“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? – STIRLING MOSS?”
Over the years this little catch phrase has been used by policemen
up and down the country when ‘interviewing’ motorists they have caught
speeding.
Stirling never won the Formula One Grand Prix Championship but his
name is more famous than most of those that have. The old English
racer is eighty-nine now but his legendary exploits on the race tracks
of the World will never be forgotten.
All those that follow the sport know he won his first Formula One
race in 1955 but the car depicted here was the one in which he won
his first international race on one of the most famous race tracks
in the World. The year was 1950 and the place Monaco.
Stirling was racing in his own 500cc Cooper with a Jap engine and
took the little car to victory in the 500 cc formula Championship
race on the famous Monaco track.
The 500 cc Class had been introduced after the war in 1946 so was
the ideal place for the young Englishman to start in a career, that
was at that time, dominated by continental cars and drivers.
Locked up in a garage in a secret location, close to a Cinque Port
Town, a very famous racing car stands, hidden from prying eyes.
This is the Stirling Moss Cooper IV that he owned and used in the
1950 season and emerged as “The most promising driver of his time”,
with race wins at Monaco, Silverstone, Goodwood, Spa and other famous tracks around Europe.
He lived up to that title earned in the little car he bought as a
new car to use throughout that amazing season of 1950.
As I looked at this racing car, standing silently in the corner of
the garage, I could feel and almost touch the history that was oozing
out of it. I imagined the sounds of the cars as they stood on the
line at the start of the Formula 3 race at Monte Carlo on that bright
spring day in May 1950.
What was Stirling thinking as he lined up on that famous track? He
had driven in just three events in his new car prior to Monaco. In
April, a piston in the ‘Sloper’ JAP engine failed and he retired.
Then on 13 May at Silverstone, he raced his heart out for second place
in the F3 race. The following day he took things easier and was placed
seventh in the F3 Grand Prix de Mons.
Now, here he was the next weekend lined up with the likes of Harry
Schell, Don Parker, Austen May and other great racing drivers in the
final (he’d been first in his heat, but could only get third place
on the grid).
It was a hectic race around the streets of the famous kingdom. Stirling
(No22) on the start line at Monte Carlo in 1950 The car was advertised and sold to Charlie Graham. The car was taken
by train from London, then towed behind the family car to his home
in Dumfries.
For two years, the car continued to race as a Mk IV, although with
gradually modified bodywork.
It was still a winner, even without Stirling at the wheel. Charlie
is pictured winning on 20th September 1952 at Bo’ness, with the car
still almost as Moss drove it, other than the colour.
The little car that brought so much success to Stirling Moss went
on with successive owners competing and often winning for the next
65 years!
It was raced as recently as 2015 by it’s then owner, Shirley Monro
and displayed at a special dinner after the event, when Stirling Moss
gave an after dinner speech with the car standing next to him. It
seems both man and car are still doing very well!
But what of the little car that brought Stirling such early success
in what was to become one of the most amazing racing careers in the
glorious history of motor racing?
Stirling was getting lots of drives in all kinds of racing in other
peoples cars as well as his own.
He had his eyes on Formula One, but any race was a challenge. Opportunities
were opening up and he decided to sell his Cooper Mk IV at the end
of the 1950 season.
The car was advertised and sold to Charlie Graham who took it by train
from London, then it was towed behind the family saloon to his home
in Dumfries.
For two years, the car continued to race as a Mk IV, although with
gradually modified bodywork.
It was still a winner, even without Stirling at the wheel. Charlie
is pictured winning on 20th September 1952 at Bo’ness, with the car
still almost as Moss drove it, other than the colour.
The little car that brought so much success to Stirling Moss went on with succesive owners competing and often winning for the next 65 years!
It was last raced in a Hill Climb in 2015 by it’s then owner, Shirley
Monro and displayed at a special dinner after the event, when Stirling
Moss , who gave an after dinner speech, was re-united with the car.
Almost 70 years on the little car now stands in the corner of a garage
at a secret location in England. Although still in race trim and with
spare engines, such a priceless part of British motor racing history is far too valuable to risk on a race track.