Stirling Moss

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Moss's rivalry with Juan Manuel Fangio defined his peak years. In 1955, he finally beat his mentor to win the British Grand Prix, leading a 1–2–3–4 Mercedes finish. When asked if Fangio had let him win, Moss recalled Fangio replying, "No. You were just better than me that day." The following years saw Moss finish runner-up to Fangio in 1956 and 1957 with Maserati and Vanwall. In 1958, he won four races but lost the title to Mike Hawthorn by a single point due to his sportsmanlike attitude. From 1959 to 1961, competing for Walker, he took multiple wins each season yet finished third in the standings three times. His career ended abruptly in 1962 after a non-championship Glover Trophy accident left him in a coma for a month and temporarily paralyzed.

In Their Own Story

The 1955 Mille Miglia stands as Moss's most iconic drive, described by Doug Nye as the "most iconic single day's drive in motor racing history." With co-driver Denis Jenkinson providing pace notes via hand signals over the engine roar, they completed Italy's one-thousand-mile race in ten hours and seven minutes. Before the start, Moss took a pill given to him by Fangio to stay awake, noting that stimulants were common then "like wartime bomber crews." Later that year, at the Pescara Circuit, he drove the longest Formula One Grand Prix circuit (25 km), beating Fangio from pole position by approximately three minutes in a three-hour event. In 1958, Moss became a pioneer for rear-engined cars and secured the first single-seater sponsorship in Europe when the Eldorado Ice Cream Company sponsored his Maserati 420M at Monza.

Reader's Guide

Stirling Moss's career offers a masterclass in versatility and courage across multiple disciplines. He began in horse riding, using winnings to buy a Cooper 500 in 1948, before moving through Formula Three to his first major victory: the 1950 RAC Tourist Trophy in a Jaguar XK120. His Formula One debut came at the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix with HWM. He achieved 16 pole positions and 19 fastest laps, holding the record for most wins by a non-champion until Nigel Mansell surpassed him in 1991. Beyond F1, Moss won the 12 Hours of Sebring (1954), the Mille Miglia (1955) with Mercedes, and the Monte Carlo Rally runner-up spot (1952). He was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1961 and later became a commentator for ABC before his induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990.

Did You Know?

• Moss won the Mille Miglia in 1955 with co-driver Denis Jenkinson, who communicated using hand signals over the engine noise.
• He drove 84 different makes of cars during his career and preferred British manufacturers, often saying it was better to lose honourably in a British car than win in a foreign one.
• Moss broke several land speed records across different categories throughout his life.
• His first major international victory came on the eve of his 21st birthday at the 1950 RAC Tourist Trophy.
• He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990 and appeared in the James Bond film Casino Royale (1967).