The champagne reception will be held in the Drawing Room of the Royal Automobile Club
on Wednesday 25 May, from: 1830 – 2000. Media welcome, Please RSVP: Rebecca@eventspr.co.uk (shirt & tie required)
Sir Stirling will be available for interview/pictures alongside the Lotus 18 in which he took the chequered flag half a century ago
The Royal Automobile Club is hosting a champagne reception on Wednesday 25 May in honour of Sir Stirling Moss OBE who won the Monaco Grand Prix 50 years ago. The Lotus 18 in which Moss took the chequered flag half a century ago will be on display in the rotunda.
This was arguably one of Stirling's greatest victories of his career and one of the best F1 races ever. It was the first round of the 1961 World Championship of Drivers and was run under new 1.5-litre engine regulations. His Rob Walker Racing Lotus 18 (number 20) was considerably underpowered compared to the trio of works 'shark nosed' Ferraris but Moss nevertheless secured pole position. Having been third into the first corner, Moss took the lead on lap 14 and stretched his advantage to 10 seconds. Later, he came under pressure from Richie Ginther in a Ferrari and his lead dropped to just three seconds. However, Moss matched Ginther's lap times and after 100 laps he took the chequered flag with a four-second advantage.
The Lotus 18 was the first mid-engine design by Colin Chapman and had remarkably good handling thanks to its clever suspension system. Fitted with a 2.5-litre engine, Moss drove the Lotus 18 to its first World Championship victory at the 1960 Monaco GP.
In a F1 career spanning ten years, Moss competed in 66 races and took 16 wins. He drove for Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Vanwall, Rob Walker, Cooper and Lotus. Moss was first reunited with Lotus 18 number 20 at the Goodwood Revival as part of a celebration of his 80th birthday. The car was originally restored by Hall & Hall for the Donington Collection and is displayed to the Royal Automobile Club courtesy of owner, Kevin Wheatcroft, who will be in attendance.
