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Post by charleselan on Sept 17, 2018 12:15:02 GMT
Today the 17th September is the birthday of one of the all time greats, Sir Stirling Moss.
I always remember this anniversary as it was the birthday of my mother also.
Stirling is no longer in the public eye as he has retired from all functions, but one hopes that he is still fit and well even in his advanced years. Without any doubt one of the greatest ever drivers of motor sport, he was synonymous with speed.
He may never have been a F! World Champion but there can be little doubt that he should have been, and many times over. With todays mind set he probably would have won the championship in 1958, as it it is highly unlikely that someone in his position would have spoken up favourably for a rival as he did for Mike Hawthorne.
Stirling, like a few others, have assumed the mantle of greatness not through the amount of race victories or championships that have amassed, but by the very standing they held in their time.
Happy birthday Sir.
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Post by René on Sept 17, 2018 14:19:49 GMT
Happy birthday Stirling Moss! One of the all time greats and a wonderful man. I sincerely hope he is doing well and I am so grateful I actually 'met' him at the Goodwood FOS in 2009. I might have told this little story here before but I'll do it again  ; Sir Stirling was signing books so I bought one and when he wanted to sign mine he asked me my name. I said: 'René', like René Arnoux to which he said with a smile: 'or like René Dreyfuss, but that is probably before your time! A fine driver though and a descent man. Have you heard of him?'. We exchanged a few words and then he wrote my name with the correct accent on the e, é.  Sounds silly but I felt really honoured. Nice memory.
Moss and me. My brother in law took these pics without me knowing but I'm glad he did.
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Post by charleselan on Sept 17, 2018 14:42:56 GMT
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Post by René on Sept 17, 2018 15:29:50 GMT
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Post by charleselan on Sept 17, 2018 16:03:25 GMT
Superb pictures René. I am in wonderment at the shots of Stirling with the Tyrrell 006 and the Brabham BT52B, to think that had it not been for that accident he would probably have been still racing in GP's in 1973 at the age of 43/44 years.
Also the sublime Rob Walker 250 SWB, another iconic car and driver combination, Stirling was supreme in that car.
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Post by robmarsh on Sept 17, 2018 18:28:13 GMT
Happy birthday Sir Stirling, turning 89 and born the same year as my late dear mum. Superb pics Charles and René. I loved the one in his overalls standing next to the Merc, reminded me of an RAF WW2 spitfire pilot. I still rate his 1961 Monaco Grand Prix drive as one of the greatest, right up there with Fangio's 1957 German GP victory.
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Post by René on Sept 17, 2018 19:32:27 GMT
Superb pictures René. I am in wonderment at the shots of Stirling with the Tyrrell 006 and the Brabham BT52B, to think that had it not been for that accident he would probably have been still racing in GP's in 1973 at the age of 43/44 years. Also the sublime Rob Walker 250 SWB, another iconic car and driver combination, Stirling was supreme in that car. Yes, those are intriguing pictures of Moss in the Tyrrell and Brabham. He was not only allowed to test these cars but also wear his classic helmet and glasses! He also wore them at Goodwood I remember.  |
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Post by charleselan on Sept 17, 2018 21:13:05 GMT
Superb pictures René. I am in wonderment at the shots of Stirling with the Tyrrell 006 and the Brabham BT52B, to think that had it not been for that accident he would probably have been still racing in GP's in 1973 at the age of 43/44 years. Also the sublime Rob Walker 250 SWB, another iconic car and driver combination, Stirling was supreme in that car. Yes, those are intriguing pictures of Moss in the Tyrrell and Brabham. He was not only allowed to test these cars but also wear his classic helmet and glasses! He also wore them at Goodwood I remember. I think it became a bit of a thing with Stirling wearing his old style Herbert Johnson helmet. Funnily enough he did begin to wear a more modern design during some races in the 1960/61 seasons, although he often reverted to the Johnson "Polo" based design. One would have hoped that had he not had the Goodwood accident he would have adopted more contemporary designs when racing in anger. |
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Post by chrisb on Sept 18, 2018 20:44:24 GMT
best wishes to a real legend and a true great, I also had the pleasure of briefly meeting Sir Stirling at Race Retro - he was in a golf cart and having great fun, a nod, a smile and a thank you was enough for me to be grateful for his acknowledgment of my existence,
There is a brilliant clip of a race meeting at Snetterton 1960/61 and the expectation that Stirling would win, barring mechanical woes, which of course happened, but my word wasn't he special?
I also think he was one of the first 'psychological' drivers who sussed out that 1/2 the battle was won before the race by out-psyching his opponents -the relaxed style that he adapted from Farina and it worked
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; Sir Stirling was signing books so I bought one and when he wanted to sign mine he asked me my name. I said: 'René', like René Arnoux to which he said with a smile: 'or like René Dreyfuss, but that is probably before your time! A fine driver though and a descent man. Have you heard of him?'. We exchanged a few words and then he wrote my name with the correct accent on the e, é. 
