# Pat Moss

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British rally driver (1934–2008)

Pat Moss Moss in 1963 Born Patricia Ann Moss 27 December 1934 Thames Ditton, Surrey Died 14 October 2008 (aged 73) Occupation Auto Rally Driver Spouse Erik Carlsson (m. 1963–2008; her death) Parent(s) Alfred Moss Aileen (née Craufurd) Relatives Sir Stirling Moss (brother)

**Patricia Ann Moss-Carlsson** (*née* **Moss**; 27 December 1934 – 14 October 2008) was one of the most successful female [auto rally](/source/Rallying) drivers of all time, achieving three outright wins and seven podium finishes in international rallies. She was crowned European Ladies' Rally Champion five times (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964–65). Her older brother [Stirling Moss](/source/Stirling_Moss) was a [Formula One](/source/Formula_One) [Grand Prix](/source/Grand_Prix_motor_racing) star during the 1950s. From 1963 until her death in 2008, Swedish rally driver [Erik Carlsson](/source/Erik_Carlsson) was both her driving-partner and her husband.[1]

She is the author of a memoir *The Story So Far* (1967) and, with her husband, co-author of *The Art and Technique of Driving* (1965).

## Biography

Pat Moss was born in [Thames Ditton](/source/Thames_Ditton), Surrey, England, to British [racing driver](/source/Auto_racing) [Alfred Moss](/source/Alfred_Moss) and Aileen (née Craufurd). She grew up in [Bray, Berkshire](/source/Bray%2C_Berkshire) and was taught to drive at the age of 11 by her brother, Stirling. But she started her sporting career on horseback, becoming well known as a successful [show-jumper](/source/Show_jumping) and member of the [British showjumping team](/source/British_Showjumping_Association). In 1953, aged 18, she started driving in club rallies after being introduced to the sport by boyfriend Ken Gregory, Stirling's manager. In 1954, Moss bought a [Triumph TR2](/source/Triumph_TR2) and started rallying more seriously. She asked [Standard-Triumph](/source/Standard_Motor_Company) to cover her expenses to drive her TR2 on the 1955 [RAC Rally](/source/Rally_GB), but they declined.

A more astute [MG Cars](/source/MG_Cars) offered Moss expenses and a works [MG TF 1500](/source/MG_T-type). Thus began a relationship lasting seven years, netting three championships and benefiting the [British Motor Corporation](/source/British_Motor_Corporation) with valuable publicity. As a BMC works team driver, Moss had her breakthrough in 1958, when she drove her [Morris Minor](/source/Morris_Minor) to 4th place on the RAC Rally. She achieved another 4th place at Belgium's [Liège–Rome–Liège](/source/Li%C3%A8ge%E2%80%93Rome%E2%80%93Li%C3%A8ge) Rally in an [Austin-Healey 100/6](/source/Austin-Healey_100) and won the first of her five European Ladies' Rally Championships.

In 1960, Moss took over-all victory at the [Liège–Rome–Liège](/source/Li%C3%A8ge%E2%80%93Rome%E2%80%93Li%C3%A8ge) in an [Austin-Healey 3000](/source/Austin-Healey_3000) and went on to finish 2nd at the *[Coupe des Alpes](/source/Coupe_des_Alpes)*. In 1961, she finished 2nd at the RAC Rally. In 1962, she was 3rd at the [East African Safari Rally](/source/East_African_Safari_Rally) in a [Saab 96](/source/Saab_96) and, at the RAC, with the Austin-Healey. Her biggest achievement, however, was winning the Netherlands' [Tulip Rally](/source/Tulip_Rally) in a [Mini Cooper](/source/Mini_Cooper),[2] which Moss considered "twitchy, and pretty unruly on the limit".[3]

