Sir Stirling Moss and this Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Remain Unbeaten
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- Опубликовано: 11 май 2015
- Few triumphs have inspired drivers like Sir Stirling Moss’ victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia. Then just 25 years old, driver Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson roared through 992 miles of Italian countryside in just 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds. Average speed? 98.53 miles per hour.
Here, Moss tells the story of his victory in his own words.
“Once the flag fell, I went flat out,” said Moss. “Obviously, when I’d see a car I caught up with, I really felt great about it, but I had no idea of the enormity of what it meant to myself because it’s really-it’s quite the thing to have on your CV.”
Finishing ahead of the then-two times Grand Prix World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, Moss’ achievement has long since been labeled “The greatest race”-a title that probably won’t be applied to any other motorsport event ever again. The 1955 Mille Miglia had it all: incredible drivers, now-iconic machines like the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR #722, and a harrowing course that was dangerous beyond belief.
How dangerous? Moss said he had to wiggle the car from left to right on the road so that spectators would take a few steps back as he flew through the often small Italian towns along the route.
“Oh, I’m certain it’s my greatest win,” said Moss. “I can’t think of any other car in the world that would have given me the opportunity to achieve the speeds we did.”
Called SLR for Sport Leicht-Rennen (“Sport Light-Racing” in English) the 300 SLR was the world’s most advanced race car of its time: direct fuel-injected straight-8 engine, roughly 310 horsepower, and a top speed of around 180 mph (290 km/h).
“The 722 is a really strong car…” said Moss. “The fact the car’s really old doesn’t matter-that car, the way it is now, I reckon we’d beat any other cars, anyway!”
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Had to revisit, he will be missed.
An inspirational figure, such a legend in Motorsport he will never be forgotten for his bravery behind the wheel, he was a class act all around. They were true heroes driving those cars forever he will have my respect
No R.I.P Stirling Moss In The Halls
90 Year Remain!
Detention For You!
RIP Sir Stirling Moss. An other true legend race amoung the stars.
"Only Mercedes could build a car like that"
- Sir Stirling Moss, OBE
Yes, absolutely.
But then came CEO Schrempp and the quality went down extremely for sure! Unfortunately I can tell because I bought a brand new expensive type W210 Schrempp crap an had a lot of problems from the beginning until now!
Sir Stirling Moss OBE (Old Bloody EEjit) from Scotland.
@@Chr.U.Cas2216 You could have just looked up statistics you know. I bought a toyota because I looked those up and the germans have fallen to the level of the french and brits..
Dear@@Aristocrafied
What do try to say to me? I myself, on of the biggest Mercedes fans on earth (before Schrempp!) said that they build crap! If it wasn't a too big car and if I have the money I once had I would've bought a Lexus 400.
Best regards luck and health to you.
@@Chr.U.Cas2216 Exactly what I said, you stated you unfortunately could tell because you bought a brand new type. I said you could have saved your money by not buying it and finding out through statistics.
the 25 people who disliked this video finished behind Sir Stirling Moss in that race
Or in any of the other 240 odd races he won in his short but glorious career. Only raced from 1953? to 1962.
You got me
Probably their beauty rest in 1955 was interrupted by the very loud straight 8 as Moss and Jenkinson went past...
DIRECTIONALY CHALLENGED !! DON'T KNOW UP FROM DOWN :-)
and are all dead.
The sound of that Merc is making my bone marrow liquefy...
+Ian Shields The smile on Moss' face when he turns on the engine... You can read all over his face "I love this thing"!
Yep, the straight eight sounded awesome!
I caught a cold from all the chills and goosebumps I had during this video.
Thought I was the only one.
Laurynas Nothing gives me chills like petrolicious.
Koji Takata Yeah, 174,000 viewers, and you think you're the only one who feels that ......
+Pablo Ata yea because you were late to the party, he posted that comment the same day as it was uploaded
I guess its catching...cause I got the same thing goin on here... I hope I stay afflicted
Fabulous driver, fabulous car and wonderful video. Thank you so much. I was a 14 year old in Chicago in 1955 and I listened to the Mille Miglia on the radio.
