The Stig

[gertjan]

I was looking at a rerun of Top Gear yesterday, before the F1 race.

First Stig in top Gear, and in the preview of the F1 race there was an interview with Johnny Herbert.

You guessed it, discussions right away.

Is J.H the Stig? He sure has the skills and the humor for it.

What do you all think?

Cheers Gertjan

[red vtec]

some say it's Tiff Needal or Eddie Irvine but i wouild have thought Irvine was shagging supermodels somewhere in the sun he is minted, the first stig was Perry McCarthy

[mayevora]

Saw these when I was there 4-5 weeks ago but no sign of the stig, sorry.

Edited April 7, 2008 by mayesprit

[ian heighway]

Tiff and Clarkson cant stand each othere so i dont think it woud be tiff. And Tiff is so up his own arse he wouldn't be able to keep it to him self and watch 5gear Jason Plato is the better drive by a lone way Tiff just always has the faster more powerful car to race against him and only just beats him most of the time. And if Tiff was as good as he thinks he is he wouldn't of been sacked by most of the race teams he has driven for also note Tiff always slags off GM cars guess way? you got it Vauxhall sacked him from there race team because he was to slow.

I could beleave Johnny Herbert is the stig.

[mayevora]

The Stig's true identity is never revealed on the show, and in order to maintain the secrecy, all shots show him wearing full racing overalls and matching Simpson Diamondback helmet.[13][14] All that can be seen from the gap between his helmet and jumpsuit is that he is a white male with dark hair. It is also known that he wears Size 10 racing boots as discovered by the Sunday Times [15] and a well-timed camera flash managed to show The Stig's eyes by Auto Trader.[16]

The identity of the first Stig was revealed to be Perry McCarthy when his book Flat Out, Flat Broke was published in 2003. McCarthy is a former Formula 1 driver and test driver for the Benetton, Arrows and Williams teams, and also tested for BMW F1.[2]

The identity of the new Stig has not been officially revealed. In a Winter Olympics special episode of Top Gear, The Stig was shown doing a ski jump using a snowmobile. According to the Swedish tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet, the driver performing the ski jump stunt was Dan Lang, a Swedish snowmobile cross driver.[17] In January 2006, a Daily Express article reported that Julian Bailey was The Stig.[18] Both Russ Swift[19] and Perry McCarthy[2] have revealed that there is more than one driver that plays the role of The Stig.

Mark Webber with an "I AM THE STIG" T-shirt presented to him by Jeremy.The show has alluded to The Stig with Formula 1 drivers that visit the show. In the episode of June 26, 2005, Damon Hill appeared as the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car". When asked directly by Clarkson if he was The Stig, Hill played on the fact that he may be The Stig, but then denied it.[20] Mark Webber was interviewed on July 31, 2005 and at the conclusion of his lap, Clarkson presented him with an "I AM THE STIG" T-shirt.

When former F1 driver Nigel Mansell appeared on the show, Jeremy Clarkson noted that The Stig theorised that the Suzuki Liana (the show's "reasonably priced car" at the time) could achieve a 1:44 time on the track.[21] Mansell proved the Stig's theory by lapping in a time of 1:44.6; The Stig subsequently posted a lap-time of 1:44.4 in the Liana. During the review of Jenson Button's lap, Clarkson commented that he, as did most of the other F1 drivers, took very different racing lines from The Stig's. Button commented that "...obviously, The Stig isn't a Formula One Driver, then." to which Clarkson replied with "Might be."[22]

Although The Stig does talk with celebrities while preparing them for their "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" lap times, he is never shown talking on screen, and in Top Gear magazine articles he is portrayed as unable or unwilling to talk. Clarkson has written that The Stig is not permitted to talk on screen because any opinion he might voice on cars would be rubbish;[23] however, The Stig has talked in an interview with a Dutch TV Channel, Veronica where he had a distinctly English accent.[24] It has also been hinted that the 'tame racing driver' might be Michael Schumacher. In an episode in which Australian F1 driver, Mark Webber, drove the 'reasonably priced car', Jeremy Clarkson implied that Michael Schumacher has spent time away from F1, and said he might have been spending too much time here, (the Top Gear track and studio in Dunsfold, Surrey).

