The race in question, the 1955 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, would prove a fitting end to an era which was as successful as it was brief for the Silver Arrows. Pole Position and victory went to Triple World Champion Juan-Manuel Fangio. Piero Taruffi completed a one-two for the Silver Arrows and a 26-year-old Stirling Moss set the fastest lap of the race before having to abandon in the seventh lap.

This year, Mercedes-Benz Classic has re-united Moss with the machines in which this British icon enjoyed what he himself labelled his "greatest" year, a year which also marks the 60th anniversary of Sir Stirling’s unbeaten Mille Miglia record – an incredible time of ten hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds, averaging 157.65 km/h over the 1000 mile route.

On a crisp, bright morning in late April, the iconic 300 SLR ‘722’ which powered Moss to that historic Mille Miglia victory at the no less famous Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Lined up alongside it, the all-conquering W 196 R and W196 Streamliner Grand Prix Silver Arrows.

At the wheel of the Streamliner, the 85-year-old Moss rolls back the years in his classic light blue racing overalls. While in the cockpit of the Monoposto, double Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton completes an all-star Silver Arrows team.Together they take on the legendary Monza steep banking.

For Moss, reflecting on that memorable year brings back fond memories: “1955 was, for me, the greatest year,” he says. "I think my best race was the Mille Miglia. 1000 miles on the Italian roads which weren’t closed: there were trucks, medical vehicles, people moving around to get the best viewpoint. But the 300 SLR was, in my opinion, the greatest racing car of all time and that was the decisive factor.Driving for Mercedes-Benz was very special at the time, as they were head and shoulders above the rest in every way. This was the one team that you really wanted to be a part of.

It was an exciting time to be racing. The circuits were dangerous – some more than others, of course.When you went into a race you were aware of the considerable danger. But you had to get yourself into a situation where you were barely lifting for this curve, or trying to take another corner flat-out. To the teams and drivers today, I would say: "Don’t only think about competing – but definitely do as well." Racing improves men and I think, particularly for Mercedes, so many things have improved because of racing. The charisma that goes with it is enormous. To get out there, to be the best and to show it, is important for the brand."

For Lewis, getting behind the wheel of a classic Silver Arrow was equally as evocative an experience: "Driving round the old banked curves in this incredible car with Sir Stirling right there below was just magical," he enthuses. "I shouted out to him: "Stirling! "Stirling! This is amazing!!" but he was so focused I don’t think he heard me!

When the peak power kicks in at around 4,500 rpm you feel a big boost. It’s an absolutely fantastic engine, and the gearbox is super smooth. But it is so bumpy on the old part of the circuit and you have to be so precise with your steering inputs in these old cars to correct them as they move around. It must have been a real challenge to race so closely at full speed.Nowadays, they constantly try to compare modern-day drivers to guys like Stirling but it’s just impossible. What we do today is so different with all the electronic systems and so on. Back then, it was just raw machinery and raw drivers with nerves of steel..

They really were supermen! There must have been such a big fear factor – exciting but also terrifying. Your heart is beating at the very limit all the time. Back then, they would set off for each race knowing there was a good chance they might not come back alive. After driving this car I got only a small idea of what that must have been like. I think mentally I might have been crazy enough to race with those guys. They had great courage to go out and do what they did. I like to think that this has been what has separated me as a driver ever since I was a kid.“

The two stars, past and present, took a keen mutual interest in the relative challenges of the different racing eras. Together, they reflect on what it takes to tame a Grand Prix winning machine: "The most modern car I’ve ever driven was a Tyrell in Japan, around 1995," says Moss. "I only drove it around a bid to see what it was like. I was absolutely stunned by its reaction when I put my foot down. There was absolutely no wheelspin. Is the power delivery absolutely uninterrupted in your car?"

"That must have been due to the big tyres – we have a lot of wheelspin!" Hamilton replies."You can’t just floor it – you have to be really gentle, as there’s a lot of torque. Normally, the delivery is not so smooth with a turbo, but we have the Hybrid system that fills in the gap.So there is no lag at all. The Mercedes engine has very good driveability. It’s difficult to say whether my style would have suited the cars back then. I don’t really know what they needed – whether you had to handle them gently or more aggressively. They often say I tend towards the latter and I like an oversteering car. What was it like back in those days?"

"Personally, I like a set-up that tends towards oversteering," Moss confesses. "I think, if you can handle it, it is definitely faster than understeering.Because then you simply drive straight on ahead. We had no way to change the car set-up during a race.It was set up in practice and then one had to just leave it as it was. My style was fairly similar to Fangio’s. I followed him very closely. Whenever he drove onto the track I followed him and it seemed to work! I would certainly have changed if I had thought there was a better way of doing things.But, in those days, you just had to be a bit stupid and simply put your foot down!"