then new, XK120 Jaguar. It was the first classic Sports Car race after the war, held on the very difficult and dangerous Dundrod road circuit in Ireland. The race was three hours long in pouring rain. Not only did he win at record speed, but he took fastest lap, beating the Jaguar factory Team. Bill Lyons, later Sir William, signed him up immediately to lead the Team the following year. He was just 20 years old.
Racing Career
In his career Moss drove for for Jaguar, Aston Martin, Maserati, Mercedes Benz and others. In all, he took part in some 529 events, driving an amazing 84 different cars. He finished in 377 races (cars were not very reliable then!) and winning 212 of them. That amounts to winning every other race he finished in.
Famous Wins
Some of his most famous wins were probably:
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1st overall Sebring 12 hours in 1954 in an 1350cc OSCA, one of the smallest cars entered.
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1st 7 times in the Tourist Trophy.
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1st in the 1955 Targa Florio.
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1st in the World's most difficult and dangerous race, the Mille Miglia, at the record speed of 97.96mph.
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1st in the 1961 Monaco GP - he won the race three times.
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He also won over 100 Grands Prix.
Racing Tit-bits
Stirling is famously the best driver not to win the World Championship, he was runner up from 1955 to 1961.
He won the coveted BRDC Gold Star, the British Championship no less than 10 times. No other driver has been awarded more that 5 of these.
Racing Pedigree
Moss is considered to have been the most versatile driver ever.
He currently holds the World 1500cc record at over 240mph, has won a Gold cup for three Alpine Rallies without loss of points (only two ever awarded), He won the wet 1961 Intercontinental race at Silverstone, lapping the entire field, which included the great Jim Clarke and three other World Champions.
Family Life
Sir Stirling has been married three times. He has a daughter, Allison by his second wife and a son, Elliot, with his third, and current wife, Susie.
Career Today
Today, Sir Stirling still flies about 200,000 miles a year with Lady Moss, making personal appearances, giving lectures, demonstractions etc.