Sir Stirling Moss – quick Q&A

Motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss talks Jaguar and Formula One – and explains why he drives a Renault Twizy….

Last week I caught t up with 85-year-old Sir Stirling at the launch of the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience, where guests can drive or ride in an exclusive selection of models from the company’s collection of historic cars at a private test track.

Here’s how out chat went…

GH – Have you driven any of the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience cars today?
SM-I’ve been talking about them, but I haven’t driven any. If I were to have a go, I’d want to have a proper go.

GH – If you were driving, which one would you choose and why?
SM – C-type. The D-type was good for one thing and that was to win Le Mans, which it did, and that’s fantastic. The C-type was a road racer and nicer to drive than the D. It was easier and more manoeuvrable. The D was designed to go at high speed on a smooth surface.

GH – When members of the public and enthusiasts come to the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience, what will they notice most about the D-type?
SM – They’ll probably feel very restricted because it’s got a wraparound screen and a big steering wheel.

GH – I was struck by the heavy steering on some of the cars…
SM – That’s because you were going too slow – the faster you go, the lighter the steering!

GH – What do you think of the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience concept?
SM – I think it’s terrific – it’s great for people to be able to come along and drive some of the cars from this fantastic collection.

GH – If you had to choose one car from the collection, which would it be?
SM – To drive or to take home?
GH – Both 🙂
SM –  I’d take the C-type. It was a user-friendly car and an out-and-out road racer.

GH – And the most beautiful car in the collection? The E-type?
SM – Aesthetically it probably is the E-type, but when I look at the C-type, I see a really super car.

GH – What’s the biggest surprise drivers will get when they take part in the Driving Experience?
SM – They’ll probably notice that the cars are a lot older than they look.

GH – What does Jaguar mean to you?
SM – It’s British and I was always proud to drive a Jaguar. There’s something very special about Jaguar and they have a great pedigree.

GH – Have you driven any of the modern Jaguars?
SM – Not yet. Mainly because I live in the middle of London. I’ve got a [Renault] Twizy and it’s fantastic. If I were in a regular car, I would know where to park. In a Twizy I can park anywhere – it’s so good in town.

GH – Moving on to the current Formula One scene – who’s going to win the championship this year?
SM – Lewis.. To win you’ve got to have a Mercedes engine, which he’s got, and there’s no doubt that he’s as fast as anyone out there. He just needs to get started and for nothing to go wrong.

GH – With double points for the last race, will it devalue the title if something happens to Lewis’s car and Nico wins.
SM – No. Nico is good – there’s very little to separate the top drivers out there. I once lost a title by half a point. You used to get a point for fastest lap and pole, which I think they should do. It might happen. I have suggested it to Bernie and I think he’s considering it. And another thing –  in my time if you got pole you could choose which side of the track to start on because sometimes a dirty side. I might suggest that too.

GH – Does Bernie listen to you?
SM – I like to think I might have some influence – he knows where I’m coming from.

GH – And what about Jenson Button’s future?
SM – I’m a great fan of Jenson. He should stay at McLaren and the new Honda engine, if he has the option, but I don’t know how well he gets on with Ron Dennis. If he can’t get a race-winning car, perhaps he should try another race series.

Find out more about the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience.