Moss makes racing return at Silverstone Classic
Sir Stirling Moss OBE, Britain's best-loved and most famous racing driver, is ready for his racing comeback at the Silverstone Classic this weekend (23-25 July).
Despite the accident at home in March that left him with two broken ankles, the 80-year-old legend will return to racing with his beautiful 1956 Osca sports-racing car during the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy race for sports cars of the 1950s.
After qualifying today (Friday – see picture above) for the race, Moss said he couldn’t wait to go racing again, 63 years after he first started in the sport as a teenager.
“I feel great and I’m absolutely ready to go racing again. The Silverstone Classic is a lovely meeting to make my comeback event,” said Moss, who scored some of his most famous victories at Silverstone, the home of British motor racing.
“The range of cars that are here racing this weekend is tremendous,” he said of the event that is being contested by 800 cars and over 1000 drivers. “I think a lot of the cars racing this weekend are better now than when they were new!”
Ranged against the British racing legend will be a stunning field of period sports-racing cars, including Jaguar C-types and D-types, Aston Martin DB3Ss and a Ferrari 750 Monza.
Also on the grid will be musician Chris Rea in his rare 1955 Lotus 6. Like Moss, Rea is a big fan of the Silverstone Classic.
“I’ve done the event many times before and it is my favourite weekend of the year,” said Rea.
Recording work has kept him away from racing so far in 2010, so Rea is delighted to be taking a weekend away from music to indulge his love of motor racing.
“Being at Silverstone is great and this event has a wonderful atmosphere,” said Rea, who will explore the rest of this massive event when not on track in the Lotus. “I’ve just got to try and resist the temptation to buy things while I’m here,” he said.
