Former Jaguar racer and motor racing legend, Sir Stirling Moss has passed away today following a long-term illness. Lady Moss was by his side at Mayfair House as he passed away in the early hours of Easter morning. Lady Moss said that Sir Stirling “died as he lived, looking wonderful.”
Sir Stirling Moss was an incredibly versatile driver who won 212 of his 529 races in his professional career. Although never managing a Formula One World Championship, in 1955 he became the first Englishman to win the British Grand Prix at Aintree ahead of another legend, Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio was not only his teammate at Mercedes, who Moss joined the same year, but also a friend and mentor.
He was spotted by Sir William Lyons whilst racing an XK120 owned by Tommy Wisdom at Dundrod in 1950. Sir William Lyons asked Stirling to lead the Jaguar racing team, he was just 21 years old! The relationship would see him race and rally more XK120s plus C Types and D Types.
He raced Jaguars in a number of events between 1951 - 54, including at the steeply banked Autodrome de Montlhéry near Paris. Sir Stirling drove an XK120 owned by Leslie Johnson and it was to be the first time any production car had averaged over 100 mph for 24 hours. They returned on 1952 with Jack Fairman to smash all their own records, all over again!
It was the Mille Miglia where, in 1952, he shared a Jaguar C Type with Norman Dewis to test out the new innovation of front disc brakes.
He came second at Le Mans 1953 with Peter Walker in a Jaguar C Type.
In 1954, he shared a Jaguar D Type, again with Peter Walker, at Le Mans and in 1958 enjoyed victory at Silverstone in a Lister Jaguar Knobbly, the only car he would ever put his name to for marketing purposes.
In the 1960 Bowmaker Trophy held at Silverstone, Sir Stirling Moss raced a Jaguar Mark II saloon taking second place to winner Roy Salvadori.
Overall, Sir Stirling Moss racked up 10 wins in Jaguars during his career. However, that top - level career came to an abrupt and tragic close in 1962 when he crashed at Goodwood and was left partially paralysed and in a coma for 6 months.
Following his forced retirement from top-level motorsport, he remained close to motor racing either via his broadcasting commitments or many guest appearances driving or speaking at historic events.
Moss is widely regarded as one of the greatest racing drivers of all time. For the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club, he was a hero, a pivotal part of Jaguar heritage and thoroughly nice chap. A full tribute will appear in Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine.