Yep, Bruce, I was 9 and remember my father, who was racing motor-cycles listened to it on the radio, telling me about Stirling Moss's win for Mercedes! Those were the days I love to remember!
I was 14 then too in Vancouver, BC. I remember that Moss won the Targa Florio with the 300SLR in the same year, with Peter Collins as co-driver. In those days press coverage in my neck of the woods was zero - had to wait a month between Road and Track editions to follow the race results. The first copy I got featured an article on and cutaway drawings of the Mercedes W196 grand prix car. The article mentioned that in 1954 Mercedes lost only to Gonzales/Silverstone and Hawthorn/Barcelona. Couldn't at the time puzzle out exactly what the names meant, but was hooked by the romance of the names - whatever they referred too. Seem to remember that the same issue covered Fangio's win of the 1955 Argentine GP. A great year but blighted horribly by the death of Bill Vukovich and the LeMans disaster. To me, the 1950's racing, GP and sports cars, like the '50s rock music, was never approached by that of subsequent years.
this channel came from humble beginnings but man.... the production you have nowadays are out of this world!
"When you hit a bridge at 160 you take off and that's a scary thing" Dam. I am so glad I found this channel.
Now this video has become 10 times more sad to watch...
Hope you can race Nikki, Jim and Ayrton up there...
Rest in Peace legend!
And Fangio
The great Sir Stirling Moss has died aged 90 such a terrible loss he will be deeply missed by all us motor racing fans
A superb production. What a treat.
'Still a fairly impressive credential' - HELL FUCKING YES IT WAS STERLING.
unlike today, undertaking such a event without the slightest regard for anyone's safety, was a rendezvous with suicide. Moss earned his "sir" title by surviving a career where no one was expected to survive ,and few ever did. Saw the great sterling Moss race at Sebring driving a Maserati birdcage in 1961. My privilege.
the satisfaction on his face when he started that car... priceless
The roar of that Mercedes engine, breathtaking truly awesome
Best Petrolicious Yet! Sir Stirling Moss & the 300SLR together again. FANTASTIC!
I am a Ferrari's fan but Mercedes 300 SL & German Engineers have my greater respect !
im a porsche fan but indeed, mercedes did a fine job here. well deserved victory, one of a kind car
Sir Stirling Moss = Legend. You needed balls of steel to race back in his day.
i was killing creeper 1000 time i search stirling moss and he dead
@@joahes9700 L joke
R.I.P Stirling. One of the all time Motorsport greats and a true gentleman.
I can't believe he left us. Rest in peace you legend
how can someone dislike stirling moss? HOW?
cesar malabrigo mujica who, who dislikes sir moss? this man is a legend, not just that, an honest sounding champion of true skill.
cesar malabrigo mujica Bieber fans are all around these days ...
No question -- that old warrior was born with solid platinum balls. A real Jedi, walking among us. B^)
+cesar malabrigo mujica Bots.
cesar malabrigo mujica because people are different to you
Stuff like this will never happen again in the name of safety. If you can't see your heroes then what's the point? No one shows up and the passion dies off. Safety will be the end of cars.
Lot of respect for Mercedes, they do a great job preserving their own cars and keeping parts available for their classics. Most other companies just sell them off and let them vanish into history.
Also things like air bags, crumple zones, and emissions have killed car design. I want to buy a car that looks good. I'll be at fault if the car kills me! I don't have any issue with that.
efedude77 well, that's not true, emissions did not kill car design, as well as other things... the problem is that engineers are not enthusiasts, they take cars as business, say, usable furniture or a freezer. FWD layout, electronic throttles and traction control do kill cars.
s0nnyburnett Be reasonable. The reason it ended was because people were killed. No racing is worth more than human life. Road racing is not dead either... WRC, Targa Tasmania, Berg Cup etc Great racing is out there, you just have to go out and find it. So long as there a passionate people the passion will live.
Safety is not the end of cars, if anything it makes them more accessible to more people. Every car enthusiast thinks they are driving hero, many are, but everyone makes mistakes and you'll be glad of that safety when you do.
