The death has been announced of Sir Stirling Moss who, according to his wife Susan, has died peacefully at his London home following a long illness. He was 90 years of age

“It was one lap too many,” she said. “He just closed his eyes.”

Despite never winning the World Championships Sir Stirling Moss was one of the most popular Motor Racing drivers of all time.

His knowledge of racing cars was second to none and he took his profession to the extreme, experimenting and risking his own safety in the process.

Breaking both legs and damaged his spine in a crash in 1960, he then followed it up two years later . with a major accident at Goodwood when he careered into a bank of earth at 100 mph (160 kph) while competing in the Formula One Glover Trophy. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time

It took 45 minutes to cut him from the wreckage. He suffered brain injuries, and his body’s left side was partially paralysed for six months. With his eyesight and reflexes also permanently damaged, Moss quit racing.

Moss is survived by his third wife, Susie, their son Elliot, and daughter Allison from an earlier marriage.