“A true legend”: Tributes to Sir Stirling Moss

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In the round-up: FIA president Jean Todt, BRDC president David Coulthard, Lewis Hamilton and others pay tribute to Sir Stirling Moss, who died yesterday.

What they say

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He was a true legend in motor sport and he will remain so forever. My thoughts go out to his wife Suzie, his family, his friends.
Jean Todt, FIA president

Sir Stirling had been a Member of the BRDC since 1948, also the year he competed in the first race meeting held at Silverstone. Since then he has been an extremely loyal Member and a true ambassador for our club. Sir Stirling had a unique and raw talent behind the wheel, loved his racing and lived life to the full. A truly great character and gentlemen who will be sorely missed by all who had the fortune of knowing him. I would like to add my most sincere condolences to Lady Susie Moss, their son Elliot and to his daughter Allison on their loss. Ciao Stirling!
David Coulthard, president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club

Sir Stirling was a larger-than-life figure in our sport and one of the survivors of an age when motor racing was about danger, bravery and camaraderie. But most of all, Stirling’s career was characterised by an impeccable sportsmanship and in this he truly set himself apart. He was a great figure in the history of Mercedes, both as a Grand Prix driver and the winner of the 1955 Mille Miglia. It is no exaggeration to say that we will never see his like again. Our deepest condolences go to his wife Lady Susie, his family and his friends. Godspeed to a true racer.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal and CEO

Stirling Moss, Denis Jenkinson, Mille Miglia, 1955
Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson in the 1955 Mille Miglia

The Mercedes-Benz family mourns the loss of Sir Stirling Moss. We will miss him as man, but he remains unforgettable as one of the greatest drivers of all time. His victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia made him into a sporting legend. He was both a successful sportsman and a true gentleman. And this is how we will always remember him.
Ola Kaellenius, chairman of the board of management of Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz cars

Stirling Moss symbolised motor sport. He was a true personality who left an indelible impression on the history of racing. His versatility meant he was able to win in so many different categories, from Formula 1 to sports car endurance races. He also produced incredible performances in road races such as the Mille Miglia, setting a record that was never beaten.

Despite not winning the Formula 1 World Championship, he is most definitely a legendary figure and he was a fearsome and formidable rival of Ferrari in Formula 1 and many other categories. His and Ferrari’s paths were about to merge when he had the accident at Goodwood in April 1962 that effectively ended his racing career, at least at a high level. At the time, in Maranello we were preparing a 250 SWB for him in British Racing Green, along with a contract to drive for us, but fate decreed otherwise.

My father said that Stirling reminded him of Tazio Nuvolari, because of his love of racing in any type of car, something which stayed with him right to the very end of his career.
Piero Ferrari, Ferrari vice-president

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Social media

Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:

View this post on Instagram

Today we say goodbye to Sir Stirling Moss, the racing legend. I think it’s important that we celebrate his incredible life and the great man he was. Saying goodbye is never easy and can be sad but he will always be here, in our memories and will always be such a huge part of British Motorsports Heritage. I certainly will miss our conversations. To be honest, it was such a unusual pairing, our friendship. Two people from massively different times and backgrounds but we clicked and ultimately found that the love for racing we both shared made us comrades. I am truly grateful to have had these special moments with him. Sending my prayers and thoughts to his family. May he rest in peace🙏🏾

A post shared by Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton) on

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Comment of the day

@SJM adds another tribute to Moss:

Sad news in a time where anything else is in short supply.

His gentleman and sportsman behaviour in standing up in defence of his title challenger, Mike Hawthorn has to be one of the sports greatest acts, and adds so much to his legend. Its something I doubt many would contemplate doing in this day and age, let alone actually doing.

Sadly he is more known as the greatest driver to have never won the drivers’ championship, and he deserved more than to be remembered as such. An amazing human being who was a top sportsman.

Rest in peace Sir Stirling.
@SJM

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On this day in F1

  • 45 years ago today Niki Lauda won the non-championship BRDC International Trophy race at Silverstone in a Ferrari 312T after an engine problem put early leader James Hunt out

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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3 comments on ““A true legend”: Tributes to Sir Stirling Moss”

  1. Profile Photo

    Jere (@jerejj)
    13th April 2020, 7:23

    To be fully precise: He was 10 at the time, so he didn’t get that quite right, not that it’d be greatly relevant, though.

  2. Profile Photo

    44 (@indianapolis2007)
    13th April 2020, 11:37

    I suppose anyone that can give Fangio trouble in identical equipment must be a quality driver. Shame no WDC.

    1. Profile Photo

      Esploratore (@esploratore)
      14th April 2020, 1:37

      Yes, and had he really wanted a wdc at all costs he’d have got it, if I recall he wanted to drive with english cars no matter what, and that was a handicap at times, plus he gave up points for sportsmanship, leading to reinstating hawthorn, his championship rival, in a race in 1958, and as things went, had he not done that he’d have won the title.

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