Agreed, kudos to Mercedes for keeping the car alive, but again most manufacturers preserve their greatest cars; Porsche, Ferrari, McLaren, BMW even VW, Honda, Nissan, Ford keep their most sacred creations.
allan walsh "No racing is worth more than human life." Quite a big misconception.
"Safety is not the end of cars, if anything it makes them more accessible to more people." Cars should not be anywhere MORE accessible than now. It's enough, really, autopilots or whatever will be a new level of dumbass driving. With lower skills you get more accidents. Cars are dangerous, learn to drive good or get a taxi...
"keep their most sacred creations." Most of them do not make NEW parts for older cars, while Mercedes can make you virtually any part to your order.
allan walsh That's true. They even said cars were crashing into the crowds. "It's inevitable". There are still a couple of crazy events going on. The running of the bull and the Isle of Mann TT come to mind. When I watch the old videos were people were dying every weekend it seems pretty barbaric by today's standards and I'm glad we have progressed from those days of carnage. Too much lost talent. Thank you Sir Jackie Stewart.
The American John Fitch wrote about racing with Mercedes. Great book. He goes into detail about the 24 Hour LeMans crash.
Wrecking into the crowd isn't fair. They didn't stand a chance.
I've had the privilege to meet Sir Stirling.
The man, the Mille Millgia and this car are epically heroic. 👌👌👌
Glad Dennis got a mention. Without his dedication and accuracy in creating the 'pace notes' Stirling would never have done it.
I've watched this countless times because it always inspires me. It picks me up.
I'm very sad that he has passed away.
But he lived a life one could only fantasize about.
May he rest..
WHAT >:o
Much respect for the man and others of that era.......courage
there are very few motor racing events that stand above all others. You cannot really compare these between different times, so much is different, This, however, is a rare exception. The combination of a driver with talent, determination and a superb ability to do the right thing is here, in Stirling Moss. Together with Denis Jenkinson, a toilet roll, and Mercedes Benz, they achieved a fantastic win in Italy, against drivers including many crazy Italians! It's great that Moss had use of that very same car, a tribute from Mercedes Benz.
Stirling Moss, the last gentleman driver and these are a true drivers, i love the old school racing cars.
SupercarsGT No, there are others. John Surtees.
Russell Dobbins JohnSurtees is another great legend my friend, the unique droiver win in motorbikes and cars, also worth a tribute
RIP, Sir Stirling Moss. A true legend, one of the last greats of an era of racing that hasn't been seen in decades and will never be seen again.
R.I.P Sir Stirling Moss... A true motorsport legend who will live on forever
Even an American Drag Racer like me knows who Stirling Moss is. I have so much respect and admiration for this man
Better off not to know him at all.....
@@michaelmeliambro5117 and why is that?
@@victorhorvath7148 Bcuz he was not nearly as big a hero as Richard Petty, Carroll Shelby, or even Dale Earnhardt.
@@michaelmeliambro5117 Uh huh, sure. No way they can coexist as heroes, huh?
People like you are a stain on the legacy of those greats. Fuck off.
@@michaelmeliambro5117I'll agree with you as regards to Carrol Shelby who I equally have admiration for but the others as much as they are great drivers are all racing on oval circuits with banked corners !!!
How can you comapre the two ?? I'd like to see how they did racing on Italian street and country roads !!! With spectators on the track !!!
German engineering at its finest. And Sir Stiring is one hell of a driver.
Rest In Peace, Sir Stirling Moss. What a Happy Easter...
The production value, the context, the subject. Just wow.
I had tears in my eyes, what a hero. Thank you for doing this!
Pussy
RIP Sterling Moss.. and international racing icon.!!
"Only Mercedes could build a car like that." Das Beste oder nichts!
It's right 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Rest in peace Sir Stirling
absolute legend. i hope im still as fit as Sir Moss when i turn 86..
Gosh, just stunning. What a car, what a story.
Just heard the news, and had to come an re live this increible footage, what a remarkable being.
Race in heaven, legend
The sound of that beast cranking up in the forest gives me chills. What a car what a driver.
This has to be the best car film I've seen possibly ever, it's just so beautifully filmed and edited. Having Stirling Moss take the wheel 60 years on is just brilliant!
