Between the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Sir Stirling Moss established a new lap record as a rookie, and 1961, the year of his 10th and final participation in the race, Moss carved out a remarkable career in multiple motorsport disciplines. Though highly competitive and immensely talented, the British driver never claimed the top step on the 24 Hours overall podium nor won a world title in F1. Still, he will forever be recognized as a legend in the world of auto racing.

Moss' track record at Le Mans is as follows: 10 participations, seven retirements, two second place finishes and a volontary withdrawal (chosen by Mercedes in 1955 as a result of the devastating accident that marred that running of the race). Moss' cars were often among the favorites: various Jaguars, the XK 120 C, the D-Type, the iconic Mercedes 300SLR, the Ferrari 250GT, the Aston Martin DB3S and DBR1, and the Maserati 450S. Though he had competed in Formula 1, Moss adapted perfectly to the requirements of endurance racing, namely sharing one's car. At the 24 Hours, he developed certain skills, such as the challenging Le Mans-style start. Danger was no deterrent to Moss. He has openly acknowledged the thrill of its difficulty. A few years ago, Moss had this to say: "The atmosphere of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1950s was fantastic, with everyone who came, camping out overnight at the circuit...There is no doubt racing exists to help cars evolve. And I believe as far as that is concerned, a race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the biggest contributors there is."

Across his 10 participations in 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1961, Moss teamed up with top drivers who would go on to become motorsport stars. In 1951 and 1959, he joined forces with fellow countryman Jack Fairman. In 1952, 1953 and 1954, he shared his Jaguars with Peter Walker (1951 24 Hours winner with the marque). The favorite duo of the 1955 was composed of Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio, himself already a two-time F1 world champion. In 1956, Moss teamed up with his rival since the early days of his career, Peter Collins, who had faced off with Fangio to win the F1 title with Ferrari. In 1957, Moss shared his Maserati with American driver Harry Schell. The following year, he drove with future three-time F1 world champion Jack Brabham (1959, 1960 and 1966), and for his final participation, he joined Graham Hill, the future (and sole) winner of the Triple Crown (F1 world title and wins at the Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans).

Click for the first two installments in this series:

SIR STIRLING MOSS AT THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS (1/3)

SIR STIRLING MOSS AT THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS (2/3)

 

PHOTO (1956 24 Hours of Le Mans): At the finish, Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel of the Aston Martin DB3S after finishing second overall with Peter Collins in the passanger seat and team owner David Brown at the rear of the car.