Sir Stirling Moss dead: British motorsport legend passes away, aged 90

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British motorsport legend Sir Stirling Moss has died, following a long illness, aged 90.

Sir Moss was one of British racing's biggest talents, widely considered the greatest driver never to win a Formula One World Championship during a decade-long career.

He finished runner-up four times and came third three times in a career during which he won 16 Grands Prix.

His sportsmanship cost him the championship in 1958 when he defended the actions of rival Mike Hawthorne following a spin at the Portuguese Grand Prix, sparing Hawthorne a six-point penalty. Hawthorne went on to beat Moss to the title by a single point.

Born in Kensington, Sir Moss passed away on Easter Sunday morning at his Mayfair home.

"He died as he lived, looking wonderful," wife Lady Moss told the Mail. "He simply tired in the end and he just closed his beautiful eyes and that was that."

She told Press Association: "It was one lap too many."

Sir Moss favoured British engineering on the track - which some attribute to his failure to land a Formula One title - and claimed his first Grand Prix win at Aintree in 1955.

The same year, Sir Moss won Mille Miglia, a 1,000-mile road race in Italy, which has been described as the "most iconic single day's drive in motor racing history."

Sir Moss retired from the sport six years later with a further 15 wins in F1 under his belt.

In 1990 he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and, 10 years later, in the 2000 New Year's Honours List, was knighted by Prince Charles.

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