Patrick Stewart meets Stirling Moss
Discussion
Preview here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motorsport/20833259
Programmes also about Jackie Stewart and Colin Mcrae.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motorsport/20833259
Programmes also about Jackie Stewart and Colin Mcrae.
Streps said:
I find Sterling Moss fascinating. nothing wrong with making some good programs. It will be a sad day when he goes to chase some crumpet in the sky.
Here here. The man is a legend and a true gent. Nothing but respect for a true gentleman who participated and survived one of the most dangerous eras of F1.Thanks for the heads-up OP.
Sir Stirling's driving record is utterly brilliant and none more so than the Mille Miglia victory with Denis Jenkinson. Having driven some of the roads used by the MM in the Apennines his average speed beggars belief.I do however find Sir Stirling the man a little harder to enthuse over- relentlessly commercial (and yes , he had to earn acrust after Goodwood '62) and the 'fire up the Maser, let's chase crumpet ' riff can pall a little with me. But a great driver and gentleman.
For anecdotes I can hugely recommend the Motor Sport magazine podcasts-they are all terrific but the one with Brian Redman was astonishing. The sheer danger involved in early 70s sports car racing was amazing
For anecdotes I can hugely recommend the Motor Sport magazine podcasts-they are all terrific but the one with Brian Redman was astonishing. The sheer danger involved in early 70s sports car racing was amazing
Mighty Flex said:
How many times will Stirling refer to chasing all the "Crumpet" that was available to him?
Strikes me that he probably didn't get any. And this is all billy bulls
t years afer the fact! 
Like that mate everyone has that says he's shagged supermodels/had 3somes when actually it was just pigs from the 2am club 
Stirling still comes over as a bitter man after all these years. Really not a pleasant man at all, some of that from personal experience. I think it's all to do with how he feels his racing life was stolen from him by that accident. Nothing is ever his fault.
But Patrick Stewart was superb - that part when he saw the Mercedes Gullwing for the first time
But Patrick Stewart was superb - that part when he saw the Mercedes Gullwing for the first time
Edited by woof on Thursday 27th December 21:12
woof said:
Stirling still comes over as a bitter man after all these years. Really not a pleasant man at all, some of that from personal experience. I think it's all to do with how he feels his racing life was stolen from him by that accident. Nothing is ever his fault.
But Patrick Stewart was superb - that part when he saw the Mercedes Gullwing for the first time
Absolutely agree 100%But Patrick Stewart was superb - that part when he saw the Mercedes Gullwing for the first time
He's a narcissistic old bugger! All those speeds he quoted were clearly embelished. The story about him giving up the title shows him as a tit! He spent a lot of his career funded by his Dad (the original Pastor Maldonado
) He couldn't understand why Merc pulled out of Le Mans after the accident??? And the it took him 18 months to get another drive. So hardly a driver people wanted. Add to that the implication that he couldn't drive a car fast without breaking it (Fangio in the same car, less retirements) I'd heard the stories before, I knew what to expect, and I feel a bit vindicated! 3 wives tells that he's not easy to get along with. (And I don't put that down to skirt chasing!) Always thought he was perhaps Gay.
Stewart was great though, if a little "actor" at times. But I'll let him have that
Edited by Rich_W on Thursday 27th December 21:48
I enjoyed this programme, Stirling is always an interesting chap to listen to. I'm really looking forward to the McRae story as it hasn't really been told before in a mainstream way. But I think the combination of James Martin and Jackie Stewart may just be too much to take. Jackie is always rather too ready to tell the same story, but Martin rarely lets anyone get a word in. That could be the real car crash programme...
I've met Stirling a few times in a public and private capacity. I've done business with him, and I've spent a couple of hours in a car with him and Susie.
I've heard all the rumours too, but I found him to be an unfailingly proper bloke and a true gent. Sure, he makes his living from being Stirling Moss and he's very effective at it, but his career ended early and in an era before a couple of seasons salary for someone of his calibre would've seen him set for life. You can't begrudge the bloke that, can you?
I don't really understand all the bad feeling tbh. As for the comment about him being funded by his Dad, he isn't exactly the first to be funded into a notoriously expensive sport by their father, is he?
I've heard all the rumours too, but I found him to be an unfailingly proper bloke and a true gent. Sure, he makes his living from being Stirling Moss and he's very effective at it, but his career ended early and in an era before a couple of seasons salary for someone of his calibre would've seen him set for life. You can't begrudge the bloke that, can you?
I don't really understand all the bad feeling tbh. As for the comment about him being funded by his Dad, he isn't exactly the first to be funded into a notoriously expensive sport by their father, is he?
Redlake27 said:
I enjoyed this programme, Stirling is always an interesting chap to listen to. I'm really looking forward to the McRae story as it hasn't really been told before in a mainstream way. But I think the combination of James Martin and Jackie Stewart may just be too much to take. Jackie is always rather too ready to tell the same story, but Martin rarely lets anyone get a word in. That could be the real car crash programme...
Martin is a complete tt - unbearable on TV and an asshole in real life. I like Sir Jackie a lot. We'll see what comes of it. Still I guess we shouldn't complain. First good bit of TV all xmas !Stuart said:
I've met Stirling a few times in a public and private capacity. I've done business with him, and I've spent a couple of hours in a car with him and Susie.
I've heard all the rumours too, but I found him to be an unfailingly proper bloke and a true gent. Sure, he makes his living from being Stirling Moss and he's very effective at it, but his career ended early and in an era before a couple of seasons salary for someone of his calibre would've seen him set for life. You can't begrudge the bloke that, can you?
I don't really understand all the bad feeling tbh. As for the comment about him being funded by his Dad, he isn't exactly the first to be funded into a notoriously expensive sport by their father, is he?
People definitely have different views on him - This show certainly didn't do him any favours. ~I've heard all the rumours too, but I found him to be an unfailingly proper bloke and a true gent. Sure, he makes his living from being Stirling Moss and he's very effective at it, but his career ended early and in an era before a couple of seasons salary for someone of his calibre would've seen him set for life. You can't begrudge the bloke that, can you?
I don't really understand all the bad feeling tbh. As for the comment about him being funded by his Dad, he isn't exactly the first to be funded into a notoriously expensive sport by their father, is he?
Motorsport is and will always be about money and how much you have to spend on it. The man or team with the biggest pocket wins.
Stuart said:
... but his career ended early and in an era before a couple of seasons salary for someone of his calibre would've seen him set for life. You can't begrudge the bloke that, can you?...
He was born into money, and raced cars from 48 to 62. It's no ones fault but his own that he didn't prepare financially for his future. But of course he never makes mistakes does he. 
The other question is why he didn't get involved in the sport in a non driving role. Team owner, Race organiser or F1 Organisation etc
I guess no one would have him.
ETA The programme insinuated Moss gave up the title due to sporting needs. Interesting viewpoint. Seems that Hawthorn was DQ (then reinstated) in Portugal, a race Moss had won. Not like Moss had finished behind Hawthorn
Edited by Rich_W on Thursday 27th December 22:33
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