Stirling Moss is known as the greatest driver never to win a World Championship despite looking certain to become the first Brit to take the title. In the late 50's Stirling was runner-up four years in a row, three times to Juan Manuel Fangio and on the last occasion by Mike Hawthorn. Hawthorn was the first British World Champion, winning jut one Grand Prix that year to Stirling's four.

Stirling moss was born in 1929 in a motorsport oriented family and at the age of 18 entered local hill-climbs. After success here, he moved to circuit racing the following year and began to notch up wins in Formula 3. In 1950 he was signed to drive in Formula 2 by HWM and race in every sports car race he could winning the Tourist Trophy. He even attempted rallying, finishing second in the Monte Carlo Rally on his first attempt in 1952. In Formula 1 however, he stood little chance in his British car against the might of the Italian Alfa-Romeos and Maseratis, but he remained faithful to his country, even turning down a Ferrari drive. By 1954, the temptation became too much and after approaching the Mercedes team, Stirling eventually acquired a Maserati 250F. Taking third place first time out in Belgium proved this to be a wise move.

With his improved form, Stirling was signed up to drive for Mercedes in 1955 alongside Fangio and got his first win when his team mate let his through at the British Grand Prix at Aintree. This was a dream pairing for Stirling, but Mercedes withdrew from racing at the end of the year and he moved to Maserati while Fangio went to Ferrari. Stirling won twice with his new team, once less than Fangio who took the championship.

In 1957, Stirling returned to a British team, in the form of Vanwall. He took three wins, but finished the season second again to Fangio. Again with Vanwall in 1958, even taking four victories left him second over-all. Mike Hawthorn made his way past his Ferrari team-mate Phil Hill in the Moroccan Grand Prix to get the extra point he needed to take the Championship from Stirling who won the race that day.

1959 and 1960 saw Stirling in a range of cars, mainly a Cooper with which he won twice in '59, but he also gave Lotus its first win at Monaco in 1960.

In 1961, the rules of Formula one changed the maximum engine size from 2.5 to 1.5 litres. The Ferrari team was ready for this and was the class of the field, leaving Stirling struggling with the less powerful Coventry Climax-engined Lotus. He still managed two wins at slower tracks through his peerless driving skills, but all this was brought to a close at Goodwood in 1962. The non-championship race meeting saw Stirling crash head-on into an earth bank causing him head injuries. He recovered from the crash, but decided not to return feeling that he had lost the edge he once had.