Sir Stirling Moss has announced his intention to close his website, and hence effectively retire from public life, in order to allow him to rest and recuperate following over a year of health issues that have severely restricted his activities.

His son Elliot released the following statement:

To all of his many friends and fans around the world, who use this website for regular updates, my father would like to announce that he will be closing it down. Following his severe infections at the end of 2016 and his subsequent slow and arduous recovery, the decision has been made that, at the age of 88, the indefatigable man will finally retire, so that he and my mother can have some much deserved rest and spend more time with each other and the rest of the family. The entire and extended Moss clan thank everyone for all their love and support over the years and we wish you all a happy and prosperous 2018.

Sir Stirling was taken ill in Singapore on 22 December 2016 with a serious chest infection, and spent time in hospital there before being flown to a UK hospital. On 11 May 2017 it was announced that he'd finally returned home.

At the time a statement was released to say that Sir Stirling 'still has a substantial amount of recovery to undertake', and that he had 'determination and a great pit crew'. Moss thanked the medical staff who had assisted him in Singapore and the UK and added that he and wife Susie 'also want to thank, from the bottom of their hearts, all the family, friends and fans for their love and support'.

One of Sir Stirling's last public appearances before he travelled to Singapore was with Susie at the Autosport Awards in December 2016, shown above.

For Stirling Moss's career in pictures click here.

He's still arguably the most famous of all racing drivers, having won 16 of the 66 F1 races he competed in from 1951 to 1961, though never winning the Drivers' World Championship. His first race experiences were in 1948, driving a 500cc Formula Three car. He was the first British driver to win a home grand prix in 1955 at Aintree, but also competed in saloon car racing and rallying, achieving a remarkable 212 victories in all.

In 1955 he famously set a new course record in winning the famous , the 1000-mile race around Italy.

Moss was forced to retire from F1 in 1962 following his crash at the Goodwood Easter Monday races, which put him in a coma. He did later return to racing, and continued to race in historic events until the age of 81.

AutoClassics extends its best wishes to Sir Stirling Moss, British racing legend.

You might not be surprised to hear that Stirling Moss features in both our Top 10 greatest racing all-rounders feature and our Top ten greatest ever Nürburgring races.

Cars for sale with a Stirling Moss connection.

Images courtesy of LAT