[Video] Goodwood's emotional tribute to Sir Stirling Moss | GRR
Despite all the incredible racing and beautiful demonstrations, there was one hugely missed presence at Goodwood SpeedWeek presented by Mastercard: Sir Stirling Moss.
Sir Stirling Crawford Moss began his racing career at the Goodwood Motor Circuit’s inaugural race weekend on 18th September 1948, the day after his 19th birthday. And of course his professional career also prematurely ended here on 24th April 1962.
However, Sir Stirling became a regular fixture at all Goodwood’s modern events, until his death in April this year at the age of 90. At SpeedWeek a pantheon of stars from the motorsport world, including Sir Jackie Stewart, Christian Horner, Ross Brawn, Sebastian Vettel and Dario Fanchitti paid tribute to the racing legend.
Drivers gathered on track behind the Ferrari 250 SWB in which Sir Stirling won the RAC TT at Goodwood to listen to Mark Knopfler play ‘Going Home’ for his former friend.
The Duke of Richmond shared some fitting words about Sir Stirling’s significance to all of us at Goodwood: “To the rest of the world he was simply ‘Stirling’ or ‘Mr Motor Racing’. To us he will forever be ‘Mr Goodwood’. Not since Nuvolari has anyone so perfectly epitomised the spirit of a racing driver; that heady blend of nerve, determination, bravery and sheer God-given talent.”
His Grace also announced the first Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy, formerly the Kinrara Trophy, named in the driver’s honour and featuring examples of the cars in which he achieved some of his greatest victories.
We will leave the fitting final words to His Grace: “We celebrate today a life lived to the absolute full. And it is an honour to rename this race the Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy. A fitting tribute I hope to a truly unique figure in our sport’s history.
“We miss you Stirling and we will remember you. We will remember you always.”