stirling moss retires
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Stirling Moss Raises Retirement Age To 88

The chronicles say that when Rafael Gómez "The Gallor" he met Ortega y Gasset, recently aware of the existence of the philosopher's profession, he exclaimed "Oh people pa'tó". And what if there is. Because while most of the workers get up one more day, with resignation, heading to the daily work ... People like Stirling Moss have delayed their final retirement until 88. And, although obviously he no longer ran at the highest level ... Sir Stirling Moss He was still linked to the world of the automobile.

Just a few days ago, and through a brief statement on his son's website, we learned of his withdrawal from the spotlight. And well, although some may find it strange to delay the moment so much ... Think that when you are one of the greatest pilots of all time, you do it for the thrill of doing it. Yes, money comes alone ... fame, too; But in competition you don't put your life at risk if there isn't a great passion behind it. And it is that, as Moss himself says “you'll never feel more alive than pushing the wheel".

stirling moss retirement
One of his most mythical prints, going to collect the winner's cup at the 1955 Mille Miglia.

STIRLING MOSS: A CHAMPION WITHOUT A CROWN

If in addition to the four wheels powered by a motor you like both and pedals ... you will remember Jan Ulrich. The German who won the 1997 Tour but finished second and third five times. The only one of the 5 times that he participated in the gala round and did not get on the podium was because he was fourth. Morally, that is winning the most important cycling race on the calendar many times over. However, the record is the record and as an absolute victory he will only have one in his record.

A Stirling Moss something similar happens to him. He was 4 times second in the F1 World Championship, and 3 times third ... both consecutive rounds. In fact, it's even worse than Ullrich. At least the German who used to reappear after winter with a few extra kilos did win a Tour. Stirling however… never won a Formula 1 World Championship. He is quite a champion without a crown.

This has not prevented the International Automobile Federation from considering it as "The best F1 driver of all time". This title is always very controversial, but in the case of Stirling Moss it is not undeserved. At the end of the day ... Until an accident in 1962 forced him to leave the competition, his piloting was done with a multitude of races not only in Formula 1, but also in mythical races such as the Mille Miglia . There he crossed the finish line victoriously in 1955, on board one of the most famous racing cars of all time: the Mercedes 300SLR, a truly "Silver arrow".

THE OLD ROCKERS NEVER DIE

Stirling Moss is one of the few survivors to the days when motorsport was still a true suicide venture. A sport in which you fought against your own limits as well as those of the machine, where you knew that if you lost control for a moment and left the track ... you would surely end up dead. In fact, after the fatal accident of Alfonso of Portago The Mille Miglia was stopped in 1957, just two years after Moss won it.

In short, even if once at the summit you earn money and enjoy public recognition ... We are sure that Stirling Moss continued in motorsport because, as he says Keith Richards “I'm not here for the money, I'm not here for the fame, I'm not here for you. I'm here for me, because playing makes me be alive. If everything stops being fun, I mean, if the fun ends ... I quit ". Enjoy your well deserved retirement Sir Stirling Moss!

* Header photo: Unai Ona

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Written by Miguel Sánchez

Through the news from La Escudería, we will travel the winding roads of Maranello listening to the roar of the Italian V12; We will travel Route66 in search of the power of the great American engines; we will get lost in the narrow English lanes tracking the elegance of their sports cars; We will speed up the braking in the curves of the Monte Carlo Rally and we will even get dusty in a garage while rescuing lost jewels.

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