Great job as always guys! :)
Who can dislike such an amazing, story, man, car and shortfilm??
a true legend! rest in peace Sir Stirling
happy drives down the mille miglia in the sky, sir moss.
RIP Sir Stirling Moss
Well done guys! You've really made the big time, I have no idea how long this must have taken you to arrange but I can imagine that it took longer than anything I would ever want to do. That was no small interview and no small car you had there so really well done!
Such an amazing man, he will be greatly missed. Cemented as a legend of the sport.
RIP, sorely missed. One of my heroes. A brave, intelligent and humble man. Best wishes to his family
What a pleasure to listen to this racing legend. Thank you!
Breathtaking. Both the car and the video.
This is beautiful. What an accomplishment.
these old cars are an work of art. How come they don't make designs like these anymore.
We can't thank these gentlemen enough. They pioneered so much of what we love about cars, mechanical and driving today. Dicing with death every time they got in those things. What a time, I'm very thankful.
Rest in peace, absolute legend!
The grin captured on his face at 2:48 when he fires up the car is truly awesome. What an amazing video.
It's absolutely baffling how cars like this one and others like the Auto Union Type D and the MB W154 would keep up with most of the modern race cars we have today, almost a century later. A masterpiece driven by a legend.
Mostly due to so much regulations and restrictions nowadays. The big difference would be that you would be a lot more comfortable going 300 SLR speed in a modern Le Mans car than in the 300 SLR
i wanted to meet stirling moss because hes one of my heroes. He passed a way recently and thanks to this video, it gave me a little warmth in my heart. One day ill drive or see the cars he drove and what made them special, because he drove them. Thanks petrolicious for the vid.
By FAR Your BEST Creation To Date! It Was Such A Pleasure To Spend Time With 722 In Amelia after Seeing It In The MB Museum In Germany. Congrat's On The Opportunity To Shoot This Historic Machine
Some of the best cinematography I have seen in a car video along with the story of a legend! Stunning video!
The 1955 Mille Miglia is only race I remember and often revisit. Moss and the art of being one with the machine. I read a book about Moss and the Mille Miglia years ago, I'm not sure but I think I remember Jenkinson remarked that one time going downhill in the mountains on icy roads at 140 Moss grabbed 5th gear and was soon going 160 mph. Years ago in the 1980's I wrote him about my 1952 Jaguar XK-120, and complemented him in detail about the 1955 race. Stirling Moss kindly took time to describe his impression of the XK-120. He went into detail about racing it and setting endurance records. And he ended with complementing it's superb engine but poor brakes, he didn't bother to mention the almost useless 1st. gear because most of us usually began in 2nd.Then he gave me an amazing compliment. Moss: "It's always nice to hear from someone who appreciates what motoring is all about, particularly the delicate art side of the sport."I still have that letter framed in my office. What a kind unassuming genius of a man.
I can only imagine how amazing must this to Sir Stirling .... all the memories of so long ago with this car ... that is priceless...wonderful job Petrolicious....
Rest in piece to an absolute legend........ God Speed Stirling
wow, simply amazing car, and an amazing driver behind the wheel!! that exhaust note sends chills down my spine every time!
Rest in Speed.
I'm here like on a pilgrimage. Rest in peace Legend.
Rip mr stirling moss i m very shocked see the news !!!!💔🙏🙏🇨🇵🇬🇧
Now that's a legend driver and a spectacular powerfull race car Ever made by Mercedes.The 722.Thank you Sir Stirling Moss to drive this car.And thanks to Mr. Rudolf Uhlenhaut to build this car.
Uhlenhaut had the factory build him a streetable version of the 300SLR as a closed coupe and drove it on the public roads-lucky, lucky SOB.
Rest in peace Sir.
Just beautiful, the production, the car and the story. Goosebumps. Bravo.
MERCEDES BENZ! they have the BEST Automotive stories like no other. i have respect to BMW and others but....Mercedes check all the boxes:
Luxury: CHECK
Racing:CHECK
Creativity:DOUBLE CHECK
Dictators/Nazis choice:TRIPLE Freaking CHECK. and the list goes on and on and ON!
