Top Gear's Stig hails Hamilton

Eurosport - Thu, 13 Nov 11:36:00 2008

Newly-crowned Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is "phenomenally good at driving", even when the car in question is "an old snot-box" - that is the expert opinion of Top Gear's enigmatic Stig.

FORMULA 1 2008 Hamilton - 0

The McLaren-Mercedes star appeared on the BBC motoring entertainment programme last year, and his lap around the series' special test track for the popular 'Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car' feature remains unbeaten in the wet and - time-adjusted for dry conditions - is the quickest ever registered, ahead of fellow F1 title-winners Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell, and current grand prix rivals Jenson Button and Mark Webber.

Indeed, so good was the Stevenage-born ace's effort behind the wheel of the modest Suzuki Liana family saloon that he was only three-tenths of a second adrift of the Stig's best marker - again on a dry surface. Top Gear presenter James May was clearly impressed.

"Lewis Hamilton is the fastest person ever around our track," he told the BBC. "We used to have a separate board for Formula One drivers and former Formula One drivers because otherwise it wasn't fair, but we haven't done one recently.

"He was brilliant though, which is quite reassuring, because there's always a little bit of you that thinks 'well is it really the driver or is it the car or is it the size of the tool kit or the size of the budget or something?' - but no, he was good.

"Even the Stig said - in Stig language, which only a few people can understand - that he was phenomenally good at driving even an old snot-box like our reasonably-priced car, and he was only 22 then."

The identity of the Stig has been closely-guarded and the subject of intense speculation ever since the show's debut.

Perry McCarthy revealed he was the first Stig in his autobiography 'Flat Out, Flat Broke' in 2003, but has since been replaced.

"It is remarkable that we've managed to keep his identity secret for this long," May said.

"And the way the producers have done this is that there is effectively a clause in the Stig's contract that says if his identity gets out, he has to be fired.

"This is what happened to the first Stig. That means the onus is on the rest of us not to reveal who he is, because then he would still be fired, but it would be, say, my fault - and then he'd come round and kill me!"

May also spoke about the former's controversial recent joke about lorry drivers killing prostitutes, which received widespread condemnation.

"I'm not sure where it came from," the 45-year-old reflected. "There's obviously a popular myth about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes and it must be related to a news story from long ago, but I've either forgotten it or I missed it.

"We did put it through the compliance lot, and they said it was okay. Lorry drivers are free to go and kick Jeremy's head in if they see him by the side of the road!

"I don't think we debated it, and I wasn't really surprised it went in. It's exactly the sort of thing he'd say; it's Jeremy - he's being bombastic. I don't think anyone believes he actually means it.

"He doesn't think for a moment that all lorry drivers murder prostitutes. He's being deliberately fatuous; it's what he does."

Crash.Net / Eurosport

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  1. Well Chris T all I can say is I'm pleased as punch­ that we have a British FIA Formula One World Champion­ especially one so young & talented, you just know­ he's gonna win a lot more.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 11:21PM

  2. I heard Marnio's getting his provisional next year!

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 11:02PM

  3. My mistake 1965.

    From vinnydawg67, on Fri 14 Nov 10:58PM

  4. We're showing our ages!!!

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 10:57PM

  5. MP4-23
    I learned in a 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442. I­ still razz my dad for selling it.

    From vinnydawg67, on Fri 14 Nov 10:56PM

  6. Mk2 escort.
    Passed it in my mum's Mini 1000

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 10:43PM

  7. Hey guys & girls completely off topic ( so I'm­ probably gonna get shouted at ) but seeing marnio from­ poos picture got me thinking, what did everybody learn­ to drive & subsequently pass their test in.
    I­ learnt to drive in a Hillman Avenger & a mark1­ Escort Estate.
    I passed my test in a Vauxhall Cavalier.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 10:37PM

  8. MP4-23
    Well said. But I don't agree with this­ bit.

    I would however find it hard to believe that a­ country that has been crying out for a World Champion­ for years & finally gets one would rate another­ driver higher than him.
    Still this a free country so­ each to their own.

    It's a peculiarity of the­ British that they do this. This would never happen in­ France, Italy, Spain, Germany ... need I go on.

    The­ British can also laugh at themselves. That is pretty­ unusual, too. The only other nation I can think of ­ that don't mind making an @#$% of themselves are­ the Japanese.

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 10:33PM

  9. Look at that big post & not one invalid, yahoo­ loves me.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 10:30PM

  10. gough_79, I'm hoping there's going to be 4+­ teams next year challenging, wouldn't that be­ great.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 10:30PM

  11. stivsf1, I do wish people would read comments properly­ instead of getting on their high horse as soon as they­ read something they don't agree with.
    Thankyou Mr­ Rats for trying to explain to him.
    Firstly I don't­ think you will find the word English in there so I­ think you may have read the wrong post, so if I have to­ spell it out for you The Times is not the normal read­ of the Man/Woman in the street so any poll taken by it­ cannot be a fair reflection of the great BRITISH­ public, if you want that then you have to look to the­ tabloids & I'm not saying that Alonso is­ disliked in this country ( he has a bit more respect­ from me after congratulating the World Champion &­ MacMerc face to face ).
    I would however find it hard to­ believe that a country that has been crying out for a­ World Champion for years & finally gets one would­ rate another driver higher than him.
    Still this a free­ country so each to their own.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 10:27PM

  12. Pardon?

    Oooo missus.
    Titter ye not!

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 10:12PM

  13. I hope Alonso gets a good car next season because I­ really want to see him and Hamilton going at it hammer­ and tongs. They are head and shoulders above the rest­ of the field

    From gough_79, on Fri 14 Nov 10:03PM

  14. t0ss

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 9:35PM

  15. The other day it wouldn't let me say "argue­ the @#$%"

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 14 Nov 9:29PM

  16. So according to MP4-23 [212] the English people who­ voted ALONSO the best driver of 2008 over L.H in the­ Times newspaper poll are not the great English people­ the other half who voted for L.H are what a sorry lot

    From stivsf1, on Fri 14 Nov 8:47PM

  17. no one @#$% with england mate we got the best army and­ the best f1 driver hahaha

    From matthewfagg, on Fri 14 Nov 7:48PM

  18. no one @#$% with england mate we got the best army and­ the best f1 driver hahaha

    From matthewfagg, on Fri 14 Nov 7:44PM

  19. stivsf1, my friend, I think you'll find it was The­ Times newspaper readers that did the voting not the­ great British public.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 7:42PM

  20. rundoderun, What has countdracula666 got to do with­ England.

    From OnlyHereForTheBeer, on Fri 14 Nov 7:40PM
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