Stirling Moss made his breakthrough in first-rank racing in a Jaguar: on the eve of his 21st birthday in September 1950, he won the Ulster Tourist Trophy driving Tommy Wisdom’s Jaguar XK 120. He was then invited to join the Jaguar works team, won the Tourist Trophy again in a C-type in 1951, and also drove Jaguars at Le Mans, where his best result was second in 1953. He won the sports car race at Reims in 1952 and 1953, again in a C-type.
His versatility as a driver was further proved when he joined the Sunbeam-Talbot team in rallies, finishing a remarkable second on his first appearance in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1952. Moss continued to drive for Sunbeam: he took part in three Alpine Rallies and won an Alpine Cup each time, leading to the award of only the second Alpine Gold Cup in 1954. However, his contract with Mercedes-Benz the following year presumably prevented him from “guest appearances” with other manufacturers’ teams.
