“Here is a man who raced not in spite of the danger, but because of it.”

Did you see the brilliant programme on Sir Stirling Moss last night?

If you haven’t, I suggest you close this blog right now and follow this link to watch it.

Essentially the one hour special revolved around lifelong petrolhead, and past Commander of the USS Enterprise Sir Patrick Stewart following Moss’ journey from young racing talent to legend of the sport – taking in the cars, dramas and locations that transformed Sir Stirling’s life and career.

Readers of this blog will hopefully have stumbled upon my own encounter with Sir Stirling, although sadly not in person. I did, however, base one of my articles on him for the 2009 Sir William Lyons Award. You can find that article by following this link.

Not many people would have guessed that the young man who entered the Harrow Car Club Trial in London on March 2^nd 1947 would go on to hold 16 pole position wins, and 24 podium finishes, but Moss was an underdog from the start and the people loved him for it.

In some small way, I like to think that I understand some of the thrills Sir Stirling so enjoyed on the racetrack. Sure, I’ve never set foot inside a Formula 1 racer, or even competed in the same way he did, but with our own trusty Westfield I would like to think we’ve at least scratched the surface of motor racing on our track days.

Of course motorsport today is on the whole a lot safer than it was in Moss’ era. There’s a very poignant moment in the programme where Moss and Stewart are retracing the route of the famous Mille Miglia in Italy in a Mercedes 300 Gullwing, and out of nowhere comes this fact that every year racers would die on the track. That’s astonishing, and it shows that in those days drivers really did have balls of absolute steel.

Even though safety standards have improved though, 2012 has not been without its own tragedies in the sport and the wider motor industry. Let’s not forget the late, great Sid Watkins or the legendary Caroll Shelby.

The thrill of motorsport is still strong with fans and going to watch a race is still considered by many to be one of the most exciting forms of entertainment available, but let’s never forget the danger and skill behind the show. I have a massive respect for racing drivers for their nerve, and I know it’s something I could never do.

People like Sir Stirling Moss are legends for a reason, and as Sir Patrick Stewart put forward last night: “Here is a man who raced not in spite of the danger, but because of it.”