A true legend.

Indeed so. There was a joke going round that in the days when passports showed occupation, his entry read 'Stirling Moss'.

I hadn't heard that but it would have been true - I think his job must gradually have become 'being Stirling Moss' after he was forced to retire from serious racing after his big accident in 1962 when he wasn't much over 30.

By good fortune I had reason to meet both Moss and Surtees separately about four years ago with the opportunity for a brief chat. Stirling's response was instant an obviously well rehea***d and polished answer of a general kind, which was fair enough - there could hardly have been a question he hadn't been asked. John Surtees was different - I can't remember what I asked him, it might have been about whether he enjoyed working for Enzo Ferrari - he seemed not to have heard, and then after a few seconds he gave a long, thoughtful and quite detailed answer. I wish I'd written it down, you think you'll never forget these moments but of course you do.