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Lotus Europa Forums => Off Topic Subjects => Topic started by: BDA on Sunday,April 12, 2020, 12:11:27 PM

Title: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: BDA on Sunday,April 12, 2020, 12:11:27 PM

Sterling Moss won the 1961 Monoco GP in a Lotus 18 (see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltAPAAsNmJ4) and crashed in one at Goodwood which ended his career. He is remembered as the best driver never to win a World Championship but he always called himself a racer saying he would rather lose going fast enough to win than win going slow enough to lose, which he considered a weakness - the implication being that there was more to winning than going fast.

He was known as a fierce competitor and a gentleman on and off the track.

Sir Stirling Moss died this morning at age 90.

Here's a longer documentary about him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtRWhPQVAY8&t=2s

RIP Sir Sterling!

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: Chuck Nukem on Sunday,April 12, 2020, 12:35:10 PM

Rest in Peace! I once saw a charming interview with him recounting the time a wheel had come off his Lotus at 150 + mph which led to a huge accident. The next time he won a GP he was presented with a cake that had a Lotus drawn on it. He asked that a wheel be cut off and presented to Chapman. It is said that he was not amused...

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: BERNIEHUMBER on Sunday,April 12, 2020, 04:59:30 PM

HI:
The VARAC Vintage Grand Prix used to be held at Shannonville race track back in the day.
Sterling Moss came out to it, I'm going to say 35 years ago, to be the grand marshal.
I was part of a pit crew as a favor to a friend and met him.
A very humble guy who was not out to impress.
A life well lived.

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: EuropaTC on Sunday,April 12, 2020, 10:25:17 PM

Yes, I was very sad to read about him, 90 is a great age but no matter what the number, it's never enough.

We met him once at Oulton Park. Helen & I were there to watch the racing and were just wandering around the paddock when it suddenly dawned on me that the guy looking at his car was Stirling Moss. He smiled, we chatted for a few moments and came away incredibly impressed with just now "normal" the guy was. No edge, no "I am", just a really nice bloke who shared an interest in cars.

Brian

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: lotusfanatic on Monday,April 13, 2020, 01:58:32 AM

RIP Stirling Moss  :(

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: 4129R on Wednesday,April 15, 2020, 03:22:20 AM

Sadly there will be no-one attending his funeral. Government restrictions.

I expect there will be a memorial service when normality returns. That should be a very long list of the all time great racing drivers.

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: Roger on Wednesday,April 15, 2020, 09:06:53 AM

Sir Stirling, please, not Sterling.
My boyhood hero, adulthood too. Possibly the best all-round racing driver ever.

Title: Re: Sir Sterling Moss RIP
Post by: 4129R on Wednesday,April 15, 2020, 10:33:19 AM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1955_Mille_Miglia

He invented Pace Notes for that race.

He won by 32 minutes, time to sit down, relax, and have a cup of tea.

Stirling Silver Arrow.