Hamilton leads tributes to F1 legend Moss
Lewis Hamilton has paid tribute to Sir Stirling Moss who has died at the age of 90 and says he will “celebrate his incredible life and the great man he was” after striking a friendship with the racing legend.
With Moss becoming one of the first British F1 greats during the 1950s, Hamilton is the latest in a line of drivers inspired by the first home winner of the British Grand Prix back in 1955 at Aintree.
Lewis Hamilton has paid tribute to Sir Stirling Moss who has died at the age of 90 and says he will “celebrate his incredible life and the great man he was” after striking a friendship with the racing legend.
With Moss becoming one of the first British F1 greats during the 1950s, Hamilton is the latest in a line of drivers inspired by the first home winner of the British Grand Prix back in 1955 at Aintree.
Through their Mercedes connections, Hamilton and Moss came together for a number of events including when the pair drove some of Moss’s F1 cars in 2013 at Silverstone and in 2015 at Monza.
Since then Hamilton and Moss became friends representing opposite ends of the historical timeline of the best British F1 drivers. The reigning F1 world champion had duly paid tribute to Moss having shared a love for racing despite coming from the contrasting backgrounds.
“Today we say goodbye to Sir Stirling Moss, the racing legend. I think it’s important that we celebrate his incredible life and the great man he was,” Hamilton wrote on his Instagram account. “Saying goodbye is never easy and can be sad but he will always be here, in our memories and will always be such a huge part of British Motorsports Heritage.
“I certainly will miss our conversations. To be honest, it was such an unusual pairing, our friendship. Two people from massively different times and backgrounds but we clicked and ultimately found that the love for racing we both shared made us comrades.
“I am truly grateful to have had these special moments with him. Sending my prayers and thoughts to his family. May he rest in peace.”
Since Moss’s passing was confirmed by his family this morning, the sporting world has delivered tributes to the four-time F1 world championship runner-up who is remembered for his sportsmanship and supreme talents as he continued to compete in historic races up until he was 81.
“Sir Stirling was a larger-than-life figure in our sport and one of the survivors of an age when motor racing was about danger, bravery and camaraderie,” Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, said.
“But most of all, Stirling’s career was characterised by an impeccable sportsmanship and in this he truly set himself apart. He was a great figure in the history of Mercedes, both as a Grand Prix driver and the winner of the 1955 Mille Miglia.
“It is no exaggeration to say that we will never see his like again. Our deepest condolences go to his wife Lady Susie, his family and his friends. Godspeed to a true racer.”
“RIP Sir Stirling. A true legend and a wonderful person,” Ferrari added on Twitter. “To Scuderia Ferrari, he was a formidable opponent. Our thoughts are with his wife, family and friends.”
While Moss is considered the greatest driver to never win an F1 world title, he did produce a remarkable career record of 212 wins in all disciplines and went on to be knighted in 2000.
