Stirling Moss - Glamour and Womans on the F1 tracks

Описание: Stirling Moss: The Greatest Champion Without a Crown
Did you know that Stirling Moss is considered the greatest Formula 1 driver never to win a world championship? Today, I invite you to discover the life and legacy of this British gentleman—a true icon of speed and elegance, whose story is filled with feats, records, and fascinating anecdotes. Welcome to F1 Pulse.
Stirling Craufurd Moss was born on September 17, 1929, in West Kensington, London, into a family passionate about motorsport. His father, Alfred Moss, was a racing driver who competed in the Indianapolis 500 in 1924, while his mother, Aileen, also raced cars and hill climbs. Even his sister, Pat Moss, was a standout rally driver, and his brother-in-law, Erik Carlsson, became a rally legend. From a young age, Stirling breathed gasoline and speed: at nine, his father gave him an Austin 7, which he drove through the fields of their family home on the banks of the Thames.
Although he was also a talented horse rider as a child, Moss used the money he won in equestrian competitions to buy his first race car, a Cooper 500, in 1948. His father preferred he become a dentist, but Stirling was determined to succeed in motorsport. His natural talent soon led him to win races in Formula 3 and stand out in British motorsport.
Early Career and Versatility
His first major international victory came in 1950, winning the RAC Tourist Trophy in Northern Ireland with a Jaguar XK120—a feat he would repeat six more times in his career. Moss was a versatile driver: beyond Formula 1, he competed and won in rallies, endurance races, and speed trials. In 1952, he finished second in the Monte Carlo Rally, and in 1957 he set a speed record of 245 mph on the Utah salt flats with an MG, showing his passion for adrenaline and innovation.
Curious fact: Moss was the first British driver to win a Grand Prix in a British car, achieving this with Vanwall at the 1957 British Grand Prix—a milestone that helped revive the British motorsport industry.
He made his Formula 1 debut in 1951 with HWM, and throughout his career raced for legendary teams: ERA, Connaught, Cooper, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Vanwall, Rob Walker, and BRP. His first Grand Prix win was the 1955 British Grand Prix, driving a Mercedes-Benz W196, where he crossed the line just ahead of his mentor and friend, Juan Manuel Fangio. That year, Moss was world championship runner-up—a position he would repeat in 1956, 1957, and 1958, and he finished third in 1959, 1960, and 1961. In total, he won 16 Grands Prix, achieved 16 poles, 19 fastest laps, and stood on the podium 24 times.
The Legend Beyond F1
But his legend goes far beyond F1. Moss won 212 official races in various disciplines, including the legendary 1955 Mille Miglia, where he covered 1,600 kilometers across Italy in under 10 hours, averaging 157 km/h, alongside journalist Denis Jenkinson. He also triumphed at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Targa Florio, and the 1000 km of Nürburgring, cementing his status as one of the most complete drivers in history.
Little-known detail: During the 1955 Mille Miglia, Moss and Jenkinson used a pioneering system of pace notes, with Jenkinson rolling out a long scroll of instructions—an innovation that would later become standard in rallying.