Hollywood actor Sir Patrick Stewart tells the captivating story of Sir Stirling Moss's illustrious racing career. They drive together to Florence in a classic Mercedes Gullwing to follow the route of Italy's most famous road race, the Mille Miglia, and discuss how Stirling's near-fatal accident with a Lotus at Goodwood in 1962 was the best thing that ever happened to him. After this accident, Moss would never race professionally again.
Sir Stirling Moss was born in London on September 17, 1929. His active racing career lasted from 1948 to 1962, during which Moss competed in various classes. His greatest successes were in Formula 1. Between 1955 and 1958, Moss finished second in the world championship four times in a row. Stirling Moss is often referred to as the greatest racing driver who never won the Formula 1 World Championship.
Moss in a Maserati
Moss began his career in Formula 500 (a precursor to Formula 3). In 1950, he won the Tourist Trophy in a Jaguar XK120. He won the Mille Miglia in 1955 with a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Spider. It would take until 1955 before Moss could claim his first Formula 1 victory. He won the British Grand Prix held at Aintree that year in a Mercedes-Benz W196 Monoposto. Two years later, the home Grand Prix was won again, this time in a British car: the Vanwall designed by Tony Vandervell. Moss had a fondness for British racing cars.
A remarkable man with an impressive history. On the Goodwood Festival of Speed we met him briefly, and although quite advanced in age and somewhat frail, Sir Moss was still very sharp.
