RIP Sir Stirling Moss

Autosport's Obituary

 

Moss' 10 Greatest Drives (also from Autosport)

 

Sad news. I believe only driver Tony Brooks survives from the 1950s era of F1 but Moss was the superstar that everyone remembers. He was overshadowed by Juan Manuel Fangio, the greatest of all, much like Gehrig was by Ruth.
I have numerous books on Moss and v many on 50s racing in general and have read all the bios of the stars, books by team managers and mechanics, etc. Without a doubt the ‘55 Mille Miglia ranks as one of the greatest drives ever in auto racing history.
Moss was a bit of an odd cat and possessed by money. He had to be paid to do any PR whatsoever and many times turned down public appearances because the money wasn’t good enough. Basically, possibly one of the first athletes to make such demands. All in all, a perfectionist who couldn’t stand anything but total devotion to the task. Not really a surprise.
The pictures of him, Fangio and other from that era throwing these huge incredibly powerful racing machines around the racetracks of the time, in T shirts no less, are some of auto racing’s greatest images.
I remember hearing about him when I was a v young kid, probably 6 or so, in the late 1950s. Another of the dwindling few people I’ve known of almost my entire life.
RIP, Sir.