In love with the sound of this beast of Merc's
I started worshipping Moss in about 1960. I was horrified when he crashed in 1962 ending his F1 career. I don't know when I first heard about the MM but it was always an epic tale to me and part of the epic was the little box that Jenkins used to tell Moss what was ahead. In 1996 I was in the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart and, in the center of the big circular stairway with all the other trophies, was the MM trophy. It was the best thing in the museum to me. I finally got to see him drive in person in about 1985. He was driving a 6 hour enduro in a Porsche 944 Turbo, teaming with Innes Ireland, at Laguna Seca raceway. that was a big thrill for me after all those years.
Probably the single most impressive performance in the history of motor racing; to average almost 99mph over ten hours on those Italian country roads is still mind boggling....it demonstrates what 'driving fast' really means. RIP Sir Stirling - chasing 'crumpet' up in heaven now, old boy! A true British legend, admired worldwide.
@@YBehri
Yup, and as fast as 180mph at times on dodgy roads!!👍👍
Legend!!
Even the great Juan Manuel Fangio failed to beat him in that race and he was brought up on road racing in Argentina!
Another legend!
Motorsport Magazine have an article which was Dennis Jenkinsons description of the race. Try and find it. SM made a minimalist reference to the bridge take off but there were many.The first one was in the middle or a long straight. Dennis signalled flat out and straight ahead after. They went over this rise at nearly 8500rpm and that was just a bit over 200mph. They went over it and then was a sort of silence and they counted it...4 seconds. Do the maths. Another one was when Dennis trip notes disconnected from the roller. Over another crest except the road curved to the right. They just went on straight over the wire fence on into a paddock. SM kept it under control and they drove back onto the road. Amazing.
Stirling Moss said the there were only two states when you race a car. One is full throttle and the other is braking so hard the tyres are chirping. In between those is where the magic is. He demonstrated this quite some years ago. We have an annual race here, the Bathurst 1000. He was invited to co-drive one of the works GM cars. Second practice lap out, having never driven the car before on this 4 mile mountain circuit, he was lapping to within 2 second of the factory drivers. He pulled into the pits. The car had all four brakes on fire and the engine smoking out of the valve cover breathers. He asked for some tyre pressure changes and "it could do with another litre of oil. I wont switch it off in case it doesn't start again." This was just untimed practice. Off he went again and broke the class lap record 4 laps later. Other drivers were in awe including some overseas ones. They said following him into corners showed some of the technique. He would lift off a little just to settle the chassis forces, dive into the apex and come out the other side already at the red line to go up a gear, ready for the next one. No power slides as he said that meant you were slowing down. Fascinating. He does not race today for only one good reason. He said he no longer has the reaction times to be fast and safe.
@Stephen in OZ - Just a comment on your stated speed and rpm figures. The car's horsepower was rated at 310 @ 7,400 rpm. That would make it unnecessary to rev it beyond that and I'm pretty sure it was incapable of 8,500 rpm. Top speed was designated at 186 mph, certainly not over 200. That said, it's not unusual for journalists to take liberties with power and speed figures.
That eight minutes went too fast.....
Legend never dies
Had the pleasure of seeing this car in the flesh and getting Sterlings autograph at Goodwood a few years ago. Legends! Rest in peace.
That's gotta be one of the best sounding engines I've ever heard.
FINALLY! You guys have been teasing this for ever
Love the way he paid tribute to Jenks. Seen 722 at the Mercedes Museum and seeing it just on the bank of Silver Arrows it stands out as special.
This was incredibly well put together. 10/10 will watch again.
Fantastic, what a tremendous automotive racing living legend Sir Stirling Moss is, without a doubt.
Excellent film this week
Rest in peace to one of the greatest. Glad they were able to capture this film with him.
Oh man!!! I thought I was well versed on historical race cars, but never knew about this WORK OF ART!!! BEAUTIFUL CAR!!!!
