Limited edition print Signed by Artist and Stirling Moss

My Favourite Race 1961 Monaco Grand Prix
'Before the race started I'm sure neither my entrant, Rob Walker or myself had any real hopes of winning. The strongest contenders for that honour were the powerful factory cars of Ferrari and Porcshe. Ferrari in particular had something like 35 BHP advantage over my Lotus which was already a year out of date. So we were not optimistic to say the least.

When the race started I stayed back in about twelfth of thirteenth place for the first couple of laps just to let thing settle down as at Monaco, even in 1961 with smaller cars than today's, there is never exactly room to spare. After three of four laps I felt the leaders were beginning to pull a bit too far ahead and tht I'd better get cracking to be in with any chance at all. I worked my way up to Bonnier who was then in third place and a lap later saw my chance and went by him and after the Ferraris of Hill and Ginther. With nineteen laps to go I had overtaken both Ferrari's and had a lead of about two seconds. Now to get this position I'd been driving pretty damn quickly and normally once you've got the lead you can tend to dictate the speed of the race and perhaps take something of a breather. Not so this time! The Ferraris immediately mounted a counter challenge which forced the pace way higher! I was no driving absolutley flat, positively at 10/10ths and still at various points on the circuit, like the hairpin for example, I would look across and see both Ferraris just a second or so behind - in fact during the whole of those nineteen laps my lead was never more than six seconds and usually far less. I tried to use Monaco's narrowness to my advantage and whenever possible lapped slower cars in places which would cause the most trouble to the following cars. I was still convinced however that both Hill and Ginther were just playing a waiting game and at any moment they would both blast by and finish in one and two formation.

Monaco leaves no room for error and such was the effort of concentration to stay ahead that I really could not believe I'd won until I saw the chequered flag come down for me. It wasn't until much later in the pits that I learned the Ferrari team manager had been urging first Hill and then Ginther faster and faster - each in turn while the other rested - just to pil on the pressure in their effort towin. I don't think I ever drove in another single race quite as hard and under pressure for so long as this Monaco Grand Prix'