1960 Lotus 19 Raced By Graham Hill, Jim Clark, And Stirling Moss To Go Under The Hammer

There’s something magical about cars steeped in racing history, and it doesn’t get more enchanting than this rare 1960 Lotus.

With only 17 of these fiberglass-bodied Lotus 19 Monte Carlos ever made, this mid-engine sports racer would be a rare and desirable beast regardless of its pedigree. But with names such as Graham Hill, Jim Clark, and Sir Stirling Moss all having taken the wheel of Chassis #953, this time capsule of a car has been cemented as an integral part of motor racing history.

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This particular Lotus has seen success across the globe, including a dominant maiden season in 1961 under British Racing Partnership (BRP), the team owned by Sir Stirling Moss’ father and his former manager. In 1962, #953 won six of the seven races it entered in the UK, with Graham Hill lapping the Snetterton circuit at an average speed of 100 mph — a first for anyone in a sports racing car.

In 1963, it once again took to the track, but crucially it became the last racing car Sir Stirling Moss drove as a professional racing driver. After a test in #953 to determine whether he was comfortable racing after a heavy accident, he decided to hang up his pro racing gloves.

This Lotus 19 continued to compete in various categories until it was retired in 1965. It has since been returned to racing spec following a meticulous restoration and even features a new 240 hp Coventry-Climax engine. Purists need not fret, as every effort has been made to keep it as period-correct as possible. The car features FIA HTP papers, issued after a metallurgical analysis — basically a way to confirm that parts of the original chassis remain today.

This could be just the most significant Lotus you’ve never heard of It ticks all boxes in terms of provenance, as it’s a true “Chapman” Lotus and a bona fide race winner. And now, it awaits a new owner to give it a final post-rebuild shakedown, as it enters the first sale of the year for Silverstone Auctions on the 27th of March.

Note: A previous version of this story misspelled the name of F1 champ Jim Clark. It has been corrected.