I was lucky enough to meet Sir Stirling Moss in 1985 at an endurance series race in the Americas. He was gracious and funny. He shared a Brumos Porsche Racing Team 944 Turbo with Innes Ireland and two lady drivers, one of whom was the widow of the late Peter Gregg. I got to talk to all of them including the late Bob Snodgrass who was then running the team. At one point, Stirling was getting ready by sitting on a pile of tires and clipping his toenails.During his first stint, there was much flashing of brights and honking of the horn as he barged through the early traffic that is a 24-hour race with mixed classes starting together. Most were quite bemused by the spectacle. Later, a limping front-wheel drive Japanese econo-box was making its way down the main straight in obvious trouble. From the pits, Stirling shouted at the decrepit beast that all had to dodge as a moving roadblock when on the track. A couple about his age arrived at one point and present him with a T-shirt. It recounted a tale from a recent edition of Road & Track in which Stirling had admitted taking his young son out for a spin in an old Jag and had the child report that his driving "made his willie tingle". Stirling took the shirt with appreciation.I just happened to have the copy of Road & Track from the 1950s in which a race report published the classic four-wheel drift in an Aston-Martin that when presented to Stirling for an autograph elicited his comment, "that's a popular one".There was much more that happened during that 24-hour race than I can report in one posting, but it is quite a memorable event to meet one's idol in the flesh especially when it is more than just a moment or so in passing. Sir Stirling Moss and his achievements will always inspire me.
+Bradford Eclectic , if you were to write it all out can you please email it to those who request it?
+Jesus Garcia - I would be glad to recount all that I could remember. Unfortunately, the location of the autographed Road & Track as well as any other journal notes I made at the time reside in "location unknown", but there is a bit more I could add as I recollect that 24 hour spectacle, not the least of which is the appearance of the actor, Gene Hackman, on the grid ready to start with the rest of the field.
Should have asked Mr. Hackman how it felt to work with Bill Hickman on the French Connection lol
What an amazing little short this was! Very interesting hearing Moss talk about the MM.
Sir Moss and his #722 were at Limerock in 2016. In the paddock, towards the end of the day, when everyone had stop touring the premises, I had a good 30 minutes alone with this Mercedes. I couldn't stop walking around it while recollecting all the history and valor it had accumulated. One of the caretakers told me it was insured for about $40 million. Needless to say, the car was, is, and will always be, priceless. Motorsport history is such a divine thing, unlike many other types of history. There's such an aura of heroism around it that is so easy to fall in love with. Cars and drivers like Sir Moss and his 722 are never to be reproduced. Mark these words.
Every three months or so, I have to come back and watch this video. It's pure poetry.
I miss Petrolicious. Some world-class story telling.
Somebody should try and drive the same roads today with a modern car and see if they can match Moss' 60 year old record. I'm willing to bet that even with the repaved roads today and a modern car they'll still fail to match it.
In my mind this is the greatest achievement by any racing driver in the history of motor racing.
I agree! To EVERYONE who has enjoyed the video, please find and read the full account by Jenkinson of the race; you will enjoy it more than I can tell you! I promise!
This drive, but also Fangio's win two years later in the 1957 German Grand Prix at the 'Ring, driving the Maserati 250F (a car that Moss loved as a driver's car)… Together, I'd say those two drives were the best in motorsports to this day.
Already done half of that but the problem is roundabouts, traffic, and millions of people, useless traffic systems, bad road signage and illegal immigrants crossing the road and being squashed.
"a fairly impressive credential..." He jumped that car at a bridge doing 150mph??? Wow.
Great return to form Petrolicious, beautiful, artful, wistful, emotional; as it should be.
The best racing car of all time👍👍👍
I had the good fortune as a 16 yr old to meet 'Stirling' (as he was back then) at Ingleston race track in Edinburgh.
I was looking in the cockpit of an ERA and noticed it had a Wilson pre-select gearbox in it, the same as was in an old Armstrong Siddley i had managed to aquire.
I mentioned this to my friend and a voice from behind me said "Do you know the Wilson box?" & when i turned round, there was my hero of the time, Stirling Moss!
I will never forget the 15 minutes he gave of his time to a 16 yr old lad.
A true, true gentleman!
It was a joint win jenks was without fear!!!!!and Stirling as was at the top of his skill
was well deserved and yes the very best M M
God, I just love this channel ..
Simon Dader I
What a car, and what a gentleman. Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much.
Rest in peace Sir Stirling. A true legend and a humble, intelligent man. What a driver!