[Kimbers]

Ok, here's a little info for you:

See that car infront of the Top gear team (with the Stig driving)?

Thats Shawn Taylor and his team, I know Shawn, he's worked on my Esprit, Simon f parks at his place every day and I attend business networking with both his Mrs and him. This is Shawn:

http://www.st-racing.com/racing.shtml

So, the story goes like this. Shawn raced in the Britcar 24 hours (finally blowing the transmission 3 hours before the end). They happened to be 2 garages away from our friends at top gear and they saw the STIGS

I know for a fact that one of them was Damon Hill as Shawn spoke to him after coming off track, but there were actually 3 Stigs there on the day. The other 2 are your guess, but with Damon Hill having been on the program several times you have to guess that it would be a "Friend" of the show like Damon. I would also guess that it isn't the same driver every week as some filming is bound to clash with driving events.

[rogerch]

My guess is that the Stig is not one person, I suspect that most times the Stig is the test driver for whichever manufacturer is being tested on that day.

I have difficulty in picturing a company entrusting up to a miilion dollars, in just anybodies hands.

Thats why we never see his identity.

Roger

[OwenGT3]

Hi,

When I sold my Mini kit car, the guy who bought it and came and collected it owned a garage that converted mini's (original minis) to use motorbike engines, 1000cc four stroke lumps. He also raced them, and said to the wife and I that he did driving for Top Gear.

We asked him if he was the stig, but he wouldn't say or give any hint, he was about 30-ish, light coloured hair, blonde. Can't remember his name, the wife might remember.

Owen.

[bo90]

I think there are many Stigs depending on the assignment. On something like the London race when Stig travelled on the underground it does not require an experienced driver when a "production runner" is readily available to throw on a suit and helmet. There could well be up to three racing drivers covering the filming schedule. During my F1 days i had the pleasure of working with a pro driver named C Goodwin who didn't have a regular seat, I recently heard that he could be one of the "Stigs".

[DanR]

There was also Fat Stig when they were run out of Georgia.

What they did there was crazy and they, including the film crew, were lucky not to get lynched by the locals. Their cars had slogans like "man love rules, country and western sucks" and something about democrats and derogatory to republicans.

[SE Owner :-D]

Thers's only one Stig.

Me!

Shhhh!!!

[Gasman GT3]

When we went to the MPH show a couple of years ago we did the back stage tour. I got talking to one of he stunt drivers on the show and he confirmed that there are more than one Stig, but would not reveal any names.

As someone has already said Black Stig from I think the first 2 seasons was Sportscar driver Perry Mcarthy. I understand he left for a job driving for Audi in American Le Mans Series.

[lisalotus]

Why are you all assuming the stig is a bloke, its possible its a woman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[Kimbers]

Only if she looks, walks and has the body of a man!

[lisalotus]

Maybe she,s a bit flat chested

[internets]

Anybody seen this?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yeQwi-8bCEA

[lisalotus]

I still think its a woman. Voice and walk just a ploy to throw you off the scent LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[redshift]

Definitely two main characters + occasional guests. Mcarthy and Collins being the principals.

From the team radio during the 24hr race:

"Ben"

"Arent you supposed to be calling me Stig?"

"Err... oh yes sorry, Stig can you......"

[talon]

The full version of the clip above.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VihIf1Fi-BM&...feature=related

[lince]

Yes from the video with the voice It seems as if it was Ben Collins top Bloke by the way and great driver but I also think there are others but mostly made by him

[Setras]

I think "The Stig" is just a generic term as they change regularly dependant on location, vehicle type etc, etc

[gertjan]

Seeing the reactions,you all don

[mangel]

Cough Cough I know, only on PM's though!!!!

[Sunbeam Fanatic]

Hi All,

The transcript of the inquest into Hammonds crash names Ben Collins as a contracted high performance driver/consultant to the show. I would guess that currently he is the main Stig but they occasionally have ringers for special events.

Cheers,

SF