In 1963, Moss joined [Ford of Britain](/source/Ford_of_Britain) and managed a 6th place at the [Acropolis Rally](/source/Acropolis_Rally) in her [Lotus](/source/Lotus_Cars)-tuned [Ford Cortina](/source/Ford_Cortina). On 9 July 1963[4] she married fellow rally driver [Erik Carlsson](/source/Erik_Carlsson). Ford tried to sign Erik; instead, in 1964, Moss switched to [Saab](/source/Saab_Automobile) works team to partner her husband. Together, they competed in 11 international rallies. Her most notable results were 3rd at the Acropolis Rally and 4th at the [Liège–Sofia–Liège](/source/Li%C3%A8ge%E2%80%93Sofia%E2%80%93Li%C3%A8ge) and the RAC Rally. At the [Monte Carlo Rally](/source/Monte_Carlo_Rally), she came in 5th in 1964 and 3rd in 1965.

In 1968, Moss joined [Lancia](/source/Lancia) to drive the new [Fulvia](/source/Lancia_Fulvia). She did not like the car's strong [understeer](/source/Understeer),[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] but drove it to 14th place at the [Monte Carlo Rally](/source/Monte_Carlo_Rally) and 2nd place at the [Rallye Sanremo](/source/Rallye_Sanremo), losing to [Pauli Toivonen](/source/Pauli_Toivonen) in a [Porsche 911](/source/Porsche_911). Her other notable results of the season included winning the [Sestriere](/source/Sestriere) Rally and finishing 8th at the [Acropolis](/source/Acropolis_Rally) and 7th at the *[Tour de Corse](/source/Tour_de_Corse)*. At the 1969 [Monte Carlo Rally](/source/Monte_Carlo_Rally), Moss drove her Fulvia to 6th place.

In December 1969,[5] Moss and Carlsson had a daughter, Susan. By that time, Moss was becoming less active in rallying; she joined [Renault Alpine](/source/Renault_Alpine) and drove her [Alpine A110](/source/Alpine_A110) to 10th place at the 1972 [Monte Carlo Rally](/source/Monte_Carlo_Rally) before finally retiring in 1974.

On 14 October 2008, Moss-Carlsson died of cancer, aged 73,[6] at home in [Eaton Bray](/source/Eaton_Bray), [Bedfordshire](/source/Bedfordshire).[7] She was survived by her husband Erik and daughter Susan.

## See also

- [List of female World Rally Championship drivers](/source/List_of_female_World_Rally_Championship_drivers)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Dirs, Ben (5 March 2015). ["Pat Moss: The racing legend's sister who beat the men"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/31749919). [BBC](/source/BBC) Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The Pat Moss Edition for the MINI Hatch"](https://www.mini.co.uk/en_GB/home/mini-news/celebrating-the-successes-of-pat-moss-and-pioneering-mini-women.html). *www.mini.co.uk*. Retrieved 8 July 2022.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Pat Moss – Obituary"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3219388/Pat-Moss.html). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. 17 October 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *Mr Saab, The Tale of Erik Carlsson "on the roof"*, page 9. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [91-7125-060-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/91-7125-060-3)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Motor196912_5-0)** Bulmer, Charles, ed. (20 December 1969). "Sporting side: Susan Moss-Carlsson...". *Motor*: 146.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Obituary: Pat Moss"](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/oct/27/pat-moss-carlsson-obituary). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. 27 October 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Top female rally driver dies"](http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/local/top-female-rally-driver-dies-1-1202766). *[Hemel Hempstead Gazette & Express](/source/Hemel_Hempstead_Gazette_%26_Express)*. Retrieved 20 November 2021.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Pat Moss](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pat_Moss).

- [Obituary](https://web.archive.org/web/20100524113218/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4964575.ece) Archived at *[Times Online](/source/Times_Online)*

- [Obituary](http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71511) at *[Autosport](/source/Autosport)*

- [Obituary](https://web.archive.org/web/20081025053815/http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/news/octanenews/229854/pat_moss_19342008.html) Archived at *[Octane](/source/Octane_(magazine))*

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pat Moss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Moss) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Moss?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.