Goodwood's headline events to celebrate Sir Stirling Moss in 2021

Just over a year since his passing in 2020, Goodwood has announced that their headline motorsport events in 2021 will celebrate the life of Sir Stirling Moss.

The very first motor race that Moss took part in was at the Goodwood Motor Circuit on 18th September 1948, a day after his 19th birthday. In the years that followed, he competed in 56 races at Goodwood, winning 21 of them, with a further 13 podium finishes. Goodwood was also the scene of 4 of Moss’ 7 Tourist Trophy victories, including his victory to clinch the British marque’s world championship title in 1959. Tragically, it was also the scene of his career-ending accident in 1962.

A fan favourite, Moss became known as ‘Mr Goodwood’ not only because of his involvement in founding the Festival of Speed, but also because he was a regular competitor at Revival. Given his racing record and his legacy, it is fitting that he will be remembered at the 2021 Festival of Speed. Mercedes-Benz will be displaying the 300 SLR ‘722’ in which Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia with co-driver Denis ‘Jenks’ Jenkinson – completing the 1000-mile race in 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds, at an average speed of 99mph – a record that still stands now. Mercedes-Benz will also be bringing a W196 Formula 1 car of the type Moss used to win his first Grand Prix, at Aintree in 1955.

The Goodwood Revival in September 2021 will host perhaps the largest gathering of Moss’ competition cars in one place. Included in the line up will be the ‘722’ in what will be it’s last public appearance for some time, as well as the Lotus 18 in which Moss defeated the mighty ‘Sharknose’ Ferraris at Monaco and the Nürburgring in 1961 and the Rob Walker Racing Ferrari 250 GT SWB which Moss drove to his last Goodwood win at the Tourist  Trophy in 1961.

Many of the cars that make up Moss’ legacy will be racing at Revival, including the Aston Martin DB3S in which he finished second at Le Mans, and the Nürburgring 1000km-winning DBR1. Also invited to compete in those two races respectively are his Reims-winning Jaguar C-Type and Cooper T49. The Ferguson P99 four-wheel-drive Grand Prix Car that Moss drove to victory in the International Gold Cup in 1961 will join the grid for the Richmond Trophy.

The Revival will also see the return of the Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy. Formerly known as the Kinara Trophy, and contested by Jaguar E-Types, Ferrari 250s, Aston Martin DB4 GTs and AC Cobras, the race as been described as ‘the most beautiful race in the world’, taking place on the Friday night of the Revival weekend.

Finally, the 78th Member’s Meeting in October will feature the third running of the Moss Trophy for GT cars of a type that raced up to 1962 – a fitting way to keep the Moss name alive at Goodwood’s most exclusive race meeting.

The Duke of Richmond said: “Stirling and his wife Susie were such an important part of the Goodwood family for so many years. All of us here felt his loss especially keenly as we weren’t able to commemorate his incredible life as we would have wanted last year. We hope that fans at our events around the world will join us in celebrating his racing career and bidding farewell to ‘Mr Goodwood’ in 2021. Stirling’s supreme skill and love for his sport will continue to be remembered at Goodwood for many years to come.”

Tickets for the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival are available, but selling fast. The Goodwood Ticket Office can be contacted on 01243 755055. Find out more about Goodwood and their events on their website.