Stirling Moss competed at Le Mans ten times, culminating with two second places in 1953 (Jaguar) and 1956 (Aston Martin). In Formula One, he scored 16 wins between 1955 and 1961, finishing F1 vice-champion four times (from 1955 to 1958). In 1955, he also triumphed in the two biggest open-road endurance races of the time, the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia. With such an impressive track record, Moss is an outstanding figure in the world of racing and one of the few remaining witnesses of motorsports in the fifties and sixties. Stirling Moss may never have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans or claimed the F1 world title, but many former Le Mans winners and world champions envy his dazzling achievements.

Moss was also a pioneer among professional racing drivers as one of the first to employ the services of a manager, and he worked hard to keep fit. As a result, he was the fastest on the track during the legendary Le Mans starts. “I used to practice time and time again for half an hour or so: rushing across, jumping in, turning on the ignition. I was a fast runner over short distances.”

At Le Mans, Moss drove some of the  best-known and most advanced cars of the 1950s, such as the Jaguar D-Type, whose design was inspired by aeronautics, and the Mercedes 300 SLR. “There is no doubt that motor racing is there to improve cars,” said the Briton. “I think that one of the greatest contributions for that is a race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The atmosphere of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the fifties was fantastic with so many people coming, camping at night on the circuit, the fairground. It was really terrific, and it still is today. If I could race the 24 Hours of Le Mans now, it would be fantastic because you go flat out.”

During his ten Le Mans outings, he was teammates with three F1 world champions (Juan Manuel Fangio, Jack Brabham and Graham Hill) and other big names from the 1950s (Harry Schell and Peter Collins), and also enjoyed some long-standing partnerships with Peter Walker (three starts and second place in 1953) and Jack Fairman (two starts). “You have to fully respect your co-driver, and establishing a long-term partnership is really important,” says Moss. 

“I think my best achievement in the 24 Hours of Le Mans actually was meeting my wife there,” he smiles. “I was standing waiting to take the wheel. I saw a pretty girl across the track. I waved at her, she saw me and waved back. I made a ‘come-over-this-side’ kind of gesture to her, which she did.” 
Her name was Katie and, from 1957 to 1959, was Moss’s first wife. A cheery anecdote from this remarkable driver known as the “Champion without a Crown”. The living legend has now retired from public life and will celebrate his 90th birthday on 17 September.

Photo (Copyright - ACO Archives): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY 28 & SUNDAY 29 JUNE 1956. Stirling Moss (centre in his racing suit) finished the 24th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in second place in an Aston Martin, paired with fellow Brit Peter Collins (right). To the right of Moss, David Brown, head of Aston Martin.