Sir Stirling Moss speaks exclusively to Crash.net Radio's Rob Wilkins.

by Rob Wilkins

TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH SIR STIRLING MOSS: CLICK HERE

Sir Stirling Moss needs no introduction. He is often referred to as the 'greatest F1 driver never to have won the world championship', having finished second overall in 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958.

However his successes on the track were by no means limited to F1 - far from it in fact and one of his greatest victories came in the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz SLR in 1955.

Moss was at Cars International's 'Mille Miglia - then and now' event in London this week, where he reminisced about that triumph and took time out to give BBC chef James Martin a few tips ahead of his participation on this year's edition of the famous Italian open road endurance race.

Crash.net Radio caught up with Sir Stirling to chat about the Mille Miglia and to get his take on F1 this season...

Crash.net:

Stirling, Cars International have one of the Mercedes-Benz 300SLGullwing's on show here this evening, which you used on promotional events leading up to the Mille Miglia. It has been in private hands for more than 40 years. How does it differ to the SLR you actually won that event with?

Sir Stirling Moss:

They are quite different. The Gullwing was a fantastic car but the SLR is something completely different. It is called a 300 SLR, because it is 3 litres and 'super light racing' and the other one is 'super light'. I must say that the Gullwing that is here - like any other Gullwing, was quite tricky to drive. I am glad to say the SLR, which I raced of course, was really a fantastic car - really incredible.

Crash.net:

I understand the Gullwing here is going to be put up for sale by Cars International, what would you like to see happen to it? Would you like to see it go to a museum or would you like to buy it even?

SM:

No I wouldn't buy it myself. I hope it doesn't go to a museum because I think it is nice to see the cars and get them out. The car I would like to have is the car I actually owned in '56, which is a light weight, with knock-off wheels. But that is in New Zealand at the moment. I happen to know that because the guy [in NZ] contacted me to find out if I knew anything about it and it turned out it was the car I actually owned.

Crash.net:

Going back to that win in 1955, when you beat Juan Manuel Fangio, it's not wrong is it to say you were 'drugged' up on it is it?

SM:

We use to take, when I did rallies and so on, I would take stuff which was a 'keep-a-wake' sort of thing. Like caffeine. Whether that would be acceptable now I don't know. Fangio also had some fantastic - not go faster - but keep awake pills as well. White ones - I don't know what was in them.

Crash.net:

What have you made of F1 so far this season?

SM:

I think Formula 1 now is a lot better than it was. I'd like to see it improved further, but I don't see they can do that the way the rules are at the moment. I would also like to see where the chicanes are, instead of having these things they run over, I would like to see a small wall - say about 18 inches high. Then you would be able to see the skill of these guys as they go through them. I think that would probably enhance it a bit from the spectators' point of view.

Crash.net:

What's gone wrong for Lewis Hamilton this season?

SM:

I think at the moment the Ferrari has to be the best car. Lewis is terrific and he is a remarkable man and I think his talent is enormous. He is a wonderful role model for younger drivers and I can't help thinking if they get little bit more for him, then he certainly has the ability to get the title. He is not that far behind and at least he is still up there. But one has to say Kimi is also an extremely fast driver and the Ferrari is going very well.

Crash.net:

Do you think McLaren have been hurt by the spy-row?

SM:

I don't know. I just hope they will get it right shortly. Not that there is that much wrong, because Lewis has done pretty well. But he is still a little bit behind the Ferrari.

Crash.net:

Max Mosley remains as president of the FIA, despite those stories published in the News of the World - what have you made of that?

SM:

My take on it is that I like him and I know him. I was amazed to see what he was doing. But then people do that. I think that he carries out his job as head of the FIA extremely well. I must say I hope he will stay on for his term because I think he does a very good job at what he does. I can see people saying it is untenable and probably it is. But that is a problem I know nothing about. As a man of talent, that does that job - I think he has done quite a good one.

Crash.net:

How do you see the rest of the F1 season developing?

SM:

Hopefully it will get better and better. We are now seeing pretty good races. It only has to stay as it is and it will be pretty good. I think next year we will see things getting better from the point of view of aerodynamic changes and passing made easier. But I still think at the moment it is better than we have seen for a long time.

Crash.net:

Are those rule changes a step in the right direction?

SM:

Yes, but the trouble is with these things, the rules have to be passed by everybody. There are so many things that ought to be changed and the driver aids thank goodness have been cut down. It is a good idea. All these different things - they had launch control and all that, which I don't fully understand, but it is not good. I think the more the driver can contribute towards driving and winning is better than having it automatic.

TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH SIR STIRLING MOSS: CLICK HERE

To find out more about Cars International go to: http://www.racecar.com/carsinternational/