British · London, England · Born 17 September 1929 · Died 2020-04-12British Formula 1 racing driver widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver never to win a World Championship, with 16 Grand Prix victories.
Stirling Craufurd Moss was born on 17 September 1929 in West Kensington, London, England, the son of amateur racing driver Alfred Moss, and his sister, Pat, also became an accomplished rally driver. He made his Formula One debut in 1951, developing into one of the most versatile and prolific race winners in motorsport history, winning a record 212 official races across numerous disciplines during his career. Moss won 16 Grand Prix during his Formula One career, along with the 1955 Mille Miglia endurance race for Mercedes and the 1954 12 Hours of Sebring, and is widely regarded as the finest driver in the sport's history never to have won the World Drivers' Championship, finishing runner-up on four occasions between 1955 and 1958. Moss became renowned for a memorable act of sportsmanship at the 1958 Portuguese Grand Prix, testifying on behalf of title rival Mike Hawthorn after a stewards' inquiry threatened to disqualify him — Hawthorn went on to win that year's championship by a single point over Moss himself, a result Moss always accepted with characteristic grace. Moss's career was ended by a serious crash at Goodwood in 1962 that left him in a coma for a month, and though he made a brief comeback, he retired from competitive racing shortly afterward. He was knighted in 2000 for his services to motor racing, and died on 12 April 2020, at age 90, in Mayfair, London, remembered as one of the most naturally gifted and universally admired drivers the sport has ever known.
Greatest F1 driver never to win World Championship
He argued against the disqualification of rival Mike Hawthorn in 1958 — an act of sportsmanship that cost him the World Championship by a single point.
Did You Know?How They Played
Aggressive yet gentlemanly racer with exceptional car control
Lasting Impact
Legendary British driver who prioritized sportsmanship over winning
Career Honours
- Greatest F1 driver never to win the World Championship
- 16 Grand Prix victories from 66 starts
- Championship runner-up four consecutive times (1955–1958)
- Argued against disqualification of rival Hawthorn (1958) — cost him the title
- Knighted 2000
- Retired after near-fatal Goodwood crash 1962
- Formula 1 runner-up 4x
- 16 F1 wins
| Constructor | Season(s) | Races |
|---|---|---|
| HWM | 1951–1953 | 14 |
| Cooper | 1951–1961 | 9 |
| ERA | 1952 | 1 |
| Connaught | 1952–1953 | 2 |
| BRM | 1953–1960 | 3 |
| Maserati | 1954–1956 | 15 |
| Mercedes | 1955 | 7 |
| Vanwall | 1957–1958 | 13 |
| Rob Walker Racing Team | 1958–1961 | 22 |
| Lotus | 1960–1961 | 8 |
| Ferguson | 1961 | 1 |
| Career Total | — | 95 |
British Athletes